12vBattery exploded???

Well you could open the hatch and look at the battery...

The HV battery is very well protected and completely disconnected from the main system when off. If it wont do anything, then it is likely it was the 12v. It is very strange that it exploded.

 

me thinks, more like a battery problem than a car problem

 

The HV battery doesn't have acid.

Tom

 

I think traditional concensus is to only replace the 12 volt battery when it's completely failed. But it's getting more popular to replace it periodically, regardless of it's health, at some preset interval.

Maintainers of police cars, ambulances and other "must start" vehicles do this, using quite a short interval: bi-yearly, or even yearly. For a typical car owner, 4 years would be a good interval: not too frequent, and not so long that the odds of battery failure tip against you.

 

Sort of defeats the whole purpose of that special battery and vent tube, IF you got any acid splashed, normally the charge rate is fairly weak and a actual explosion would be extremely rare.:rockon:

 

It is interesting that the OP noticed battery acid smell. I hope that he looked under the battery for any signs of acid leakage.

If you don't place any value on your lost time when your car refuses to start (due to a dead 12V battery) then no need to worry until the battery is dead. Then you get to pay a premium price to have the battery changed, and maybe a towing charge as well, who knows.

If you don't like the drama and wasted time associated with a battery failure then I agree that a four-year replacement interval is an excellent choice to reduce the likelihood of unscheduled downtime, while getting most of the useful life out of the battery. If you do this replacement in a planned manner then you can call around and figure out the most cost-effective way to get that job done.

 

I knew a knucklehead friend who decided that shorting the + and - battery terminals with a wrench would be a good idea!
I kept saying "You know Randy, that is really a BAD idea." from across the other side of the room....
He took a open end wrench of the right length and slapped that sucker across the terminals...
The wrench sparked and welded itself onto the terminal posts, the wrench just started to turn dull red and smoke, and the battery EXPLODED ! Pieces everywhere, and all the acid and water soaked my friend...
I just started laughing as he ran into the shower, I just went home.
Some folks just have to figure things out for themselves!

 

My old shop teacher tells the story of why he doesn't wear a watch anymore, and why he has a scar around his wrist. He was tightening the nut on the positive terminal on a side post battery. The negative was already connected. As he was wrenching, the watchband touched the wrench and the fender. He made a complete circuit of positive -> wrench -> metal watchband -> fender -> negative.

 

A good reason to remove all metal (wedding ring, watch, etc.) before working on electrical systems.

 

When working on elec/electronics always keep both hands in your pockets.:rockon:

 

It is a miracle he survived, he could have easily been blinded for life. He should of least dipped his finger into the acid and sampled it, to sort of get the taste of it first.

 

Like I said, some folk just want to know what a kick in the cahones feels like, they can't take somebodys word for it! I moved on to smarter friends after that!
The brother of a co worker forgot the no rings and watches rule just once.
He was electrocuted servicing a high power microwave transmitting system. He also violated rule #2, ALWAYS have a partner, if nothing else he can save your life!

 

Another reason to connect the negative cable to the car body last.