ABS, SUB TANK, AIRBAGS & ALTERNATOR lights flickering - BATTERY explosion - ZD30DI

[Deon Kruger]

Hi guys / girls,

Yesterday I had ABS, SUB TANK, AIRBAGS & ALTERNATOR lights flickering followed by my main BATTERY exploding. Acid all over the place.

Any ideas, except for "why did you not immediately stop and investigate...."

I have been battling with overheating. All the normal stuff has been checked and replaced. Now the head is to be removed tomorrow. Could the overheating have affected the alternator?

Why else could the battery have exploded?:icon_bonk:

[Bigrig]

Where are you based mate?? I'd be guessing this is not one for the "DIY" list and needs someone specialist to look it over!!

[Deon Kruger]

Hi Bigrig,

I am based in the Northern Province, South Africa.

Luckily i have a trained diesel mech that looks after my vehicle when my knowledge fails me. I like to double check though and he doesn't mind me giving my input. Like to get my own hands dirty though. This motor is a bit tricky though...

This exploding battery is just the cherry on the cake though.

[YNOT]

My guess is the exploding battery probably had something to do with a massively over charging alternator and a battery that had low electrolyte. When the electrolyte (acid) level gets below the top of the plates you can get sparking between the plates, mix those sparks with the hydrogen given off by a battery being charged and you have all the ingredients for a very messy explosion.

I doubt the overheating had anything to do with it going on the information in the first post.

Tony

[Deon Kruger]

Does an alternator overcharge due to a faulty regulator sticking or can there by other reasons?

[YNOT]

Does an alternator overcharge due to a faulty regulator sticking or can there by other reasons?

I'm not an auto electrician but I think a regulator would be the most likely cause.

Tony

[Yendor]

You sure have been having a bad run with your rig of late.

I would say you have a problem with your alternator regulator.

While the head is off I would also remove the alternator and have it tested.

On the vehicle I would also check the battery sense wire at the alternator, this is the yellow with a red trace wire. (I have seen the wires break at the connector before).

It should have a battery feed, this is how the alternator knows what charge the battery is at.

If it doesn't have a battery feed, check the fuse in the fusebox under the bonnet.

Also make sure the earth wire is connected at the bottom of the alternator.

Cheers Rodney

[Deon Kruger]

Yendor,

Can I make a list of the bad luck.

1.) Had to replace the intercooler and the crank sensor
2.) Injector pump seized
3.) Had to split the gearbox and motor in order to get to the sump in order to get to the cover at the front of the motor. Guys that redid the motor never aligned three sprockets - long story
4.) Bosch that replaced the injector pump never connected the vacuum hoses so the turbo did not kick in, took three visit to Bosch and two to Nissan and one to an auto electrician to sort out.
5.) Constant overheating. Went back three times to sort out overheating, now apparently it is the head gasket.

All in three months.

Anyway, it is MY Patrol. It does not have a mother our father, only me - and I am the owner. I will fix her and Patrol on.

Cheers, thanks again for the assistance!

Deon

[Yendor]

Wow thats some list.

I hope it gets sorted for you.

[Bigrig]

Have you ever lived in Australia mate?? I know a Deon Kruger (from south Africa) in Australia!!!! I'm sure it's a common name ... Hope you get it sorted!!

[Deon Kruger]

Bigrig,

Actually no, I only know of one guy with the same name as me and that I picked up via the internet.

I will update once sorted. At least I now have a mech that knows his stuff.

Cheers.
Deon.

[xtreme patrol]

Totally agree with everyone's diagnosis
It has to be the alternator as the exact same thing happend to me I unfortunately ignored the warning that the alt was going bad as the headlights started to go bright and i mean really bright then dim again then one day driving along and all the lights on the dash started to go crazy the instrument cluster filled with smoke and she died. My near new battery swelled like a balloon and was ready to pop.
All up i needed to replace the ECU, ALT, Airflow meter, instrument cluster, stereo, all globes inside and out, most fuses, power antenna and my central locking is still not working and i need a new airbag control box.
Auto elec said something fused inside the alternator and it sent something like 24 volts to everything

Hope it works out better for you than it did me
Cheers

[the evil twin]

Sounds like you have experienced a classic case of thermal runaway... bleeping dangerous things Lead Acid batteries if subjected to high temps and overcharging.

If you are battling hot engine bays it is well worth keeping a very close eye on the battery electrolyte levels and check the Alternator output as soon as you get the truck going again.

[Ben-e-boy]

Sounds like you have experienced a classic case of thermal runaway... bleeping dangerous things Lead Acid batteries if subjected to high temps and overcharging.

If you are battling hot engine bays it is well worth keeping a very close eye on the battery electrolyte levels and check the Alternator output as soon as you get the truck going again.

I agree with thermal runaway. its a terrible thing
last time I dealt with that (not on a car) I had a motor circuit breaker blow up in my face. I worked out the perspective fault current to be 65000 amps if it wasnt for ppe I would be in a great deal of pain

[Deon Kruger]

From the conversation I picked up that batteries explode. Seems to be a spark between plates causing the nitrogen gas to explode. I am utilizing Bosch sealed batteries. As far as I understand the electrolyte levels should not go below the plates.

On my second larger battery (ALSO A SEALED BOSCH SILVER CALCUIM) I saw small drops of acid spray on the side of the engine bay. Seems to be omitted via a small vent on the battery. If this is the case and logic prevails then the electrolyte level might be to low as well, hence another possible explosion.

As this is a sealed battery how do I confirm the electrolyte level?

[YNOT]

Batteries emit hydrogen not nitrogen - nitrogen is an inert gas.
Silver calcium sealed batteries are a wet cell battery. They are designed to self regulate electrolyte levels however if they are badly over charged they can still pump water and acid out the vent as you have seen. You have no way of checking electrolyte levels on most sealed batteries.
Have you had the alternator checked yet?

Tony

[the evil twin]

Batteries emit hydrogen not nitrogen - nitrogen is an inert gas.
Silver calcium sealed batteries are a wet cell battery. They are designed to self regulate electrolyte levels however if they are badly over charged they can still pump water and acid out the vent as you have seen. You have no way of checking electrolyte levels on most sealed batteries.
Have you had the alternator checked yet?

Tony

What Tony said X 2... Valve regulated batteries can still dump electrolyte but theres nothing you can do about replacing it.

"Maint Free" batteries are very convenient but do not last as long as a properly maintained equivalent (I stress equivalent) lead acid battery. The Maint Free is popular because hardly anyone maintains their battery correctly, present forumites excluded of course, and therefore the Maint Free is percieved to be better and longer lasting than a poorly maintained traditional battery.

A traditional battery can have the correct amount and ratio of electrolyte and also chemically reconditioned. The raft of smart chargers such as the Ctek's etc these days attack sulphation and other issues by 'electrically' reconditioning the battery. Certainly works but not quite as well, however there is no other option on a sealed battery.

I probably confused the issue with my prev post so apologies for that...

Bottom line is Lead Acids explode a lot more often than is commonly reported. Under charging just makes them useless, Over charging, significant over charging that is, whilst a lot less prevalent can easily cause them fail catastrophically IE blow up

[Yendor]

Hey Deon.

How's your baby going?, is it back on the road yet?

Cheers Rodney