did a stupid thing

[rbh]

well I did a big oops on my part and droped and cracked the case on a brand new 12v battery.
is there anything you can patch the case with? epoxy, hot glue etc?
thanks
rob

 

[bruceb58]

Re: did a stupid thing

Don't even bother. If you dropped it that hard, the case is propbably just one thing that is damaged.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: did a stupid thing

I would remove all the electrolite and rinse well then sand the effected area and apply some 2 part epoxy, if the posts aren't broken it should be fine, acid will not touch the epoxy, if you lay up the crack with fiberglass mesh it would even be better, just rough up the surface good and apply out beyond the crack, how bad is it?

 

[MRS]

Re: did a stupid thing

I would replace the battery if you ever had a battery leak or explode on you it ends up costing way more than replacing the battery.

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: did a stupid thing

Put it on fleabay or C'slist.

Make a few bucks toward a new one.

 

[Bass Tracker TX17]

Re: did a stupid thing

REPLACE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PERIOD

Any damage can't be seen internally.
Internal shorts are not uncommon with a damaged battery.

If you have ever seen a battery explode, you would not even think of doing something like this.

Rob, please don't repair it.

I've been around the automotive field way to long. I've seen what these things can do way to many times.

Take it from someone that had to tackle and hose down a coworker's eyes and face from a REPAIRED exploded battery.

 

[HAV2FISH]

Re: did a stupid thing

Try taking it back, you never know they might exchange it. Might be worth a try.

 

[skargo]

Re: did a stupid thing

Try taking it back, you never know they might exchange it. Might be worth a try.

Yeah, great idea. Rip the store off, so prices go up, and we all pay higher prices.

STUPID IDEA.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: did a stupid thing

Yeah, great idea. Rip the store off, so prices go up, and we all pay higher prices.

STUPID IDEA.

Wow, we agree on something again, skargo?!!!

Replace the battery, please.

 

[jimr]

Re: did a stupid thing

I dropped a battery a few years ago putting it in a skid steer loader. We took it back to get another and told them what happened and they exchanged it. We also buy a lot of them every year for everything from a lawn mower to big dozers and loaders.

 

[madgadget]

Re: did a stupid thing

attery explode, you would not even think of doing something like this.

Yep I saw a car battery explode. It was sitting on charge and a spark from a grinder ignited it. I was just outside the garage at the time (I was prob about 14/15yrs old) it sounded so loud i was surprised it didn't take the roof of the garage, but there was nothing much left of the battery after. Acid cleaned the concrete well though hahaha

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: did a stupid thing

I agree.....Take it back,be honest and tell them what happened.They may at least cut you a break on the new one.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: did a stupid thing

I'd take it back to the store, tell them what happened and see what they do. As long as you are honest about the situation, you are not ripping off the store.

I had a somewhat similar circumstance with a trailer winch, purchased from Academy Sports. I bought it along with a bunch of other stuff and accidentally left it in the shopping cart, while putting the rest of the stuff in my car.

I returned to the store after realizing what I had done, but the cart wasn't where I had left it in the lot, nor was there a winch in any cart that I could see. I didn't actually go into the store looking for a free replacement (my intent was only to ask if they had found one), but they gave me another anyway. It was about a $50 winch, which probably cost the store half that amount.

My personal opinion is that the store manager made a very good decision. I was actually somewhat new to Academy Sports at the time and now shop there frequently. I have surely provided them with a great deal more profit, than the $25 bucks that they lost by being nice. Simply put, in this age of retailers who treat customers like crap, I am very happy to spend my dollars at a place like Academy - as I am to tell everyone who wants to listen, about them.

I do agree with all those who suggested that you not try to repair it. Risking a chemical burn and all sorts of other mayhem, just isn't worth 70 bucks to replace it, if you have to lay the money out.



???

 

[Splat]

Re: did a stupid thing

You mean when they explode and do this?

or this

in hinesight, it does look kindof cool like this

Even got a video of it like this:


Wasa dual battery setup, best they can tell the first one exploded, creating a short that allowed battery#2 to start the actual fire. Needless to say it was the end of my snowplowing that year.

The cause for the first battery going was never found, but they could tell from the damage to the hood, and the condition of the plates left over, it did explode.

Damn it was a good truck........

Bill

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: did a stupid thing

I agree.....Take it back,be honest and tell them what happened.They may at least cut you a break on the new one.

I agree. If you are regular customer maybe they will agree if you say you think it had a defective case cause even droping it shouldnt have made the crack.Wont hurt to try. You might try using some of that 'waterweld" epoxy putty and save it or at least have it as a spare.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: did a stupid thing

So, um ... Bill ... did you come up with the screen nickname "Splat," before or after this incident?

Ouch!

 

[gonefishie]

Re: did a stupid thing

Holy crapola! I don't even wanna think about what would happen on boats that have batteries sitting right behind the gas tank.

 

[j_martin]

Re: did a stupid thing

Holy crapola! I don't even wanna think about what would happen on boats that have batteries sitting right behind the gas tank.

Keep your connections clean and tight.

I blew up a battery in my face by disconnecting the charger without turning it off.

Battery acid in the face ain't no picnic. Luckily sulphuric acid is slow acting, and I was near a hose bib to wash it off. It's real easy to look right into a full blast stream of cold water under those conditions.

Don't mess with it, replace it.

John

 

[Fisnfool]

Re: did a stupid thing

Yeah, great idea. Rip the store off, so prices go up, and we all pay higher prices.

STUPID IDEA.

Why would that be a ripoff if they agree to do it?

I had one I dropped exchanged with no problem. I deal with them a lot and he mentioned that their supplier exchanges ones they drop at no cost to them.

As many batteries as an auto service handles, they are bound to drop one once in a while. They same would probably apply to a battery retailer. They probably drop one once in a while while stocking shelves.

Don't try to fix a cracked battery. I was lucky my glasses shielded my eyes when I got the side of my face sprayed with battery acid. One of the other guys at the scene was not so lucky. Battery shrapnel blinded him.

As a cop, I rolled up on a breakdown on the freeway to use the overheads as a warning to others.

Another person had already stopped to help the break down. They had rigged 2 sets of jumper cables together to reach the battery. They connected at the battery just as I was even with a view angle of the battery but about ten feet away. The connection spark blew the battery and I got hit with the acid. He got hit with the shrapnel.

The above posted photos look similar to the result of the this incident. Batteries are storing much more than electrochemical energy. The hydrogen that accumulates is a powerful thing too. THAT IS WHY YOU NEVER CONNECT JUMPERS OR A CHARGER TO THE BATTERY POLES.
Hook up the positive first, then use and engine or chassis ground for the negative. This keeps any spark away from the battery.

The wash down kit in the cruiser and rescue squads, saved my face from scarring. At the hospital they kept washing it down with a bicarb solution.

Now the funny part. When I left the hospital, I looked OK, just a little red in the acid area. But when I got back to the station once they new I was OK the rest of the squad was laughing. They said I looked like a white ghost head.

When the carb solution had completely dried, it had left a fine white powder on my face.

 

[skargo]

Re: did a stupid thing

Why would that be a ripoff if they agree to do it?

Maybe I interpreted it wrong, but it seemed like he was recommended to take it back and NOT tell them he dropped it. If I read that wrong then my apologies.

I didn't see where he said he was going to tell them he dropped it, and where he dealt with them all the time.

So I I buy a new headlight, and drop it, I should expect the place to take it back too?