Miata Mailing List: February 2000, Message #290

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In a message dated 2/2/2000 9:14:18 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
mfriedmn@bellsouth.net writes:

> They installed a new alternator on a Toyota pick up. The battery had to be
>  charged. When it came time to start the engine, a spark ignited the vapors
>  and "Blam", it sounded like a rifle shot. Guys from the body shop next door
>  came to check on us. The explosion blew the top of the battery case to bits
>  and sprayed sulfuric acid around. When we tryied to clean it off the floor
>  we found that the concrete had been etched by the acid.

  Yeah boy!  I didn't believe it until an experience in the Army back in the 
70s.  We were checking the charging system on my 5 ton tactical wrecker, and 
my partner was touching the loose ground cable to one of the 4 batteries 
while watching the ammeter.  Suddenly, BOOM!! -- it sounded for all the world 
like a 12 gauge shotgun being discharged in a trash barrel (how I know that 
sound is another story, and there's a skunk involved).  When the vapors 
cleared, my friend was writhing on the ground clutching his eyes, his glasses 
blown off.  Luckily, we were able to hose him down immediately, and his sight 
came back in a few hours.  He did lose most of his clothing and a fair bit of 
hair, and we all were hard of hearing for a couple of days.  The 1/8" steel 
cage around the batteries resembled a metal balloon, and we never found the 
cable ends.
  Yet another reason to keep a gel-cell battery in your Miata!

  Foureagles