# battery bulging?



## jddcircuit (Mar 18, 2010)

One of my batteries is bulging just sitting on the shelf. It is a CALB 40Ah.

Does anyone know what the hell could be causing this and what should I do about it?

Thanks
Jeff


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## EVfun (Mar 14, 2010)

Bulging just sitting? Wow, that is a new one to me. If you find out and the answer doesn't come from a DIYEV member, please let us know.

Without a clue as to why I have no idea what to recommend about what to do. You can clamp the cell to reduce bulging, but I don't know if that helps the cell with this (unknown) cause.


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## Guest (Oct 15, 2011)

Photos of the battery and what is the current voltage of the cell. Just sitting I'd say not a chance. What do you consider bulging? Here is a bulging battery.


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## icec0o1 (Sep 3, 2009)

My guess would be either high or low voltage.


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## Guest (Oct 15, 2011)

Slow voltage discharge would not bulge the cell. I have many that were slow drained and they are perfect condition. I'd say either over charged or high amperage discharge if they are bulging like the ones I have shown. If they are a teeny weeny bit bulging its nothing to be concerned about.


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## jddcircuit (Mar 18, 2010)

gottdi said:


> Photos of the battery and what is the current voltage of the cell. Just sitting I'd say not a chance. What do you consider bulging? Here is a bulging battery.


It looked like the picture. It has never been connected to anything. When I get home I will see what's going on. I put some clamping pressure on it last night.

Thanks


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## jddcircuit (Mar 18, 2010)

Ok the bulging is not as severe as the ones posted by gottdi but keep in mind this is just a battery minding its own business. I think the bulging went down some over night by applying some clamping pressure.

The voltage reads 3.28 volts. All my non bulging batteries read 3.29volts


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## Guest (Oct 16, 2011)

I'd say by the looks of that cell you should be just fine. Clamping alone will not fully flatten the plastic case. I do not like the quality of plastic in the cases but if you warm them well first then clamp them then let them cool you should get them fully flat again. The cells within are fine. They are not bulging. Saggy plastic. They get real soft in high heat and can bulge easy just by the weight of the plastic alone. If the gas they will bloat like little fat pigs while hot. One of my piggy cells is actually just fine. The other is shorted out from within and holds zero power. Good for opening and doing a show and tell. 

I did that too. 

http://greenev.zapto.org/GreenEV/GreenEV/GreenEV_Productions_Photo_Albums/Pages/Hi-Power_Photos.html

In this flick I said the internal cells bloated too but they really did not. So I was wrong there. But here is the youtube flick too. I also thought that the swelling was from the change in crystalline structure. Some maybe but mostly it really is from gas. The gas leaked out the sides of the terminals. They are not an air tight seal.


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## cbliss (Jun 28, 2010)

I would not open one, very dangerous. I was recently told that Hydrofluoric acid can be generated or is contained in them. 

I pulled an bulging 90AH Thundersky out of a car. While I was installing the replacement, the bulging one I pulled exploded from the internal pressure. Loud and scary, I was about 10 feet from it. It smelled very strong of nasty organic compounds.

If someone came to me with a battery that looked like the pictures, I would put it in containment ASAP and try to find a recycler.


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## Guest (Oct 17, 2011)

> I was recently told that Hydrofluoric acid can be generated or is contained in them.


From where did you find this information? Sounds like more internet BS to me. Funny that you say you had one blow up. The TS cells have vents in them. They do vent. If it truly blew up with a bang I'd love to see the results. If that is the case then yours is the only known TS that blew up. Mine would even vent if the pressure were great enough. The cells were hot and the plastic so flexible I doubt it could blow. More like blow up like a balloon. Or a fat little pig.


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## Guest (Oct 17, 2011)

Well some have Lithium Hexafluoride and if it comes in contact with water it can produce Hydrofluoric Acid. Do what you will with your cells. How do you suppose your cell with a vent blew up? What was the cause?


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## Ziggythewiz (May 16, 2010)

Wow, great pics. Well worth the teardown even if safety issues are real...

Thanks!


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## cbliss (Jun 28, 2010)

The casing blew apart. I was laying under the car at the time. I put the battery into a tray and donated it to a PE that got chemical burns when he touched it. I also doubted him telling me about the HF, but if he is even remotely correct, I would be remiss if I didn't warn others. As to the organic smell; I worked in the chemical waste industry for over 10 years, and I wouldn't risk touching that stuff without gloves.

For those who have not been hospitalized for chemical burns or chemical explosions, it isn't to be taken lightly. Use common sense and take adequate precautions. I spent two weeks blind, don't risk it.


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## cbliss (Jun 28, 2010)

gottdi said:


> How do you suppose your cell with a vent blew up? What was the cause?


Its voltage was close to zero. The casing was bulged from pressure. It must not have vented as the explosion was simply the casing not being able to withstand the pressure. The explosion was not from an instaneous chemical reaction, but a protracted build up of pressure. In the car, the cell compression was enough to keep the cell from blowing apart. It happened shourtly after removing it from the compression box. The plastic casing was cold at the time.

Now, when I see a bulged cell, I get gloves and goggles before working on them.


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## DavidDymaxion (Dec 1, 2008)

I had a cell spit about a 2 cm^3 of electrolyte onto a metal table, it didn't seem to do anything -- but I still treated it like it was hazardous.


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## jddcircuit (Mar 18, 2010)

gottdi said:


> I'd say by the looks of that cell you should be just fine. Clamping alone will not fully flatten the plastic case. I do not like the quality of plastic in the cases but if you warm them well first then clamp them then let them cool you should get them fully flat again. The cells within are fine. They are not bulging. Saggy plastic. They get real soft in high heat and can bulge easy just by the weight of the plastic alone. If the gas they will bloat like little fat pigs while hot. One of my piggy cells is actually just fine. The other is shorted out from within and holds zero power. Good for opening and doing a show and tell.
> 
> I did that too.
> 
> ...


 
Thank you for the video information but please understand my situation.

This cell was sitting on the shelf. It was not over discharged nor over charged or subjected to any heat. It has never been charged nor discharged since I received it.

It is now swollen all to the point of not fitting along side with the other cells in group.

I am concerned about the quality of this cell.


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## dtbaker (Jan 5, 2008)

jddcircuit said:


> One of my batteries is bulging just sitting on the shelf. It is a CALB 40Ah.
> 
> Does anyone know what the hell could be causing this and what should I do about it?
> 
> ...



pretty weird... but with the white plastic, is this a CALB, or a Hi-Power? and are you SURE you know the history of the cell. I have a hard time believing this spontaneously bulged sitting on the shelf?!


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## Guest (Oct 19, 2011)

dtbaker,

My cells are Hi-Power (white). I know the history of mine and how mine got that way but for the Calb cell I'd say he is fine. I have seen Hi-Power cells look like this right from the box. Meaning looking like the blue cell shown. So It could be new. It is because of the cheap plastic. If they had been sitting in a hot place for any time then they could sag a bit. Nothing wrong inside. Period. The guys blue cell is fine.


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## Guest (Oct 19, 2011)

jddcircuit said:


> Ok the bulging is not as severe as the ones posted by gottdi but keep in mind this is just a battery minding its own business. I think the bulging went down some over night by applying some clamping pressure.
> 
> The voltage reads 3.28 volts. All my non bulging batteries read 3.29volts



Did you buy these cells new and pull them out of the boxes yourself? Or did you buy them from someone else and take his word that they are new? Looks like it has been used. I agree with that but I have seen Hi-Power cells slightly bloated from the box. That is from crappy cheap plastic used for the cells. It is the same for all these batteries only the plastic is different color. The plastic is crappy. I am sure Hi-Power and the real early TS cells used the worst of the plastic. Some heat would cause sagging. The blue cell may not be bulging but sagging due to warmed cheap plastic. 

Pete


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