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Remember the Hindenberg? Hydrogen gas is dangerous!!! You're very fortunate no one was injured, and hopefully a lesson has been learned.

Did you check the electrolyte level before you started charging? Check to make sure the battery actually needed charging? Left the cell caps loose or at least made sure the vents were open? What charging rate? Monitored the charging progress at intervals?

IMO the best way to monitor the health of a lead/acid 6-volt battery is with an electrolyte hydrometer, if you don't have one I suggest you get one and learn how to use it.

Heard mention of a battery exploding, but never seen it... Luckily no damage to the car....

Wow, glad it wasn't worse. Forgive my ignorance, but is one supposed to routinely open vents when charging a battery? I've never done it or seen it done when charging batteries. I'm assuming those vents are the caps on the top? Whenever I've charged my battery I've always been around, never left it unattended overnight, but have never done any of the other things mentioned.

-Kevin

Auto Shop 101 from high school, charging batteries produces flammable hydrogen gas. The caps should have a vent hole in them, make sure it's clear and if uncertain, loosen or remove the caps. You have to remove them anyway to check the electrolyte level before charging, safest thing especially if using a high charging rate is to leave them off.

Hydrogen gas is lighter than air, so don't charge with the battery in an enclosed or partially enclosed area, you want the hydrogen to rise and rapidly dissipate into the surrounding atmosphere.

I've never or rarely loosened the caps either and have often charged (if outside and overnight) with the hood down. Maybe it's time I change my ways! Of course, if the battery is already marginal and/or has no acid in it just about anything is possible.

I just learned the hard way by overfilling my battery and having to clean all the acid leakage down the side. It came out the vent holes in the top of the cap. A real nightmare to clean out.

Typically you top off a battery with distilled water but you would need hydrometer (and the knowledge to use it) to know whether it needs water or acid.

Usually when you look down in the hole where the battery caps were on, you'll see a slot at the bottom of each tube. You fill the battery to just the bottom of this slot.

John

As ptv says, all such batteries have some indicator of the proper fill level. When in doubt and pending confirming the correct electrolyte level, a safe level is that which JUST covers the tops of the lead plates and separators. And never allow the level to fall below the tops of the plates.

7/12/2021

Well after over a year of sitting, I finally took the car out for a little drive around the neighborhood. The carb is acting funny. It has too high of an idle despite running perfectly when parked. Gave it some gas going around a corner and had a small backfire. I guess it's time to go over tune up settings.