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[Chains]

I was out on the patio this morning around 10:15 AM and heard a loud boom then two small ones, went in the house and my wife said what is going on.  Looked out the window and my neighbors garage was engulfed in flames, told my wife call 911 and ran out to see if anyone was in the garage. Could not get within 50 feet of it do to the heat and intense flames.  Another neighbor ran into the house and no one was home.  Turns out a lady from down the street had their cell number and called them they were at Walmart.  I was very happy as I could not get in the garage if someone had been in it.

Cause of fire turns out to be an automatic Battery Tender charging a mower battery on a bench with aerosol cans on a shelf above it.  They think the Battery Tender overheated or the battery exploded.  Garage housed a beautiful lifted golf cart Sea Dos and the owners collection of high dollar audio equipment that was very rare and was to be sold whenever he retired.  As you will see, he had a race Car twin turbo Supra outside the garage that was destroyed along with a Cool Celica he was building for his 15 year old son.

When I walked across to my house, I immediately unplugged my battery tender and will not plug it in again unless I am at home.  Will never leave it on overnight.

[Chains]

Cars outside the garage.  By the way the fire was so intense it melted a complete aluminum race engine for the Supra into a puddle.  As you will see the volunteer fire department got there in time to save the fire from the house, very close call.

Wife decided all the neighbors should exchange cell phone numbers, having their home number only is no good.

[greglyon]

I was out on the patio this morning around 10:15 AM and heard a loud boom then two small ones, went in the house and my wife said what is going on.  Looked out the window and my neighbors garage was engulfed in flames, told my wife call 911 and ran out to see if anyone was in the garage. Could not get within 50 feet of it do to the heat and intense flames.  Another neighbor ran into the house and no one was home.  Turns out a lady from down the street had their cell number and called them they were at Walmart.  I was very happy as I could not get in the garage if someone had been in it.

Cause of fire turns out to be an automatic Battery Tender charging a mower battery on a bench with aerosol cans on a shelf above it.  They think the Battery Tender overheated or the battery exploded.  Garage housed a beautiful lifted golf cart Sea Dos and the owners collection of high dollar audio equipment that was very rare and was to be sold whenever he retired.  As you will see, he had a race Car twin turbo Supra outside the garage that was destroyed along with a Cool Celica he was building for his 15 year old son.

When I walked across to my house, I immediately unplugged my battery tender and will not plug it in again unless I am at home.  Will never leave it on overnight.

When the fire department completes it's investigation as to the cause, please post their findings.
I use 2 battery tenders on a regular basis. 

[Georgehjr]

Yes, need to know , as I have them on alot of things

[mjb765]

Something else to wrry about now

[Twolanerider]

Not sold on only running the tender when I'm home.  That'd be the last time I want it to blow up!



Ok, slightly more seriously; would be interested in the Fire Marshall's report when it's done.  Have seen batteries blow up before when being charged.  Was something we used to have to be very careful about.  Even still have a couple small acid stains from it happening while under a hood and bumping a charger's cable.  But that was when batteries weren't sealed and with a big charger.

The tenders are such low output devices.  AGM batteries are (at least supposed to be) very hard to cook off too.  Where's Gary? 

Gary, what does training and/or doctrine say on these things?  While it is of course terribly unfortunate that some combustible went off in this man's garage what are we really considering here.  First reaction is that it's such a rare thing I'm not losing sleep over the possibility.

[guppytrash]

YIKES

I have three battery tenders on in my garage.  HD, lawnmower, and the waverunner.  Worse I have convinced a whole bunch of people to use battery tenders.

I am having a hard time believing this.  One of my tenders is 16 years old and has been plugged in to my motorcycle after every ride.  I sold my 8 year old Road King with the original battery.  Dealer could not believe it was original and was going to replace it, but said it checked out fine.

Competition Accessories sells them for around $39-$49.  New batteries cost 3X that.  But my garage would cost !??   

Please let us know what they find out!

[Fired00d]

Not sold on only running the tender when I'm home.  That'd be the last time I want it to blow up!



Ok, slightly more seriously; would be interested in the Fire Marshall's report when it's done.  Have seen batteries blow up before when being charged.  Was something we used to have to be very careful about.  Even still have a couple small acid stains from it happening while under a hood and bumping a charger's cable.  But that was when batteries weren't sealed and with a big charger.

The tenders are such low output devices.  AGM batteries are (at least supposed to be) very hard to cook off too.  Where's Gary? 

Gary, what does training and/or doctrine say on these things?  While it is of course terribly unfortunate that some combustible went off in this man's garage what are we really considering here.  First reaction is that it's such a rare thing I'm not losing sleep over the possibility.

Not knowing all the particulars about this incident I can say that the older (wet cell) batteries can get hot and overheat when charging. I've seen/had this happen.... at one time there was a disclaimer on chargers to make sure you use them in a ventilated area, away from all other hazardous materials/vapors, and make sure the battery caps were loose or off. With the newer gel (AGM) batteries I haven't heard any problem such as what was described in this incident... this is not to say that something could/would go wrong and create this situation. I've used a battery tender on my bike(s) since shortly after getting my first H-D back in 1999. I leave them on all the time when the bike is parked (I guess this is one time me not riding a lot will be a testimony of how safe {IMO} ) a battery tender can be.

It is possible that "anything" could have gone wrong and the "Battery Tender" could have played a part in this accident, however I'd like to know more about what type of "Battery Tender" was being used, what type of battery it was charging, what type of aerosol cans were in the vicinity, etc, etc... Like you mention the final incident report from the FMO will give more information to the questions I have.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
  

[SBB]

I have 9 Deltran "Battery Tenders."
8 are in use.
After reading this thread, the same 8 are still in use.
I also would like to see the report.
I'm sure it can be made public when available.

SBB

[J-Carr]

I've had three house fires in my neighborhood this year.  None of them were from battery tenders.  I run two tenders full time in the winter but usually don't need them in the summer.  I will continue to do so.

It really sucks for the neighboor here and of course I'm very glad that no one was hurt.  But if you start worrying about anything in your home that has caused a fire in someone else's house then you better look into the Amish lifestyle and get rid of the electricity.  If you plug it in it can fail and cause a fire.  If you don't plug it in the wiring that's present so you could plug it in if you want to could cause a fire.  That's what burned down my grandparents house and caused my grandfather to go into congestive heart failure and die a short time later.  It happens.  It sucks.  But it happens.

It may seem prudent to wait for the results of the tests on the tender, but look at how many of these things are on the market in use today.  If there was a repeatable flaw in them or their use I believe we'd have heard about it and they'd be off the market.

Ride Safe,
J-Carr

[Chains]

I've had three house fires in my neighborhood this year.  None of them were from battery tenders.  I run two tenders full time in the winter but usually don't need them in the summer.  I will continue to do so.

It really sucks for the neighboor here and of course I'm very glad that no one was hurt.  But if you start worrying about anything in your home that has caused a fire in someone else's house then you better look into the Amish lifestyle and get rid of the electricity.  If you plug it in it can fail and cause a fire.  If you don't plug it in the wiring that's present so you could plug it in if you want to could cause a fire.  That's what burned down my grandparents house and caused my grandfather to go into congestive heart failure and die a short time later.  It happens.  It sucks.  But it happens.

It may seem prudent to wait for the results of the tests on the tender, but look at how many of these things are on the market in use today.  If there was a repeatable flaw in them or their use I believe we'd have heard about it and they'd be off the market.

Ride Safe,
J-Carr

As soon as my neighbor gets the final results I will post.  By the way it was indeed a wet cell battery, I am like everyone else, I have used Battery tenders forever and never had an issue, could be the battery exploded and set off a chain reaction that led to the fire.  Time will tell.

[Fired00d]

As soon as my neighbor gets the final results I will post.  By the way it was indeed a wet cell battery, I am like everyone else, I have used Battery tenders forever and never had an issue, could be the battery exploded and set off a chain reaction that led to the fire.  Time will tell.

That sounds more like it.... I have had a battery tender make one of those boil before. When battery's boil like that they do let off gases that might have the possibility to be ignited depending on the situation/circumstances.  BTW - what "Battery Tender" was he using.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[Twolanerider]

Wet battery does make one worry more.  I'll never leave one of those on a charger in a closed space.  Garage or otherwise.  Doors open and air moving.  Even then a good spark from bumping a cable can make cause ignition and make one go off.  Been there and screwed that pooch.

[Chains]

That sounds more like it.... I have had a battery tender make one of those boil before. When battery's boil like that they do let off gases that might have the possibility to be ignited depending on the situation/circumstances.  BTW - what "Battery Tender" was he using.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

  I am not sure, will find out and post, not anything left of it to identify.

[JoMo]

I use a HD tender and when I'm not riding the bike is pluged in winter and summer.

                              Jo Mo NYC