My Interstate battery is the same way: vented through a clear tube to
outside. I put this feature in myself.

Possibilities with explosions of batteries is water level. If you let the
water level evaporate down to nothing---it will go Ka-boom when you go to
start your motor. I've seen this happen in a Mercedes. Good thing the hood
wasn't open! The owners had no idea that you have to check the water level
in a battery. They found out the hard way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bill
'85 GL [*Magic*Bus*]
'82 Westy [FreeBird] ...cause I'm as free as a bird now...
Big Sky Country                                 ---Ronnie Van Zant
<><
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim & Melody <JiMelody@ZIANET.COM>
To: vanagon@VANAGON.COM <vanagon@VANAGON.COM>
Date: Friday, December 11, 1998 6:29 PM
Subject: Re: exploding batteries

>My Bosch battery is vented through a small breather tube which vents
through
>the bottom of the van.  Don't know if it will prevent an explosion but has
>always made me feel better.
>
>Jim
>91 Syncro AW
>
>>I've always been paranoid of this happening. Frequently, I
>>glance down at the proximity of the battery when I am about to start and
>>try to sheild my eyes!
>>
>>Any ideas on why this battery exploded?
>>What can a guy do to prevent this?
>>