Ever short circuit a battery.

[Hoser]

Met some guys for a ride today.  Took about 20 minutes to get gather, Turned on the key, no juice anywhere. Son retrieved  me, stuck my spare battery in, lights on, fired right up.Put the old battery back in,stuck the meter on the old battery,12 volts. Turned on the key,did not hit the starter, 0 volts.  I did not know this could happen. Quick fix, though.  ???  Hoser

[Valkpilot]

Met some guys for a ride today.  Took about 20 minutes to get gather, Turned on the key, no juice anywhere. Son retrieved  me, stuck my spare battery in, lights on, fired right up.Put the old battery back in,stuck the meter on the old battery,12 volts. Turned on the key,did not hit the starter, 0 volts.  I did not know this could happen. Quick fix, though.  ???  Hoser

I'd guess one or more cells shorted together.  Probably nothing you did; part of the aging process of a battery.

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

Drove mine into the garage running fine two hours later would not turn over. new battery still kicking at 172,000 miles

[Jess from VA]

As a kid, someone showed me how neat it was to hold a piece of OOOO steel wool over both terminals of a D cell flashlight battery, and watch the charge turn the wool fiber golden making the connection. So hey, if it's that neat on a D cell, it must be spectacular on a car battery.  Exploded the battery and blew acid on my face and in both eyes was spectacularly stupid.  So yeah, I shorted out that battery.  (Five steps to a big basin sink, which I backed completely down into and turned both faucets on into my face/open eyes full blast for a few minutes, and no acid burns at all.)  Lucky, stupid and lucky.

I also suck at auto electric, smoke testing most everything I touch, so I don't touch it anymore.  I'm pretty good with fuses, if I'm careful.    

[jima]

My battery shorted in December. My son came to my rescue along the road un hooked ground we jumpstart it and I rode it home. Put in a new battery no more problem.