Cracked Battery Casings

[chuckbullett@gmail.com]

Hi All;

Six year-old 32V 4 x 8Volt 4D battery set, three of the four battery tops are cracked on the starboard set.

The Starboard alternator hasn't been working (I thought) so I just replaced it.

Today while watering the batteries I found the cracked casing tops on three of the four batteries.

Overcharged? Over watered? Overheated? (Doubtful- we live in San Francisco and we're always freezing our kiesters off!).

Port set are solid as a rock.

I also found one of the jumpers loose on the one battery that wasn't cracked, so that would explain why the set wasn't charging (or able to start an engine).

Also, can someone explain to me if both sets are used for house? Each set is used as starting batteries for their respective engines of course, with the ability to parallel with the switch and solenoid. I'm seeing a lot of battery talk on here today so it is coincidental that I found this mess today.

Thanks all.
Cracked Battery Top.jpg

Chuck B; Chartmaker

[Photolomy]

Only the port side is used as the house batteries.

[Photolomy]

I would think any kind of overpressure would have popped the vent caps. I have had batteries pop though, in a car, but they were maintenance free, not vented.

[Boatsb]

From the picture it looks like an 819 battery. That is the right battery for the boat. If the charger and alternator is good it should last for more than a few years.

[Captain Ralph]

I had the same style batteries on our 32V Bertram when we purchased her.
After a couple of years, these same cracks developed on ours but the batteries continued to work great.
Seems to be the glue lines mostly, that seals each cells cap in place.
I pressed black RTV into the cracks and got a couple of more years out of them.

That style of battery is a heck of a work horse. Wish I could find more like them in my area.
The current 19"ers we are using now is no longer made by EastPenn.

[davidwigler]

Where did you get that battery watering system?

[chuckbullett@gmail.com]

Hi Dave:

the watering manifold system can be found here: https://www.usbattery.com/battery-watering-technologies/

Chuck

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Where did you get that battery watering system?

You know, I'm not slamming battery watering systems one bit. I just think in my particular case, I might not get over to that far bank as often to have a looksee. I like to check the jumpers and look for any corrosion around the terminals on a routine basis. OTOH, I've been known to stretch out over there and catch forty-winks on top of that battery box.

[chuckbullett@gmail.com]

You know, I'm not slamming battery watering systems one bit. I just think in my particular case, I might not get over to that far bank as often to have a looksee. I like to check the jumpers and look for any corrosion around the terminals on a routine basis. OTOH, I've been known to stretch out over there and catch forty-winks on top of that battery box.

Thanks Ralph. Its a bit of a reach over the generator but I can remove the battery box tops and put eyes on the float indicators, even with *my* short pterodactyl arms...

[chuckbullett@gmail.com]

I had the same style batteries on our 32V Bertram when we purchased her.
After a couple of years, these same cracks developed on ours but the batteries continued to work great.
Seems to be the glue lines mostly, that seals each cells cap in place.
I pressed black RTV into the cracks and got a couple of more years out of them.

That style of battery is a heck of a work horse. Wish I could find more like them in my area.
The current 19"ers we are using now is no longer made by EastPenn.

that’s too bad... these batteries came from East Penn too. US Battery in Corona (seriously) CA stock 4D 8V batts