Battery Boiling Over

[eze2bme]

I have started to notice recently that my starboard (house) bank of 8d's (2) will boil over the cell nearest the postivie termial where the cable first connects to the bank. I have a Xantrex (Heart Interface) Truecharge 40 Multistage charger and it is set on "Flooded" Battery type, "Bulk/Asborption/Float" mode and on the "HOT" temperature setting. Batteries are 3 years old. Does anyone have experience with this charger and the possible cause of the boil over? Thanks.

 

[DickB]

I have the 2.5kw Heart inverter/charger. I think the Heart instructions on connecting up the charge side are to connect the positive lead from the charger to one battery and the neg to the other battery.

Apparently, that way, both rec'v a more even charge rather than the first one in line to be hammered and the second to gas and be half charged.

Dick

 

[Genesis]

You may have a dead cell in one of the batteries - that will cause this as the charger will not properly come out of bulk mode.

Get out the hygometer.

 

[eze2bme]

Thanks guys ... I've done a lot of things myself ... but testing batteries isn't one of them. How do I do the hygrometer test? What equipment do I need? I guess that I could remove the batteries and take them to a battery specialist but they weigh a ton! Thanks!!!

 

[34Hatt]

Just go to a good auto supply and buy a hygometer they are easy to use. Most have green, white and red color plus the #s of gravity. If you are seeing cells in the red its time. I agree with Karl I think your going to find dead cell or cells. That is a good charger let us know how you make out and the hygometer is something that should be added to the tools on board list tells you a lot about your batteries!

 

[Nonchalant1]

The hygrometer (hydrometer) is like a turkey baster with a clear glass tube and a float with calibrated readings on it. You just remove a cell cap and suck up enough acid out of the cell to float the float. Shake it a little to overcome tension against the glass tube and note the reading on the float at the point where top of the the liquid is on the calibrated numbers. Then squirt that back into the cell slowly and do the next one. Per above, if you find one cell out of range, the whole battery is dead.

Wear glasses and gloves and be careful. Battery acid will eat through your clothes and/or give you a rashlike burn on your skin. If you get a drop on you, flush it with water.

Doug Shuman