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.


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

 

[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

 

[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.

More for @Ralph;

I just ordered a few tubes of RTV compound from home depot. Thanks for the tip.

They seem to be taking a charge- I don't want to stress them until the tops are sealed up.
The PO had let Chartmaker's battery maintenance seriously lapse and I had a real mess on my hands when we cleaned up the generator room. Each battery box was filled with battery acid fluid, so I pulled them, then re-glassed and painted as required.

This sounds like a legitimate repair path- I'm not opposed to buying a new battery set after six years either, its just that with the maintenance procedures we follow I was surprised.

Thanks Again

 

[Boatsb]

Put the rtv away and get new batteries. That's not a good fix and the fact that they cracked in one place means they will in others.ozone and other factors cause the plastic to get brittle. It will crack and or leak somewhere else and that's not safe.

Please use common sense when choosing a path of repair and maintenance. My insurance company would cringe if I recomend a fix like that. I'm sure a survey would bring up the issues and if there was a problem you could be denied coverage for something like that.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

My batteries and boxes were just as bad when I bought my boat in 2004. I also pulled them and reglassed and painted them. Then went with Rolls Batteries. The house/inverter bank lasted 9 years and the stbd set is still going strong after 11. I still say buy the best batteries and most advanced charger you can get. Its worth it not to have to change them out as often.

 

[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]

Put the rtv away and get new batteries. That's not a good fix and the fact that they cracked in one place means they will in others.ozone and other factors cause the plastic to get brittle. It will crack and or leak somewhere else and that's not safe.

Please use common sense when choosing a path of repair and maintenance. My insurance company would cringe if I recomend a fix like that. I'm sure a survey would bring up the issues and if there was a problem you could be denied coverage for something like that.

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I totally understand your response Scott. I'm not going to move those batteries until the cracks are plugged underway... so yeah, the RTV is going to get used, if at least for that. I'll be sure to cover our beautiful Burmese teak galley stairs we built a few years ago from any dreadful crap leaking out those cells, but I'm hoping I can plug them adequately.

I'm guessing that US Battery will be able to get a new battery set up to us in SF in a week or two if they're operating as an exempt business, supplying the marine and construction industries.

Thanks for your candor.

Cheers

Chuck B.