Battery box holding water.. What to do?

[BugsBunnyBoater]

Am I the only one that had a plastic battyery box that hold water when it rains. I was thinking I should take my drill and put a hole in the box to fix the problem.
My question is why do plastic battery boxes in boats not have holes in them?

 

[pathfinderz1]

Re: Battery box holding water.. What to do?

Most boxs have a top to keep out rain and anything else out. My box is red and has a white top and is make for room for cables.
Mike aka pathfinderz1

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Battery box holding water.. What to do?

Am I the only one that had a plastic battyery box that hold water when it rains. I was thinking I should take my drill and put a hole in the box to fix the problem.
My question is why do plastic battery boxes in boats not have holes in them?

Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of having a box at all, I like the idea of it being able to contain acid but then again todays batteries are mostly sealed so maybe putting drains in the box wouldn't be so bad.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Battery box holding water.. What to do?

get a lid for it, or replace, the idea of a battery box is to contain the fumes, and any spark.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Battery box holding water.. What to do?

get a lid for it, or replace, the idea of a battery box is to contain the fumes, and any spark.

The main purpose I agree 100% but I sure wish I'd had a sealed box in my old Ford when the battery froze and cracked (my stupid fault) and leaked acid all over and ate the trunk floor.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Battery box holding water.. What to do?

you will get very angry at yourself if your battery leaks and damages your boat. Don't drill it, get a lid for it.

 

[Capt'n Chris]

Re: Battery box holding water.. What to do?

Some battery boxes have vents in the lids. You'd understand why if a battery had ever exploded near you. I had always heard they could, but didn't experience it until 2007. That day I will remember.

 

[flycaster]

Re: Battery box holding water.. What to do?

I just checked my battery which is in a box and the box was half full of water.
I just put some duck tape over the vent holes in the lid. The lid does not fit snug on the bottom box and also there is sufficient ventilation where the cables go.

 

[Gregk]

Re: Battery box holding water.. What to do?

You'd understand why if a battery had ever exploded near you. I had always heard they could, but didn't experience it until 2007. That day I will remember.

What happened?

 

[Knightgang]

Re: Battery box holding water.. What to do?

I just checked my battery which is in a box and the box was half full of water.
I just put some duck tape over the vent holes in the lid. The lid does not fit snug on the bottom box and also there is sufficient ventilation where the cables go.

I agree that there is already enough ventilation in the cable areas, but Ii had not thought about it. I will be taping up my vents also...

 

[Capt'n Chris]

Re: Battery box holding water.. What to do?

What happened?

I am a seasoned boater for some 50 odd years, but things do happen. I was readying my boat in the spring after uncovering it from storage. The battery was out and maintained during the winter. After hooking up the cables and securing the box, lid and strap, I hooked up the muffs and hose and walked around to crank it up. As I turned the key, the battery exploded. It was not a pop, but a real explosion which was as loud as a shotgun. Oh, I had heard about them, but never experienced one and was generally always cautions about fumes. The battery box strap snapped, the box split and the top blew off. The battery case was split wide open. The acid was pretty much contained or I most likely would have had a much bigger mess.

I cleaned the mess up and took it to my dealer. Apparently batteries had exploded in his shop too. He showed me a dent in the metal roof 12 feet high from a battery cap. So, it does happen. I suspect the the problem I had was an errant spark with just enough gas in the closed box to ignite. Using wing nuts is not a good idea to secure battery cables as they loosen and can arc. I now use nylock nuts and make sure they are tight. I've always had a respect for batteries, but now a deeper appreciation of the potential damage.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Battery box holding water.. What to do?

I watched a guy blow up a battery while trying to jumpstart a car, he hooked the cables up backwards and caused a big spark, a small flame erupted at the battery post, I yelled watchout and he jumped back just in time as the battery literally exploded like a shotgun going off no fire just acid everywhere. We were both lucky to have jumped clear before She went. So yea I got a deep respect for batterys too.

 

[steddy]

Re: Battery box holding water.. What to do?

I, too, have experienced catastropic battery failure. My dad was over at my house in a bare bones stock '99 Jeep in I think 2006. He was leaving, I was just walking into the house when BANG!!!!!!! I turned around, dad was sitting in the jeep with a clueless look on his face turning the ignition repeatedly still trying to crank the engine. How it happened, I have not a clue. The jeep was a year round daily driver vehicle, and never had so much as a dead battery. It just went kaboom spontaneously. Blew acid all over the inside of the engine compartment, but a little baking soda/water solution took care of that, along with a new battery. Never did figure out why it exploded.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Battery box holding water.. What to do?

I, too, have experienced catastropic battery failure. My dad was over at my house in a bare bones stock '99 Jeep in I think 2006. He was leaving, I was just walking into the house when BANG!!!!!!! I turned around, dad was sitting in the jeep with a clueless look on his face turning the ignition repeatedly still trying to crank the engine. How it happened, I have not a clue. The jeep was a year round daily driver vehicle, and never had so much as a dead battery. It just went kaboom spontaneously. Blew acid all over the inside of the engine compartment, but a little baking soda/water solution took care of that, along with a new battery. Never did figure out why it exploded.

Sometimes a connector inside the battery can fail and spark, thus causing it to explode. The gasses in a charging battery are a perfect mix of hydrogen and oxygen.

I blew one up right in my face disconnecting a battery charger. That damned acid burns bad in the eyes. Got to a garden hose in seconds and flushed them out. No permanent harm, just red eyes for a couple of days.

Now I follow the rules. Turn off the charger before disconnecting it.

John

 

[rbh]

Re: Battery box holding water.. What to do?

I always love it when some one wants a boost, you open up the hood and the battery is not held down and the top of its dirty/grimey the cable are corroded and loose, no wonder it wont start ahhhhhhh
rob