Cooked Deep cycle battery

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fishrdan

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What would cause a battery to completely cook the electrolyte out of it?

I was checking over my boat this evening and noticed the MinnKota MK330 charger indicated I had a battery connection problem. Wierd??? That battery was fine and full of electrolyte, holding a charge and providing power OK this spring. Upon further inspection I found all the cells were dry. I swapped the dead battery and checked all the other batteries. They were OK, only a touch down on electrolyte. I plugged the charger back in and all the batteries showed full charge in 15-20 minutes.

I only charge this battery off a 10 amp/bank charger, so it wasn't being hit with a lot of current during charging. I did leave the automatic charger connected to the batteries for a couple days this summer, thinking it would shut down when the batteries were completely charged. Maybe the battery had a marginal cell and leaving the charger connected for several days overcharged it, boiling the electrolyte out? The battery is from 4-07 and has been maintained with distilled water and charging after every trip, or charged every month or 2.

I've had batteries drop a cell before, but not go completely dry. I filled it and it took something like 3/4 of a gallon :eek: Voltage was at 4.5V :facepalm:
 
bruceb58

bruceb58

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Re: Cooked Deep cycle battery

Check the voltage output of your charger when it gets to float mode.
 
fucawi

fucawi

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Re: Cooked Deep cycle battery

if it goes over 14.4v it will gas and you will loose electrolyte..did you top it up and give it a charge ?
 
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fishrdan

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Re: Cooked Deep cycle battery

I'll check the batteries with the charger at float and see what it's putting out, maybe that bank is putting out too much voltage?

For chits and grins I slapped another smart charger on the bad batt and it wouldn't even attempt to charge, the charger cycled trying to bring up the voltage but kept going back to 0V. Eh, the batt is dead anyway, I'd never trust it.
 
jimbo_jwc

jimbo_jwc

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Re: Cooked Deep cycle battery

Lost batt charger on tractor that I left Ing on charged overnight .Was glad it was sitting on metal tractor seat
! The Green Eye I was talking about is on my Delco Deep Cycle marine batts. Lead acid batts need high inrush current till resistance /voltage comes up cells equalize and held there .Then current will go down it will take as long as it needs till this happens . If it doesent and stays at to high rate of charge then one cell or all
will boil and by not charging right/enough current will decrease life by sufilde on cell plates . high batt plate surface resistance . Mine are at least 8 yrs old and are hooked up to 600 watt 120v inverter with 75 watt trouble light w/12v bulb . No Not Amish and remember that batts are throw away / scrap lead at about 30 cents a pound . equalize /float go hand and hand with boats and batts
 
bruceb58

bruceb58

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Re: Cooked Deep cycle battery

jimbo_jwc said:
The Green Eye I was talking about is on my Delco Deep Cycle marine batts.
Click to expand...
Not sure where you were talking about this but those green eyes are pretty much worthless. They are only on one of the cells of the battery and may or may not give a good reading.

Best way to find the state of charge is by measuring its rest voltage. Rest voltage is the voltage after it has been charged and the charger removed for 30 minutes so its surface voltage has dissipated.
 
jimbo_jwc

jimbo_jwc

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Re: Cooked Deep cycle battery

Sealed batts have common electrolite level , don't know for shure how eye works must be on specific gravity w/acid to show ? Have used delco batts as backup on big boat and night fishing/frog giging run always low with trolling motor and one in frt of boat for 2mil candle spot light to get home w/small jumpers when troller batt dead they have always charged up .
 
bruceb58

bruceb58

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Re: Cooked Deep cycle battery

jimbo_jwc said:
Sealed batts have common electrolite level .
Click to expand...
Definitley not true that they have common electrolyte. A battery wouldn't even work with common electrolyte. Also, no such thing as a sealed battery. All have tops that open.

Also worst thing you can do is to discharge a battery to 100% discharge even if its a deep discharge battery.
 
jimbo_jwc

jimbo_jwc

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Re: Cooked Deep cycle battery

So when they boil it takes it over cell plate and stab connectors weirs ? Thanks for info .
 
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fishrdan

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Re: Cooked Deep cycle battery

When the charger goes to float on the batteries it's at:

Bank #1 - 13.18V
Bank #2 - 13.24V
Bank #3 - 13.23V (this is the one that cooked the battery)

Seems OK to me.
 
fucawi

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Re: Cooked Deep cycle battery

Bruce ..rest 24 hrs not 30 min or the voltage will be false.

Not possible to have a common electrolyte.

Vents are linked but usually two exist one at each side of the battery .

Cover plate can be glued on with some makes and needs violence to remove..

The magic eye is usefull ..if it shows clear prise off the tops quick and top it up ...2 years more life in the battery is you do this
 
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joed

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Re: Cooked Deep cycle battery

You need to measure the voltage with some load on the battery. That will tell more than a resting voltage.
 
jimbo_jwc

jimbo_jwc

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Re: Cooked Deep cycle battery

I guess the ones I worked on in substations dont work as they have weir for seperation and common electrolite ? Float /Equalize /Amper Hour , Cold Cranking Amps , Just dont disassemble Any lithium like guy on intranet thinking they are built like everyready without gloves ,saftey glasses , Fire flaming hazzard ! Was experienceing the power of hydrogen gas cause still had somewhat charge ,lithium paste on screen went like spinning chinese pinwheel as unrolled and shorted . Old fram days used batts to weld and carbon arc rod to repair post.
 
bruceb58

bruceb58

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Re: Cooked Deep cycle battery

jimbo_jwc said:
I guess the ones I worked on in substations dont work as they have weir for seperation and common electrolite ? Float /Equalize /Amper Hour , Cold Cranking Amps , Just dont disassemble Any lithium like guy on intranet thinking they are built like everyready without gloves ,saftey glasses , Fire flaming hazzard ! Was experienceing the power of hydrogen gas cause still had somewhat charge ,lithium paste on screen went like spinning chinese pinwheel as unrolled and shorted . Old fram days used batts to weld and carbon arc rod to repair post.
Click to expand...
Sorry...you lost me at "I guess".
 
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