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Old 09-19-2017, 01:16 PM   #1
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Battery Overcharging ???

Should I disconnect the battery using the disconnect when plugged in? I went out this am and there was steam coming from the battery vent. I opened the cover and the battery was very hot and steaming. Could it be over charging? If so what would cause it to do that?
Thanks a lot
SR
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Old 09-19-2017, 02:00 PM   #2
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Should I disconnect the battery using the disconnect when plugged in? I went out this am and there was steam coming from the battery vent. I opened the cover and the battery was very hot and steaming. Could it be over charging? If so what would cause it to do that?
Thanks a lot
SR
Was the battery dry? If the cells are dry the battery will keep taking the charge and eventually boil, causing the off gassing and totally killing the battery.
If the battery cells are wet to the 'cat's eye' then you may still have a bad battery or the converter is bad.
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Old 09-19-2017, 02:37 PM   #3
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The battery could have exploded. Sometimes that is caused by a direct short or REALLY overcharging with more voltage than it is rated for. I would do some major checks before hooking it back up again. It's NOT steam, it's HYDROGEN gas. Be careful.
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Old 09-19-2017, 04:00 PM   #4
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Thanks. I bought a new battery. Hooked it up put a volt meter on it and it shows that it is charging at a rate of 13.68 volts with the battery unhooked it showed 12.70.
Does this sound right?
Thanks
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Old 09-19-2017, 04:41 PM   #5
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Thanks. I bought a new battery. Hooked it up put a volt meter on it and it shows that it is charging at a rate of 13.68 volts with the battery unhooked it showed 12.70.
Does this sound right?
Thanks
SR
yes, but if the battery is fully charged, there should NOT be charging happening. By the way, you should hose down your battery box. You could have battery acid residue and that will eat things up pretty quickly.
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Old 09-19-2017, 07:47 PM   #6
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my battery now reads 13.25 and it is still reading 13..68 when hooked up. What will a battery read when fully charged? I would think around 12 volts. It's not getting hot at all.
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Old 09-19-2017, 07:49 PM   #7
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Is it ok to run things without the battery hooked up?
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Old 09-19-2017, 07:53 PM   #8
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my battery now reads 13.25 and it is still reading 13..68 when hooked up. What will a battery read when fully charged? I would think around 12 volts. It's not getting hot at all.
Thanks



This is based on a normal automotive battery.
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Old 09-19-2017, 07:59 PM   #9
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Thanks
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Old 09-20-2017, 10:57 AM   #10
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I read that the converter charges the battery at a fixed rate and not a float charge . Unless I am not understanding this correctly it is normal for it to still produce a charge even when the battery is full.
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Old 09-20-2017, 01:02 PM   #11
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If you have the original converter I would consider replacing it with a better one. I had the same problem, boiling the battery dry. ruined it. I went with the Progressive Dynamics 80 amp converter and it actually has 4 modes of charging: Boost, normal, storage and desulfination. It came with a wizard...small box wired in that can be mounted where you can easily check the status of the converter with flashing light. I mounted mine in the storage compartment. Very handy to just open the door look in. I'm very pleased with this converter wish I had replaced it sooner.
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Old 09-20-2017, 09:44 PM   #12
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You had a bad battery and have solved the problem. No further action required.
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Old 09-21-2017, 02:40 AM   #13
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You had a bad battery and have solved the problem. No further action required.
I'm not so sure. Still charging at 13.8 volts seems high when the battery is charged. I think I read this is a single-stage charger, not a multi-level one. I'd keep an eye on it for a while. In all probability, a simplistic one-stage charger boiled out a weak battery. But rather than subject the new battery to this, I'd turn power on for one day, off for two. etc, etc. Or put the whole thing on an 8 hr/day timer.
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Old 09-21-2017, 10:29 AM   #14
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Is it ok to run all the 12 volt stuff off just the converter ? Wouldn't that be hard on in ?
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Old 09-21-2017, 01:35 PM   #15
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Is it ok to run all the 12 volt stuff off just the converter ? Wouldn't that be hard on in ?
That is not recommended. The battery acts as a surge protector, or shock absorber, of voltage spikes that might otherwise damage electronics. The fridge, radio, propane detector, etc. .
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Old 09-23-2017, 10:25 AM   #16
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Thanks. I bought a new battery. Hooked it up put a volt meter on it and it shows that it is charging at a rate of 13.68 volts with the battery unhooked it showed 12.70.
Does this sound right?
Thanks
SR
Sounds like it is being overcharged, I would get someone with experience to check out your converter. Usually they fail in the no power direction, but every now and again they fail in the too much power/no control direction.

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Old 09-23-2017, 10:28 AM   #17
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Is it ok to run things without the battery hooked up?
You can in most cases, however having the battery in the circuit is preferred, it helps act as a stabilizer/filter for the DC power.

Aaron
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