Weird Battery Issue

the tos · 05-08-2018, 07:17 PM

So the battery in my camper started to overheat, smoke and drip some acid. It has had power to it for two weeks and just started this yesterday. We noticed it yesterday do to the sulfuric smell. Two days ago was also when we turned the fridge on for the first time. But idk if that matters since he fridge runs on AC. We checked the terminals coming from the trailer and they read 13.66 volts like it’s supposed to. After taking the battery off it read 12.1 volts, a little low. It was visible that one cell in the battery was empty of liquid, 1 of the 6 cells. But I don’t know if that’s because of it overheating or if it was empty before. The guy I bought the camper from did say the battery was dead and it was out on the camper all winter. He probably plugged it in a dozen times to show the camper to people. So the battery probably got a little charge, then died again over and over. I had the battery on a trickle charger for a few days before putting it in the camper. So I guess idk if it’s just a bad battery or if it had something to do with me turning the fridge on and the charger/converter was over charging the battery. The converter fans are audible with the more lights and things turned on in the camper.

**Flybob** · 05-08-2018, 07:26 PM

If the battery had been dead a few times and sat for a while it is bad. You likely had a shorted cell and when charging it boiled out the electrolyte. Trash the battery and get a new one and you should be OK. Do not let the new one drop below 12V

the tos · 05-08-2018, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flybob

If the battery had been dead a few times and sat for a while it is bad. You likely had a shorted cell and when charging it boiled out the electrolyte. Trash the battery and get a new one and you should be OK. Do not let the new one drop below 12V

Thats what I am thinking too. Plus the winters here in Buffalo get really cold to leave a battery out in for several months.

rockfordroo · 05-08-2018, 08:07 PM

BTW: Even when the fridge is running on AC, it still uses 12VDC to power the "brains."

the tos · 05-08-2018, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

BTW: Even when the fridge is running on AC, it still uses 12VDC to power the "brains."

Won't the fridge still worked plugged into AC without a battery hooked up? Do you think that running the fridge would have caused an issue with the battery?

rockfordroo · 05-08-2018, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the tos

Won't the fridge still worked plugged into AC without a battery hooked up? Do you think that running the fridge would have caused an issue with the battery?

The fridge won't work without 12VDC, even on AC. The fridge temperature is sensed by the thermistor, which runs on power from the control board, which is powered by 12VDC. The control board then cycles the AC on/off as needed. All the AC really does is operate a heating element.

I doubt the fridge had anything to do with the failure of the battery. It's POSSIBLE that your converter is not working correctly and is overcharging your battery, but if that were true, I'd think you'd see more than one cell affected, so I think it's highly unlikely.

russhd1997 · 05-09-2018, 05:34 AM

I think that you have a bad cell in the battery and it is now junk. Turning on the fridge or any load didn't cause it to fail. More than likely it was already bad.

cavie · 05-09-2018, 05:38 AM

Buy a new battery.

cavie · 05-09-2018, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the tos

Thats what I am thinking too. Plus the winters here in Buffalo get really cold to leave a battery out in for several months.

Mine stays in Pittsfield MA year round. I disconnect the battery and leave it in the trailer all winter.

JMark · 05-09-2018, 08:43 AM

I am in Ontario and my trailer is stored at home and stays plugged in 24/7.

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