Just for a change a battery question!

Submitted: Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 12:07
ThreadID: 42297 Views:2462 Replies:7 FollowUps:5
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Hi Guys,

Early this morning my neighbour (across the road) caught me out side getting the paper. He had a flat battery in his 40 series and asked me for a jump start. I only had the Commodore and his truck is a diesel so I am sceptical that I could deliver the juice to make it crank. I was right but while watching his battery when connected I noticed a plume of fumes rising about 15 cm out of only one cap. I figured that this was possible from charging but there was little to no charge in his.

OK had to push start, only possible because he has a steep slope. Had to push the truck onto the road to make this happen.

What was happening - anyone know?

Kind regards
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Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 12:29

Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 12:29
OK,

I take first guess.

He had a low electrolyte level in one or more cells in the battery.
It was "dry" reaching.
Bill


I'm diagonally parked in a parallel Universe!

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AnswerID: 221633

Follow Up By: Member - Beatit (QLD) - Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 12:33

Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 12:33
Screwed the cap off and there was bubbling in plenty of fluid - but only in one. So had me stumped. It was one of the middle ones if that makes any difference.

Kind regards
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FollowupID: 482363

Reply By: Member - Toytruck (SA) - Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 13:34

Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 13:34
How about a "Dead Cell", I'm no expert but this causes almost instant failure of the battery caused by a collapsed cell. This might cause some fizzing etc in the cell that had the prob....

only a guess......

Toytruck
AnswerID: 221646

Follow Up By: mrbasilbrush - Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 18:00

Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 18:00
Thats what I`d say it would be as it has happened to me a dead cell.
We once drove to get a pizza for tea.
Parked for 20mins and then the battery acted as if it was dead flat, I could`nt start the car so I checked all the battery terminals which were tight still no go.
So we got RACQ to jumper start it and he said the battery was cactus and has a dead cell after he checked it.
and I thought, thats a load of crap ? It was fine all day.
Then drove home parked in the garage switched off and tried to restart but NO GO.
got new batt next day.
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FollowupID: 482438

Reply By: Gronk - Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 13:37

Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 13:37
Quite possible that cell is buggered !!!

The old bush auto elects used to check for a dud batt by shorting across the batt with the caps off and look for a cell gassing and /or bubbling.
NOT recomended to leave the short on for long or to not wear safety glasses.
AnswerID: 221648

Follow Up By: Member - Arkay (SA) - Thursday, Feb 15, 2007 at 10:51

Thursday, Feb 15, 2007 at 10:51
I know you know but orters may not. Never check a wet battery cell at night (or any other time) using a match or cigarette lighter (hydrogen given off = bang!). Some say do not switch a torch on or off near the battery either - step away turn torch on, look, step away turn torch off. Reason, some torch switches create a small spark.
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FollowupID: 482599

Follow Up By: Member - Pedro the One (QLD) - Friday, Feb 16, 2007 at 00:09

Friday, Feb 16, 2007 at 00:09
For Akay/Gronk ................

Yep, I'll go along with those comments .:
Still remember the day when 'Hipshot' [the Security Gaurd at my workplace in Melbourne] flashed up his cigarette lighter to peer into the battery cells of a vehicle stalled right opposite his little sentry box. Had removed the screw-caps and asked the driver to turned the engine over so he could "see if the electrolyte level was OK. "

The resultant BANG fizzed all of his nasal hairs, removed eighty per cent of his ever-so-prized handlebar moustache anmd destroyed around seven or eight good pairs of underwear .... mine included, 'cause we were all standing around offering advice !! Some minor pockmarking of the face was evident months later , together with a semi-permanent tic and a frantic desire to wave every vehicle through without inspection .......... guess how lucky he really was ????

('twas also the same person who sprayed his drivers side external mirror face with white paint "to stop the glare from the setting sun behind him when he drove home." He never really forgave me for that suggestion ...................)

Point being .......... see others comments above !!

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FollowupID: 482779

Reply By: Member - Beatit (QLD) - Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 14:46

Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 14:46
Thanks for the responses. Maybe able to get a hydrometer onto it this avo. My guess is that he won't get it started to return from work. He's a carpenter and his truck is full of crap so I hope he parks on a hill.

Kind regards
AnswerID: 221661

Reply By: Member - Davoe (Nullagine) - Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 15:02

Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 15:02
should have started it if you did it right (got connections right and left it foe a while) My 2h was jump started by a telstar once
AnswerID: 221669

Follow Up By: Member - Beatit (QLD) - Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 15:30

Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 15:30
Thanks Davoe, couldn't leave it as he was parked accross the road and was more than a little concerned with the way his battery was responding.

Kind regards
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FollowupID: 482403

Reply By: Gerhardp1 - Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 18:48

Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 18:48
There are two massive clues as to what the problem is -

Clue 1, the car won't start becuase the battery's flat

Clue 2, one cell is bubbling because it's shorted

Simple diagnosis - the battery is stuffed. Refer to John Cleese's Parrot Sketch for multiple ways to describe its condition :)

Forget hydrometers or other antics and just put a new one in.
AnswerID: 221732

Reply By: Chucky - Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 19:21

Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 at 19:21
You will most likely find that the plates in that cell had shorted out. This creates alot of heat and boils the electrolite.

As said above, ditch it and get a new one. I also wouldn't want to try and charge the battery. Batteries can and do go BOOM!
AnswerID: 221737

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