Overcharging batteries?

Hi Geoff

It is acid weeping around the post.

You could use battery post seals if they are the round type but you will need to replace the weeping batteries at some stage, best to do it sooner than later otherwise you will need to replace cable and lugs too.


Regards

Derek from ABR

Hi Geoff,

Is the gunk a whitish blue powder. Not sure why it occurs (I believe its alkaline) but pour coke on it (It will disolve it)
Then once you dry it, Spray it with terminal protectant spray (mines a blue colour). Spraying with WD40 might help stop it too.

Cheers wilko

Have you picked the batteries up using one of those carry straps that attach to the terminal posts ?

similar to this one ?

If so, throw the thing in the bin... right now..

The amount of strain they put on the terminal posts (especially on the larger batteries), the likelihood of 'cracking' the termonal post seal is more of a probability than a possibility, hence the 'gassing' in this area...

Since I stopped using those things (several years ago), I have had no further issues with the 'gunk' forming on battery terminals....

In the meantime, a generous smear of vaseline 'round the base of the posts (after cleaning) may help to miniise the 'gassing' round that area...

;)

Geoff just check that all your batteries are the same type ie wet or calcium if you have them mixed what will happen is that some will charge faster than others and cause them to boil I found out the hard way.

Geoff
As Derek has said its acid leaking due to the post seal been fractured. This is usually caused then the battery is first fitted and the terminals are tapped or bashed on and then done up. You should always open the terminal up and slide it on and then tighten it which prevents this from happening.

Murray

Hi Geoff

If you are charging your wet cells batts seperately and they are not much bigger than 80amp/hr, I would be carefull of overcharging which may cause overheating and stresses the seal between the post and housing as it all expands at different rates. This lets a bit of acid out and causes problems.

A battery can only accept so much charge and discharge amps. Even with a smart charger you can still get into problems. Charger manufacturers dont seem to want to put all the info out there as to what size battery that particular charger will charge. I know some will give you say a 50 to 200amp/hr range.

How do they know what discharge rate a battery manufacturer uses to get the size of your battery. Some batteries are rated at 100amp/hrs at say a C10 rating. These batteries are twice as big as a 200amp/hr battery that may be rated at a different rate. So 15amps may be just a bit too much, too quick.

My very rough rule of thumb is about 10% of your C10 rating should be your max charge or discharge. EG 80amp/hr, 8amps. Its worth looking into and your battery manufacturer should be able to help. I must say when you batt is flat it will happily accept bulk amps but when it starts gassing is when you need to slow it down. Smart chargers are not that smart to work out what size your batt is rated at. They can come close though at times.

Also continually discharging a battery too low for too long will cause positive post growth and the expansion or growth will cause the same problem. Once you see that growth, its all down hill from there. Prob not what you wont to hear. Good luck, Trackker