[modeleng] Re: Battery problems

Hi Peter,

I've had similar problems with car batteries over the years. Sometimes the 
batteries develop an internal short from deposits falling from the plates 
and shorting between them will cause trouble. Most batteries last between 
5-8 years, but some as few as 2 and some as long as 12 years. If you have a 
major failure it is worth taking the battery back to the supplier. I have, 
and twice they replaced them no questions asked.

Chargers- I suspect these have caused many of my battery problems over the 
years, especially the cheaper DIY ones. Some have relays that can spark, 
others have thermal switches protecting the transformer coils or regulator 
that can spark, and I have seen a bad capacitor in one and a dial lamp 
socket/loose bulb in another cause a spark. My advice is to get a 
profesional grade high quality charger, and use it in a well vented space, 
preferably with an induction motor fan running to disperse the gases. The 
batt must also be properly filled with tested good electrolyte in all cells 
before charging.

When my Dad had his service station we worked on twenty or more battery or 
battery related car problems every week, particularly in spring or autumn 
when wide temp changes happen daily. He taught me the basic rules above, and 
he had a good charger with a built in fan, and we only had a couple of 
batteries explode during charge over 30 years or so that I was around the 
shop. At home, using several poor DIY chargers I exploded a couple more, but 
after I found a good charger no further issues.

Good luck, Jeff Dayman


>From: The Sheppard Residence <psbr20252@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Reply-To: modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>To: modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [modeleng] Re: Battery problems
>Date: Sat, 29 Dec 2007 00:08:47 +0000
>
>Hello Tel,
>
>Happy Christmas.
>
>Sealed, but not unvented.
>
>It sat in the garage on the charger for a couple of days, no source of
>ignition (to my knowledge anyway).  I've had this battery for a about
>three years and charge it monthly.
>
>It's the same battery that starts my sons Hillman Imp.
>
>Cheers
>
>Peter
>
>TEL wrote:
> > Not unusual Pete - unvented batteries and chargers don't mix - the 
>generated
> > hydrogen has nowhere to go but  .....
> >
> >> It was marked, sealed for life, I guess than when it "unsealed" itself,
> >> that was the end of its life!
> >>
> >> http://www.lmandwr.co.uk/battery/battery_1.jpg
> >> http://www.lmandwr.co.uk/battery/battery_2.jpg
> >>
> >> More seriously, any ideas what could have happened?  This is a battery
> >> that is used in my Landrover (in series with the "normal" battery) to
> >> give me 24v for the diesel heater.  It comes out about once a month for
> >> charging.
> >>
> >> It was put on charge a couple of days earlier on a 12v, 5A (trickle)
> >> charge, I came into the workshop yesterday to find this!
> >>
> >> I have since charged a similar battery (same type) without any 
>problems.
> >>
> >> Cheers
> >>
> >> Peter
> >>
> >> MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST.
> >>
> >> To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send a blank email to,
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> > line
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> >
> > MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST.
> >
> > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send a blank email to,
> > modeleng-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the 
>subject line.
> >
> >
>
>MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST.
>
>To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send a blank email to,
>modeleng-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject 
>line.


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