- #1
12V Marine Deep Cycle Battery Post is Moving -- Is the Battery Damaged?
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Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around the condition of a marine deep cycle battery with a moving post, exploring whether it is damaged, if it can still perform properly, and the potential risks associated with its use. Participants share experiences and concerns regarding lead acid batteries, safety issues, and alternatives like AGM batteries.
Discussion Character
- Debate/contested
- Technical explanation
- Exploratory
Main Points Raised
- One participant expresses concern about the battery post moving and questions if the battery is damaged and can be repaired.
- Another participant suggests that while the battery may still perform, it is damaged and recommends returning it for a refund, citing safety risks associated with using a compromised battery.
- A different participant emphasizes the dangers of lead acid batteries, mentioning potential hazards like leakage and gas explosions, and advises caution if the warranty is not applicable.
- Concerns are raised about loose connections leading to corrosion and the risk of explosion due to hydrogen buildup, with a personal anecdote shared about a past battery explosion.
- Another participant recounts experiences with lead acid battery failures, emphasizing the importance of safety and suggesting that the battery in question should be discarded.
- One participant advises storing batteries in a plastic box to contain acid in case of an accident.
- A participant mentions considering switching to an AGM battery due to dissatisfaction with the marine battery's post design and expresses curiosity about how the damage occurred.
- Another participant notes that improper tightening of connections can lead to overheating and melting of battery posts, particularly in high-demand applications like electric vehicles.
- Concerns are raised about the quality of AGM batteries, suggesting that brand reputation may influence performance rather than the battery type itself.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants generally agree on the potential dangers of using the battery in question and recommend returning it. However, there are differing opinions on the reliability of AGM batteries and the factors contributing to the damage observed.
Contextual Notes
Participants discuss various risks associated with lead acid batteries, including potential for explosion and acid leakage, but do not reach a consensus on the specific cause of the damage to the battery in question. The discussion includes personal experiences that highlight the variability in battery performance and safety.
- #2
OmCheeto
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It looks pretty new, so it will probably perform properly.foolios said:
But it is damaged, and I would return it, and get your money back.
Or at least, get the deposit back, if the damage was your fault.
Using such a battery, will probably result, either in your death, our your face being burned off with sulphuric acid.
Your choice.
- #3
RonL
Gold Member
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You need to learn what makes a lead acid battery dangerous and what conditions will create an explosion or bad situation.foolios said:
I have a quart jar filled with battery acid and a positive and negative electrode hanging over the top of the jar, just a cheap learning lab to test little electric motors and crazy thoughts that might come to mind, well secured and inside a 5 gallon plastic bucket ( for safety ) almost twenty years and it still takes a charge and works for a few seconds when needed.
Leakage or gas vapor explosion are the only two things you need to worry about, corrosion or damage from acid vapors and water and dirt penetration.
If you have any warranty use it, if not, be careful and use the battery til it quiets working.
old school thinking - #4
jim hardy
Science Advisor
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Dearly Missed
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Looks like the stainless steel bolt is loose in the lead(pb) internal connector ?
Looseness is an invitation for ingress of battery acid and corrosion.
The danger there is that after a prolonged charge when the battery has substantial hydrogen inside you'll get a spark there and the battery will explode. As OmCheeto suggested.
I had one do that once. It was an internal connector between the cells that was loose. Caused the battery to behave as if it were weak, would barely start daughter's car. So i left it on trickle charge all night, next morning i opened the hood , hooked a voltmeter and said "Contact". When she turned the key and the starter engaged, the battery went off like shotgun and neighbors came running out to see what'd happened.
Top blew completely off the battery. Ii was looking right down into the six cells. My clothes were spattered with battery acid it ruined a good shirt and pair of Dockers. My glasses saved my eyes...
One of the heavy connectors inside between cells was loose, cracked at a fastener. Clearly the heavy starter current had caused a spark that set off the explosion.
So my advice is get rid of that battery. Loose connections and heavy current don't mix especially around hydrogen.
Murphy will get you, probably in the middle of the Gulfstream.
old jim
Looseness is an invitation for ingress of battery acid and corrosion.
The danger there is that after a prolonged charge when the battery has substantial hydrogen inside you'll get a spark there and the battery will explode. As OmCheeto suggested.
I had one do that once. It was an internal connector between the cells that was loose. Caused the battery to behave as if it were weak, would barely start daughter's car. So i left it on trickle charge all night, next morning i opened the hood , hooked a voltmeter and said "Contact". When she turned the key and the starter engaged, the battery went off like shotgun and neighbors came running out to see what'd happened.
Top blew completely off the battery. Ii was looking right down into the six cells. My clothes were spattered with battery acid it ruined a good shirt and pair of Dockers. My glasses saved my eyes...
One of the heavy connectors inside between cells was loose, cracked at a fastener. Clearly the heavy starter current had caused a spark that set off the explosion.
So my advice is get rid of that battery. Loose connections and heavy current don't mix especially around hydrogen.
Murphy will get you, probably in the middle of the Gulfstream.
old jim
- #5
Averagesupernova
Science Advisor
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I have witnessed several lead acid battery explosions. It is quite a violent event. As Jim said, the top of the battery literally blows off. I found several pieces of battery plastic at least a hundred feet away. Funny thing is a battery with the top blown off will still start and run an engine. Little risk of explosion at that point, but plenty of chances of sulfuric acid getting where it shouldn't be.
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A while back I tried to start my '65 Ford and all I got was about 1 second of cranking and then nothing. When I investigated closer I noticed that when slightly loaded the battery would gurgle and the voltage on the posts would drop to nothing. I assumed something broke loose inside and promptly got rid of it.
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Another time I recall trying to start an engine and ended up with a carburetor fire (yes, I am old) due to a backfire. No fire extinguisher, nowhere close to water. The engine had caught a couple of times so I just kept on cranking it hoping to get it to run. Yes, this will extinguish carb fires. Long story short is that it worked. But that battery was never the same. Something must have gotten hot enough inside to come apart from extended heavy loading because when I returned it they said it got hot when charging. It had good electrolyte levels and the unloaded voltage was way up there. But it could not run any significant load. In my opinion, no decent car battery should be able to destroy itself from cranking, but that's just my opinion.
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At any rate, be careful with batteries. I would ditch the battery in question if I were you foolios.
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A while back I tried to start my '65 Ford and all I got was about 1 second of cranking and then nothing. When I investigated closer I noticed that when slightly loaded the battery would gurgle and the voltage on the posts would drop to nothing. I assumed something broke loose inside and promptly got rid of it.
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Another time I recall trying to start an engine and ended up with a carburetor fire (yes, I am old) due to a backfire. No fire extinguisher, nowhere close to water. The engine had caught a couple of times so I just kept on cranking it hoping to get it to run. Yes, this will extinguish carb fires. Long story short is that it worked. But that battery was never the same. Something must have gotten hot enough inside to come apart from extended heavy loading because when I returned it they said it got hot when charging. It had good electrolyte levels and the unloaded voltage was way up there. But it could not run any significant load. In my opinion, no decent car battery should be able to destroy itself from cranking, but that's just my opinion.
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At any rate, be careful with batteries. I would ditch the battery in question if I were you foolios.
- #6
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The others gave good advice. Get rid of it.In addition, on your boat always store your batteries in a plastic battery box with a strapped on lid, designed for the purpose. The box will contain the acid after a disaster.
- #7
foolios
- 15
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Thanks all for the advice. I will hopefully be able to return it. It's close to the one year mark on the warranty.
Seriously considering going with an AGM battery this time though. Those posts on that marine battery do suck.
Seriously considering going with an AGM battery this time though. Those posts on that marine battery do suck.
- #8
OmCheeto
Gold Member
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I'm curious how it happened.foolios said:
A couple of the people in the electric vehicle association I subscribe to have mentioned that if the connections aren't properly tightened, the posts will get so hot, that the lead will melt. Looking over the images when googling melted battery post, it's universally at bolt on connections. Of course, EVs can draw hundreds of amps continuously. So without knowing what you're using your battery for, it's hard to say whether or not it will happen to your next battery.
- #9
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Inferior quality is likely a function of the brand, not the battery type. If you get a brand x AGM, and it is bad you'll be out even more money.foolios said: