Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Car battery Smoking?  (Read 3645 times)

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Car battery Smoking?
« on: May 16, 2017, 02:12:56 pm »
Didn't know how else to describe it.
Charged a car battery over the weekend for use on electric fence. 2 lights on charger, charging/ready.
Went to it Monday morning both lights off. Unusual. Charger warm, unplugged it and left.
Tried battery this morning, fence energiser showed low battery.
Took battery back to shed, checked water levels. Needed topping up, just showing metal bits (can't remember name for them). On 4th cell, as I took screw top out, there were wisps of smoke/steam?
Put top back, not screwed down, and left it.
Can't get hold of husband to ask him, so any advice please? Never seen it do that before, so is it normal?
« Last Edit: May 17, 2017, 11:52:46 pm by penninehillbilly »

shep53

  • Joined Jan 2011
  • Dumfries & Galloway
Re: Car battery Smoking?
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2017, 08:12:04 pm »
Sounds like your battery is dead , car batteries  cant stand charging  then going flat multiple times you need to buy leisure batteries or a  small  solar panel to constantly charge the battery

Kevm

  • Joined Apr 2017
Re: Car battery Smoking?
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2017, 08:49:40 pm »
Sounds worse than just a degraded battery, it seems like the cells have started to collapse into each other or there is a short circuit inside the battery.
I would put it outside carefully and use another battery.
As shep says they don't like going dead flat so if you are using car batteries better to keep them topped up regularly.

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Car battery Smoking?
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2017, 09:19:59 pm »
Ooops, Husband said it would be OK, I've left it on charge again, light on charger came on OK.
I'll go and check it now.

bazzais

  • Joined Jan 2010
    • Allt Y Coed Farm and Campsite
Re: Car battery Smoking?
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2017, 11:21:10 am »
Just use a charger with auto cut outs - if you use a beast of a charger (which is what I do for the knackered batteries that cant hold any real charge) they may catch fire or just meld into the garage floor spilling acid everywhere

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Car battery Smoking?
« Reply #5 on: May 17, 2017, 01:11:49 pm »
Light on charger had gone off, as opposed to 'ready', put it on energizer and light that should flash with pulse just remained on, bright.
Charger was just a standard cheap? Halfords,  came from my dad's so don't know cost, but usually works OK.
Any thoughts please?

Kevm

  • Joined Apr 2017
Re: Car battery Smoking?
« Reply #6 on: May 17, 2017, 02:47:25 pm »
Without testing the battery and knowing/checking the charger it is difficult to say, the lights on charger probably mean something if you can find a manual or info somewhere.
As for the battery do the cells look ok, plates not collapsed or badly bent, have all the cells got distilled water about 1/4" over the top of the plates, any cells especially low on water?
Have you got a multi meter to see what voltage is in it now?

shep53

  • Joined Jan 2011
  • Dumfries & Galloway
Re: Car battery Smoking?
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2017, 07:26:51 pm »
Could you take the battery to your local garage , im sure they would put  meter on it and tell you in a minute that it is dead or not

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Car battery Smoking?
« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2017, 11:52:03 pm »
OH was going to look at it tonight, but not home yet. He has a multimeter.
Hopefully I've attached picture of charger. Only a basic one.
Water was low in the cells, not used it since last year, it was when I was checking saw the wisps of smoke coming out of one cell. Unfortunately I should have checked BEFORE I charged it on Sunday. Just presumed it would still be OK.

 

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