Replacement Batteries

[LBR]

That voltage is right on track...

Just to clarify...when you say the battery cells are "empty", does that mean you can see the plates exposed in each cell, or that the cell simply takes a bit of water is all?

If you are filling all cells COMPLETELY to the top, you may not be having any problems at all.

 

[Gsxr130]

Yes I filled them completely to the top, yesterday it took about a gallon and a half to fill both batteries.

I looked at them today and they're about a half inch down from the top.

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Before I added the water it was around 7.6 volts

 

[LBR]

1/2-3/4" from top is where they should ride...

I can't get past the proper maintaining voltage from the converter boiling that much water out of them...2 things is even tho you tested and got 13.4V, the converter may have been behaving itself at that time, then when your not looking, it jumps up for full charge voltage and boils the cells. The other thought is the batteries are both shorted internally and need to be replaced for sure.

Hopefully some other electrical gurus here can carry this on with more thoughts than have been laid down so far....dang electrical gremlins are the worst to track.

 

[Gsxr130]

Thanks but if I do replace them do I need to if I never dry camp?

I have a Residential Refrigerator and Electric 6 point level up.

 

[danemayer]

At the beginning of the year I checked because the batteries were low and it was empty of water I filled them up with distilled water and then now a month and a half later they were empty again, and i notice the dripping out if the caps.

If your batteries are losing over a gallon of water in 6 weeks, you may have a bad Power Converter and damaged batteries. 12.2V after filling the batteries and letting them charge up signals it's time to replace them. After replacing, monitor the water level at least weekly. If the level isn't holding from week to week, it's probably the Converter boiling off the water.

 

[Gsxr130]

Thanks I just checked them again ts 13.5 volts and water is coming out of them

 

[danemayer]

Thanks I just checked them again ts 13.5 volts and water is coming out of them

When on shore power, or connected to the tow vehicle, the voltage reading at the battery reflects the voltage from the Power Converter or the tow vehicle battery/alternator. Disconnect those sources for 15 minutes to get a reading on the charge the battery is holding.

13.5V is not the charge the battery is holding. It's more likely the Power Converter.

 

[Gsxr130]

I was thinking that is the power converter voltage but it is still making the water bubble out of the batteries so maybe it's just bad batteries?

 

[danemayer]

I was thinking that is the power converter voltage but it is still making the water bubble out of the batteries so maybe it's just bad batteries?

When the batteries aren't taking a full charge, the Converter output may never drop back down to a maintenance level. So if you hadn't checked the batteries in a long time, and the plates were exposed, the batteries might be ruined, and preventing normal Converter operation.

This is theory. You won't know the reality until you replace the batteries. And after doing so, if the converter is ok, you'll see that 1) the voltage reading with converter ON will vary between 13.2 and 13.6 V, and 2) the water will not boil off the batteries very quickly.

If the voltage stays at 13.5 or higher after getting new batteries, you probably have a converter problem.

 

[wdk450]

At a certain point in battery/charger troubleshooting without positive results, you have to remove the batteries, take them to an auto parts store for a load test, and probably replace them. You need to do charger testing from now on with KNOWN GOOD BATTERIES. You need only buy one and see how that works before replacing the full set.

I am speaking as a retired electronics technician of 40+ years experience.