Battery smell

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F

Freddy

While docked and plugged into electricity (battery charger ON) everything works fine but there is quite a sulfer smell that I never noticed before. Batteries are clean and topped off with distilled water. Any ideas of what the problem might be? I'm quite new to all of this.........Thanks in advance!
 
Jun 4, 2004
629
Sailboat - 48N x 89W
SO2 is BAD news !

Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) is a colourless gas, with a pungent odour (like “rotten eggs”), and emanating from a battery (acid “misting”), generally indicates overcharging or boiling. You indicate that the battery electrolyte is “topped up”. Does that mean it was “down” and you had to top it up - or that the levels remain “full”? What the battery temperature elevated (warm or hot to touch) when charging? In any case, this odour is WARNING you of a potentially DANGEROUS situation - take heed! Gord
 
F

Freddy

Yikes!

Thanks for the bad news but what should I do? What should I check or look at or who do I call? I have turned everything off for now.
 
Jun 7, 2004
944
Birch Bay Washington
Get someone to help you locally

It is a complicated subject. A start might be to get or check your voltmeter when charging. If the voltage is more than 14.5-15 volts, you need to find out why.
 
F

Freddy

Battery problems!

The voltmeter reads 12 - 12.5 when charging. The water level has always been "full" and I didn't notice that the batteries were "hot" when charging. I'm going to try to find someone to help me this weekend. Thanks for all responses.
 
Jun 7, 2004
944
Birch Bay Washington
It sounds like you might

have a shorted cell. What is the voltage when the charger is off? If it is 10 volts or so when the charger has been on for a while, that may be the reason but I am just guessing from here.
 
H

higgs

What is your battery charger?

First question: What are you using for a battery charger?
 
A

AL Hughes

Freddy, There is one other item and that is that your batteries could be boiling and giving off hydrogen gas. The Charger maybe bad and charging too hard with no regulation. be careful of explosion from the hydrogen gas. Be sure that the charger is tapering off the charging when the batteries are full. The charging, when the batteries are full charge, should be a very small amperage. Good winds. AL
 
Mar 12, 2005
55
- - jacksonville
maybe have it looked at

if its a bad cell you can take it to a auto store and they can test it for you. they also can tell you if it is being over charged..
 
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