Battery Boiling Over

[jinman]

Well I've got the acid stains and rust all scraped off. I've primed and painted the rusted parts and have a battery box in which to install the battery. Now I just need to decide whether or not to re-engineer the charging system try to trade for an Optima battery or just leave it add the battery box and replace the battery every four years.

When I installed my battery box, you may notice in the photo that I didn't have a top on it. That's because the top wouldn't let me close the hood. It hit the back of the headlights. If you want to use the battery box, you may need to cover it with an old flat rubber floormat under the hold-down strap like in the photo below. I also had to straighted out my HST cooler support arms some because the battery box was too deep to fit. If you could find a smaller box, all this would be a moot point, but I used the smallest box I could find at the time and had to make some additional mods to make everything work.

 

[Cdawg]

Have you found the cause as to why it did it ? That is first priority .

It seems to me that there is a problem with the engineering of the regulator. After running the engine at around 1500 rpms it was still putting out 14.5v and 4.2 amps. I believe that running the engine all day at that rate would cause the battery to boil over.

Since I have got the tractor paid for I don't run it for a full day very often. It would probably take 4 to 6 hours for the battery to boil over. I'll just have to keep an eye on the battery.

I am going to speak with the alternator shop about making a change to the alternator so that it will drop down to 14v and less amps. Perhaps he will have some idea on how to do that.

 

[Cdawg]

When I installed my battery box, you may notice in the photo that I didn't have a top on it. That's because the top wouldn't let me close the hood. It hit the back of the headlights. If you want to use the battery box, you may need to cover it with an old flat rubber floormat under the hold-down strap like in the photo below. I also had to straighted out my HST cooler support arms some because the battery box was too deep to fit. If you could find a smaller box, all this would be a moot point, but I used the smallest box I could find at the time and had to make some additional mods to make everything work.

Thanks for the tip. The boil over typically just drips down the side of the battery so it should fall into the box. I will put a mat below it and have some spares. This will become a daily maintenance routine like checking the oil.

 

[barbqranch]

It might even help to run with your headlights on, that might lower the voltage a little.

 

[jinman]

Thanks for the tip. The boil over typically just drips down the side of the battery so it should fall into the box. I will put a mat below it and have some spares. This will become a daily maintenance routine like checking the oil.

The problem with my battery box without a lid is the big screened vent on top of the hood right above the battery. My tractor sits outside and rain would soon fill the box around the battery. I don't think that would be good, so I cover the box with the mat to keep out rain primarily. The fact that it keeps air from flowing over the battery is just a plus.

 

[Cdawg]

It might even help to run with your headlights on, that might lower the voltage a little.

Good idea. I've done that when I smell the acid but it would be better to start with the lights on.

The problem with my battery box without a lid is the big screened vent on top of the hood right above the battery. My tractor sits outside and rain would soon fill the box around the battery. I don't think that would be good, so I cover the box with the mat to keep out rain primarily. The fact that it keeps air from flowing over the battery is just a plus.

I keep my tractor under a leaky lean to. It doesn't get tones of water on it but it is not a garage. I was thinking of mounting a drain in the bottom of the box with a hose that would empty below any metal tractor parts. I'm concerned that this would get ripped off though.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Have you found the cause as to why it did it ? That is first priority .

It seems to me that there is a problem with the engineering of the regulator. After running the engine at around 1500 rpms it was still putting out 14.5v and 4.2 amps. I believe that running the engine all day at that rate would cause the battery to boil over.

Since I have got the tractor paid for I don't run it for a full day very often. It would probably take 4 to 6 hours for the battery to boil over. I'll just have to keep an eye on the battery.

I am going to speak with the alternator shop about making a change to the alternator so that it will drop down to 14v and less amps. Perhaps he will have some idea on how to do that.

A bad "new" battery that will not float to a decent voltage. With 4.2A going into it its voltage should rise well above 14.5V. Covered back in post 22.
... Perhaps also overfilled thereby aggravating boil over potential.
larry

 

[SteveInMD]

Take it from those of us that have had to disassemble, clean, and repaint the front end of our tractors - the Optima is a good deal. I only wish I had done it sooner.

AGM batteries are the way to go. My new car came with one installed.

 

[Egon]

For the battery can a RV type battery box with top and vent hose be installed?

For the overcharging if the problem is in the alternator replace it. A lot easier that some ad hock temporary fix.

 

[SteveInMD]

My temporary ad hoc Optima fix has lasted over 5 years with no problems.

Maybe it has changed now, but the OEM alternator / regulator setup puts out too high of a voltage for a wet cell. You would have to buy an aftermarket setup or modify the circuit to use a wet cell. Moreover, acid spills are fairly common on tractors due to the vibration and rough terrain they experience. An Optima solves this issue too.

There are a few different solutions posted above in this thread. Each has pros and cons, but no matter how you look at it an Optima is proven solution.