Battery boiling while charging; YIKES

[hawkeye08]

Tap water generally has minerals that are not needed in the battery and can shorten its life. Distilled water does not.

 

[Skyco]

Set on 10 amps the charger should have had the battery fully charged in a few hours.

It is one of two things.

1. The battery is bad. Check it with a voltmeter. If it is below 12 volts it is bad and the charger will never shut off.

2. If the battery has 13+ volts and the charger is still running then the charger is bad.

I always charge a battery overnight on 2 amps. If you are in a big hurry, use 10 amps.

Most of the larger size deep cycle batteries are around 105 amp hours (AH) with the smaller ones around 80.
You can't fully charge a dead 105 AH battery overnight with a 2 amp charger, or maybe even a 10 amp charger depending on how long one defines "overnight".
Simple math..

For the larger battery a 2 amp charger will take at least 52.5 hours if the battery is truly dead. In reality it takes longer since there are inefficiencies in charging..ie you may have to put back 120 amp hours, it always requires more put back in than you got out in the first place.

As for 13 volts and still charging indicating a "bad" charger....many of the microprocessor controlled chargers run the battery way above 13 volts as part of their 3 part strategy to properly charge a battery. It doesn't mean the charger is necessarily bad.

 

[Transit]

If your battery was sitting a long time in a discharged state there could be serious sulfation on the plats, they will look white or white-yellow. Sulfation can be very difficult to deal with when left to harden for a long time. Can a sulfated battery be recovered? Sometimes, its 50-50, you will first need a battery charger with a de-sulfating option,
Vector VEC 1097A
I have batteries well over 15+ years in service. When new I give them a good dose of Charge-it to dissolve any sulfation and a cycle or two on a battery charger with the de-sulfating option.

BATTERY ADDITIVES - JCWhitney

http://www.batterystuff.com/tutorial_battery.html

http://www.battery-additive.com/ProperBatteryCare.html

http://ebld.net/website.mv?webuser=hsi88&website=goldenagemotorcycles&webpage=link_page17

Good luck.

 

[jpm]

be careful of overcharging your battery in trying to get it charged faster.if you get it to hot you can warp the plates,shorting the cell

 

[beppington]

be careful of overcharging your battery in trying to get it charged faster.if you get it to hot you can warp the plates,shorting the cell

By choosing 10 AMP & "Automatic Deep Cycle", I was just following the book. Really didn't have any time frame in mind. If it said use 2 AMP, I'd have used that.

 

[Transit]

What charging rate you choose depends on the Ampere Hour rating of the battery and how much charge needs to be put back into the battery. Vector uses a 3 step process, Bulk charge > Absorption charge > Top-off charge. :thumbsup:

 

[SPYDERLK]

What charging rate you choose depends on the Ampere Hour rating of the battery and how much charge needs to be put back into the battery. Vector uses a 3 step process, Bulk charge > Absorption charge > Top-off charge. :thumbsup:

Yes! OP its stuck in bulk charge mode due the battery V not rising enuf as its charging ... so the charging voltage is not bucked appropriately by the batt V. This leaves the current too high for the lower current Absorption and Top off charges to kick in. Put the battery on the 2A charge overnite and check the V in the morning while still under charge. It should be 14-14.6 V or higher, and very low current if the charger has not turned off completely from detecting full charge.
larry

 

[ultrarunner]

If your battery was sitting a long time in a discharged state there could be serious sulfation on the plats, they will look white or white-yellow. Sulfation can be very difficult to deal with when left to harden for a long time. Can a sulfated battery be recovered? Sometimes, its 50-50, you will first need a battery charger with a de-sulfating option,
Vector VEC 1097A
I have batteries well over 15+ years in service. When new I give them a good dose of Charge-it to dissolve any sulfation and a cycle or two on a battery charger with the de-sulfating option.

BATTERY ADDITIVES - JCWhitney

Battery Tutorial

Proper Battery Care and Maintenance of Industrial Forklift Batteries

New Life for Old Batteries!

Good luck.

Is the Vector that much better?

I've got at least 20 automotive style batteries to deal with... several years ago, I bought several Battery Tenders that have helped...

My batteries are 12v with several 6 volt and two 8 volt.

I don't mind spending the money for a good charger... the Vector at around $100 doesn't seem very expensive?

 

[Transit]

Vector has many models to choose from. I have not seen any other than 12 volt models. Compare other smart chargers,
Price vs. charge current features. I have a vec1097A, it uses inverter power supply, not subject to low voltage, 2/10/30 amp charge rate, 3 battery types, 80 Amp boost/start charge, pulse de-sulfating, float/trickle charge, Diagnostics for battery and Alternator. Paid less than $100 for it three years ago.

How do I pick a Battery Charger

VECTOR BATTERY CHARGER:VECTOR VEC1097A 2-10-30 AMP BATTERY CHARGER WITH 80 AMP ENGINE START ASSIST

http://www.dewaltservicenet.com/documents/English/Instruction Manual/Vector/HSK1084HD.pdf

Vector smart charger testing

 

[Highbeam]

Boiling, the bubbling sound anyway, is totally normal during charging. That was your question, mine boil all the time.

I do a full recharge of the RV batteries after a long outing with a car charger that has an automatic 10 amp charge setting. It takes at least one night IF the batteries are discharged. Of course it is quicker if the batteries didn't get discharged fully.

Batteries boil, the gasses are explosive. It's normal.