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Monkey Run · 10-21-2022, 02:31 PM

Our 39' Allegro Bus has been in the barn, 120 fed to it via an independent breaker. Nonetheless, the inverter charger is turned off, both inside the coach and on the inverter itself as well as the main 12V chassis power switch.

Earlier this week I had checked the water in the chassis batteries and topped off as needed. The four Marine deep cycle batteries for the house did not require any water. Today, I went to the barn to get something and the smell of battery acid was strong, so I began looking around. One of the four house batteries had blown the two large caps off itself and it appears to be almost dry. I'm uncertain what might have caused this, perhaps the inverter charger or a bad battery? This is the second battery in line after the charge connection point on the first battery. They were new in 2013 and still provided all the power necessary. Any thoughts?

MrMark52 · 10-21-2022, 02:58 PM

Is your converter old - as in it is one of the old linear designs as opposed to a newer multi-stage microcontroller designs?

It is possible for a battery to just “short” internally, but my money is on your converter has a problem.

MRUSA14 · 10-21-2022, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monkey Run

: They were new in 2013 and still provided all the power necessary.

There's your problem. These batteries are 9 years old and should have been replaced. The same thing happened to me last year on an 8-year old 2013 battery. I smelled a foul odor. When I investigated, I discovered that the battery temperature was over 150 degrees under no load. The battery had shorted out internally and I was very lucky that it did not start a fire. It would behoove everybody to replace your batteries before they get to this stage. P.S. my battery that shorted out was a chassis battery that was starting the big diesel just fine until right before shorting out.

153stars · 10-21-2022, 03:23 PM

Most inverter chargers at least go to float charge if not 3-4 stage. Probably lost/shorted a cell. Is there a temp. sensor if fail to super cold scale they can over charge a bit. Usually fail under charge scale.

NXR · 10-21-2022, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrMark52

It is possible for a battery to just “short” internally, but my money is on your converter has a problem.

If the converter has a problem it likely would affect every battery. It also would affect water usage and the OP is not seeing excessive water usage.

My money is on an old battery that had an internal short and that the others are not far behind.

How much are we betting here?

Ray

MrMark52 · 10-21-2022, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 153stars

Most inverter chargers at least go to float charge if not 3-4 stage. Probably lost/shorted a cell. Is there a temp. sensor if fail to super cold scale they can over charge a bit. Usually fail under charge scale.

If it’s one of the newer micro-controller design converter’s, I will agree.

If an old linear design converter, there is still an open question.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NXR

If the converter has a problem it likely would affect every battery. It also would affect water usage and the OP is not seeing excessive water usage.

My money is on an old battery that had an internal short and that the others are not far behind.

How much are we betting here?

Ray

I won’t disagree that old batteries should be replaced, but the one that exploded was the weakest link in the chain. And agreed “that the others are not far behind”.

153stars · 10-21-2022, 04:03 PM

Closer reading and interpretation.... it sounds like it was not even charging , plugged in or or could be combined to chassis batts.
I'm really really surprised 12v marine deep lasted any where near that long. Are these group 27 to 31 size batts.. I've gotten much better life once I decided to ditch 12v deeps for paired 6v golf cart batts on my old TT .

Monkey Run · 10-21-2022, 08:25 PM

Wow!

All of these great suggestions, this site is so helpful.

Initially, I suspected just the battery being the issue, however, the inverter is old, it's a 2011 Xantrex and if I recall correctly, the Freedom 2000. I did inspect (not disassemble) the cables and terminals, and they all appear as clean as when I last attended to them. My 2005 Dodge CUMMINS has its two original Mopar batteries still working flawlessly. Perhaps I need to change them out also.

What puzzled me most, and gives me pause to suspect it, is that the inverter charger was running despite both the coach switch and the switch mounted on the inverter were in the off position. Battery bank voltage was 13 volts when I checked the bank. So I unplugged the coach from AC voltage, tested a few hours later, and the bank is down closer to 12 volts. Normally, when the inverter switch is off, the panel that reads battery volts and AC/DC current in/out goes dark. In this case, it was lit up. This is not normal for my coach. Appears more than one issue might be at hand here.

CaptainYARRR · 10-21-2022, 08:32 PM

I think everyone here has called it. An old battery is full of surprises. You're lucky it crapped out at home. For all you know it was waiting to leave you stranded boon docking somewhere. Always good to have relatively new starting batteries to be safe.

NXR · 10-21-2022, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainYARRR

I think everyone here has called it. An old battery is full of surprises. You're lucky it crapped out at home. For all you know it was waiting to leave you stranded boon docking somewhere. Always good to have relatively new starting batteries to be safe.

Or cracked open and dumped acid everywhere. Or started a fire from the heat.

donr103 · 10-21-2022, 08:51 PM

Definitely change out chassis batteries too.. if not.. and they short out.. this could burn up your alternator.. and stand you for a couple of weeks to get into shop.. then you could be out thousands.. sorry.. all will be a big bill.. but far cheaper than all the problems and money you could be out..
Good luck and keep us posted

Monkey Run · 10-22-2022, 06:29 AM

The chassis batteries are much newer than the battery bank, but I'll take a good look at them. They do not charge from the inverter, I have a marine charger that I use to maintain them. To answer a question asked earlier, the bank is all group 31.

I'm going to run the coach out this morning and flush the entire system off with water, and remove the toasted battery. It's disconnected at this point. I'll shop for batteries next week. My friend is a diesel mechanic. He had planned on coming over Sunday to assist me with installing a FAAS fuel system, so for the time being, I need to mitigate the hazard to the coach.

I looked at new inverter/chargers last night online. Any suggestions on a brand? Thank you all!

Monkey Run · 10-22-2022, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 153stars

Closer reading and interpretation.... it sounds like it was not even charging , plugged in or or could be combined to chassis batts.
I'm really really surprised 12v marine deep lasted any where near that long. Are these group 27 to 31 size batts.. I've gotten much better life once I decided to ditch 12v deeps for paired 6v golf cart batts on my old TT .

I had given thought to the golf cart batteries prior to this occurring. My bank consists of four 12 volts. How many golf cart batteries did you use?

wolfe10 · 10-22-2022, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monkey Run

I had given thought to the golf cart batteries prior to this occurring. My bank consists of four 12 volts. How many golf cart batteries did you use?

Depends on the configuration of your battery area, including how tall it is.

And, also depends if you want to increase the total amp-hrs or if your present 12 VDC's provide adequate capacity.

Just remember, two 6 VDC batteries IN SERIES= one 12 VDC battery.

So, for example two 220 amp hour 6 VDC golf cart batteries wired in series= 220 amp hours @ 12 VDC.