Battery failure understood

[traveylin]

My class A has 2 12 volt house batteries that have met my reliability expectation. The last set were replaced due to one detonating and I have been super diligent in checking acid levels. About 4 months ago I noticed that one of the pair was requiring a quart and half of distilled water every two weeks. I leave the MH plugged into commercial power for humidity control ac and battery maintenance charge. That is a pretty severe duty for a wet cell battery. Between boats motor home cars and motorized wheel chairs, I got a lot of maintenance. Back to failure understood, When I pulled out the two this evening I was a bit surprised that they had been in service 30 months Interstate quarantee is now 12 months .My battery issue is time goes by so much faster. Seems like the previous battery ruptured not long ago. Gonna up grade to agm battery this time

[Lwiddis]

Thanks, Doug. Always learning.

[dougrainer]

Lwiddis wrote:
"About 4 months ago I noticed that one of the pair was requiring a quart and half of distilled water every two weeks"

Wow. I haven't I've added eight ounces to my two batteries in the last two years. A ruptured battery, quite unusual. I believe it isn't a battery issue.

2 things will rupture a battery
1. Out of electrolyte and you attempt to charge. The spark from attempting to charge will ignite the outgas and blow up the case.
2. DEAD battery in freezing weather and the case will expand and crack it from expansion. DEAD batteries can freeze. Doug

[dougrainer]

travisc wrote:
I switched to ATM after a converter boiled one of my batteries 3 years later I just check them

Which bank offers batteries at their ATM?????:B

[Mile_High]

On our old 5er Iota converter, we had to install an IQ4 smart charger module that allowed the charger to step down to maintenance charge based on voltage and I never had issues leaving it plugged in after that. The higher end IOTA (which the manufacturer didn't use) had it built in.

Maybe it is something you need on what you have now?

[RoyB]

It has been known for many users that a constant 13.6VDC charge coming from the converter/charger unit will drain your battery fluids over time. Works great if you constantly keep an eye on the battery fluids.

If this is what you have it would be wise to purchase a working smart mode converter/charger unit. The smart modes changes from 13.2 to 14.4VDc modes of operations automatically and keeps the batteries from boiling out their fluids...

I too have my trailer hooked up all the time here at the house using my PD9260C Converter/charger unit as battery maintaining source. My GP24 batteries on this trailer originally purchased in 2008 finally started to showing low performance last season (Won't hold the charge for too long of time)... Not bad for nine years of service and a whole lot of 50% to 90% charge state cycles as we camp almost all the time off-grid.

We always keep a close watch on the batteries both here at the house and on the road off-grid somewhere...

Roy ken

[Dutch_12078]

What converter are you using? Our coach is plugged in 24/7 when we're not actually moving and has a 4-stage Boondocker PM4B 45 amp converter/charger. The 12-volt coach batteries I use typically last at least 4-5 years and have no provisions for checking/adding water. The batteries are EverStart Maxx Group 29 marine/RV deep cycle from Walmart with a 2-year free replacement warranty.

[ArchHoagland]

I'd look for a problem with the charging system. What voltage are you seeing when they are charging?

Also did the RV originally come with 12 volt batteries or 6 volt batteries?

For what it's worth I'd never go to AGM batteries. I had a Miata that went through three of them in four years.

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[travisc]

I switched to ATM after a converter boiled one of my batteries 3 years later I just check them

[slickest1]

On a fifth wheel I had I was going through batteries when I left it plugged in constantly.
I finally put them on a timer and they only charged a couple hrs. a day and I had no more problems.

[corvettekent]

I'd be checking the converter and the battery voltage.

[Lwiddis]

"About 4 months ago I noticed that one of the pair was requiring a quart and half of distilled water every two weeks"

Wow. I haven't I've added eight ounces to my two batteries in the last two years. A ruptured battery, quite unusual. I believe it isn't a battery issue.