On Sat, Jul 9, 2011 at 4:56 PM, Todd Walke <racertod at racertodd.com> wrote:
> Bob wrote:
>
>> Overcharging--charging at too high voltage--will cause a lead-acid battery
>> to vent hydrogen gas
>
> B B B B I have personal experience with this.
>
> B B B B 15 years ago I bought a used Chevy van for work. B The previous
owner
> must be a hunter or fisherman who camped in the vehicle regularly. B He had
> installed a 2nd battery in the far left rear corner of the cargo area for
> 12v accessories with the vehicle off. B There was a battery isolator up
front
> with a wire running from it back to this auxiliary battery.
>
> B B B B So three days after buying the van, I'm driving around when I
smell
> an odd smell. B I've been wrenching on cars for years and I knew all the
> usual car smells - burnt electrics, melted v-belts, hot fluids, overcooked
> brakes, etc. B This was none of them.
Boiling batteries have a very distinct smell. I used to smell it from
time to time when I worked at service station along a highway. I think
it's hydrogen sulfide or something like that. I always told people
'hey, you're battery is boiling' but was always ignored. Did tow a
few of the cars back, though....
--
David Scheidt
dmscheidt at gmail.com
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