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Message |
Mike (Busone)
Registered Member
Username: Busone
Post Number: 318
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 71.33.24.110
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 10:19 am: | |
Went to start the bus a couple days ago and the batteries were dead. Yesterday I took them out and put the charger on them one at a time. The first battery took the charge just fine and is holding it. The second was taking forever to charge so I looked a little closer at it. I noticed it is warm and sounds like it is boiling. I topped off the water before charging them. What might be causing this one battery to boil and not charge? |
Ron Walker (Prevost82)
Registered Member
Username: Prevost82
Post Number: 238
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 208.181.210.47
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 11:01 am: | |
Would say the it's toast.
Ron |
Bill Baxter (Willum)
Registered Member
Username: Willum
Post Number: 6
Registered: 3-2006
Posted From: 68.186.14.84
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 12:15 pm: | |
How old are the batteries? Thay only last so long |
Mike (Busone)
Registered Member
Username: Busone
Post Number: 319
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 71.33.24.110
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 1:00 pm: | |
I really don't know. They came with the bus. They are the "Duralast/Autozone" brand so I doubt they are original. They both were low on water. Between the two of them I used half a gallon of distilled water. |
David Hartley (Drdave)
Registered Member
Username: Drdave
Post Number: 664
Registered: 5-2005
Posted From: 67.78.176.54
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 1:52 pm: | |
I have had nothing but problems with the quality of Autozone/Duralast batteries. They are Junk after 6 months!
If yours needed that much water, Replace them with real batteries. Maybe Interstate or similar heavy duty ones. |
Bob greenwood (Bob_greenwood)
Registered Member
Username: Bob_greenwood
Post Number: 73
Registered: 7-2006
Posted From: 65.150.47.33
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 3:18 pm: | |
also, you might be overchargeing them, voltage regulator bad |
Greg Peterson (Gpmci102)
Registered Member
Username: Gpmci102
Post Number: 10
Registered: 8-2006
Posted From: 71.228.18.37
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 7:41 pm: | |
Sometimes one cell in the battery will short out. The nominal voltage on a cell is 2.1 V. If one cell shorts the other cells will get over voltage when charging and may get hot and bubble. Check your open circuit voltage without the battery charger connected. For a 12v battery you should have 6 cells for 12.6 V when charged. If you are reading a low voltage like 10 V then you probably have one cell shorted and it is time for a new battery.
Sometimes a cell can be cured from a short by a high surge from another “hot” battery. This may work but is also very dangerous because the battery may explode. I used to do this with some success but now I think a new battery is cheaper than plastic surgery to fix my face when the battery explodes.
Good Luck and be careful especially if you have the big 8D batteries. |
Mike Eades (Mike4905)
Registered Member
Username: Mike4905
Post Number: 109
Registered: 12-2000
Posted From: 24.28.40.72
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 8:42 am: | |
I have 8D batts in mine and I have gotten 4 years with no problem. Sam's Club $100 each. Mike4905 |
Mike (Busone)
Registered Member
Username: Busone
Post Number: 320
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 71.33.24.110
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 11:46 am: | |
I have a feeling the one that gets hot is the bad one. After about 3 days they are both dead. I think the hot one is draining the good one down. I can start the bus just fine with one battery so I will see if the good one holds a charge for a while. |
Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member
Username: Gusc
Post Number: 171
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 63.97.117.41
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 1:18 am: | |
Mike,
I've never been able to restore any battery that has that much water down, especially if it was on a trickle charger. They will charge a battery dry and then kill it.
It probabbly isn't worth messing with. |
Mike (Busone)
Registered Member
Username: Busone
Post Number: 321
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 71.33.24.110
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 1:05 am: | |
I went out today and checked both the batteries. As I figured they are both dead again. Looks like I am going to be buying new. I was able to start the bus just fine with one battery. Anybody know if I really need two? It would sure save me some $$ only needing to buy one. The engine is a Detroit 8.2.
(Message edited by busone on August 14, 2006) |
Bob greenwood (Bob_greenwood)
Registered Member
Username: Bob_greenwood
Post Number: 86
Registered: 7-2006
Posted From: 65.150.47.226
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 7:34 am: | |
I wouldn't hook a new battery with an old one.if you can run on one,just get one,course the best thing is to buy two new ones |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess)
Registered Member
Username: Sffess
Post Number: 641
Registered: 1-2002
Posted From: 67.142.130.41
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 2:44 pm: | |
If you use this bus only rarely, you could put in two marine starting batteries. AutoZone usually has sales on them for under $40 each. Marine batteries will hold up better when sitting for long periods. I have used them on my John Deere tractor and on other equipment used occasionally and they are more likely to start an engine after a 3 month period of sitting than automotive batteries. You will probably need two batteries to start an 8.2 L diesel. |
John Mimidis (Cjm)
Registered Member
Username: Cjm
Post Number: 9
Registered: 4-2002
Posted From: 67.141.238.168
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 3:44 pm: | |
I use the Walmart Everstart batteries in my MCI-8. 1000 cca and 6 year guarantee, replacements available any any Walmart. So far they have lasted 3 1/2 years without a problem. The 8d's I used before would last about 1 1/2 years before beginning to die. YMMV, John |
Tim Strommen (Tim_strommen)
Registered Member
Username: Tim_strommen
Post Number: 231
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 64.186.173.26
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 9:07 pm: | |
Your bus starts on 24 volts? What voltage are the accessories? If the coach is 24V, which battery was the one that was getting hot - the one attached to ground or the alternator?
If you have a 24 volt coach with 12 volt accessories and the low side (battery attached to ground) was the dead one, you may have a power draw imbalance (if no using a vanner) which will kill the low side battery.
It might be prudent to check if ou have a trickle power draw when you put in new batteries - as you might kill the new ones (I remember spending about $300 for a set of new 8Ds, not an investment I'd like to make once a month - or year for that matter).
Cheers!
-Tim |
Mike (Busone)
Registered Member
Username: Busone
Post Number: 322
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 71.33.24.110
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 11:07 pm: | |
Nope this is a 12 volt bus. I am going to look into the possibility of a small draw. I will charge up the better of the bad batteries and disconnect the ground. If it holds a charge longer than it ususally does I will know ther is another problem.
I have had no problem starting her with just the one battery. That is why I am thinking of just using one. Maybe in the winter it will need the extra power of a second battery.
I use this old skoolie for a firewood/building material hauler so I don't use it a lot. I do like the idea of marine batteries. I also like Walmart so maybe while the wife is getting some groceries I will go battery shopping. |
Tim Strommen (Tim_strommen)
Registered Member
Username: Tim_strommen
Post Number: 232
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 64.186.173.26
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 1:31 am: | |
Trick for finding leaks and shorts - take a 12volt test light (basically a light bulb with two leads) and put it between the positive (red) and the battery. Then turn off every accessory you have. If the bulb glows or lights - then you missed something. If you didn't, you can then start pulling fuses/breakers. If you pull everything and the light is still glowing or lit - try going to the alternator and disconnecting the positive lead to it. You may have some diodes that are blown and shorted or going bad. If its still lit, on a bus that old (looks like a pre '75 in the picture) you may have a significant need for some rewiring.
The first bus project I had was helping a friend overhaul the electrical in his '68 Wayne/Dodge skoolie. The wires had asbestos jackets and were basically crumbling and corroded under the surface. The whole thing had to be torn out and re-done without a proper manual in about 14 hours.
It's doable, but it may be something that if you're just using it every once in a while, you'll just want to pull the batteries(y) and take it home with you to keep maintained (or move it into the garage - off the concreet floor if you're one of those lucky enough to have space at the house for the bus) instead of goign through the headache of tearing out the interior to get to the wires.
Either way, it's not a bad idea to completely disconnect the battery if the bus isn't being used for a long period.
Hope this helps,
Cheers!
-Tim |
Mike (Busone)
Registered Member
Username: Busone
Post Number: 323
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 71.33.24.110
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 9:45 pm: | |
Thanks a bunch Tim. I cannot believe I never thought of that. What a great way to find a leak. I am going to go out tomorrow and try that out.
The bus is actually a 1990. GM used that hood style for a long time. My neighbor has a potato hauler that is a 1976 GM with the same chassis as my bus. The hood to the steering wheel are the same. |