rocketry
Feb 23, 2015Explorer
Battery Converters
I purchased a PowerMax Boondocker PM4B-75 and installed hoping I could leave the unit plugged in to shore power over the winter and keep the batteries charged. There is no heat in the building. I checked the voltage on the batteries prior to connecting to shore power and they were at 11 volts. When the power was turned on they were 14 volts.
I returned couple of weeks later to find one of the batteries had exploded and the other was also damaged (I'm glad I was not around as I might have gotten a face full of battery acid). The batteries were DieHard Marine Deep cycle/RV, and possibly 8 to 10 yrs old.
I had been using them only modestly as we always plugged into power when camping. I suspect the batteries were faulty due to age and the converter continued to charge the batteries because the batteries never held the charge until they built up pressure and exploded. Does this seem reasonable or is the converter faulty? How best to clean up the mess, baking soda and water?
Thanks
I returned couple of weeks later to find one of the batteries had exploded and the other was also damaged (I'm glad I was not around as I might have gotten a face full of battery acid). The batteries were DieHard Marine Deep cycle/RV, and possibly 8 to 10 yrs old.
I had been using them only modestly as we always plugged into power when camping. I suspect the batteries were faulty due to age and the converter continued to charge the batteries because the batteries never held the charge until they built up pressure and exploded. Does this seem reasonable or is the converter faulty? How best to clean up the mess, baking soda and water?
Thanks