Frozen battery cells

[Gjac]

My MH has been in MT for 3 mos(another thread) I asked the shop to charge the batteries because they sat so long over the summer since July. Apparently the charged the chassis battery but not the house batteries. Last week I flew out to MT to drive the MH home and checked the the batteries the chassis battery was at 90 percent SOC and the house batteries were at 30 percent. I started charging with my 40 amp B&D charger and got an error message of a shorted cell. When I looked inside the caps there was a slushy ice formation inside, so I reduced the amps to 10, charged for a while then charged at 40 amps all night. No error message. My distilled water was frozen solid so added tap water to top of cells. It was very cold ride all the way home and batteries continued charging for 2000 miles while driving. They are holding a charge for the last 5 days. I will try an equalization before winter in CT sets in. Do you think partially frozen cells do any permanent damage the batteries? These are 2 6V GC Sam's Club batteries.

[full_mosey]

Gjac wrote:

What kind of stuff would grow in your cells filled with acid?

The flooded lead-acid battery is not filled with acid, but an acid solution with a variable, but low %, amount of sulfuric acid(H2SO4). Yes, living things can survive a low % acid solution.

The reason lead-acid batteries freeze is that the sulfuric acid(H2SO4) is deposited on the plates in greater amounts related to the % of dis-charge.

The H2SO4 when in the water acts as anti-freeze. Lower % of acid in solution make it easier for the battery to freeze at higher temps.

A dead battery leaves the liquid as closer to pure water.

Frozen, not slushy, water can distort the plates and can be observed as a swelling of the battery case. Swelling tells you not to expect recovery of the battery.

HTH;
John

[Bill_Satellite]

Tap water bad! You would not have to have driven very far to find some distilled water. If I am wrong about that then you did a good thing to get you where you needed to go but don't start a new thread in the future about your batteries not lasting as long as they should have.

[Lwiddis]

“ambient air in your tires.”

Ambient music is nice.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

A hard freeze would bulge the sides of the jar. Then you got zee beeg problem. Drippings from Carlsbad Caverns would be a definite no no. Tap water is better than no water.

"I insist you use Perrier. This is not a normal house fire - it is a mansion fire"

Might be a good idea to really stir up those cells. A full on equalization charge. Which of course means taking voltage to 16 volts at a constant 11 amps charge rate.

[time2roll]

More like dendrites

[2oldman]

Tube worms.

[Bumpyroad]

Gjac wrote:
I have always used distilled water but when it is 4 degrees out and your distilled water bottle is frozen solid I figured warm tap water was good enough. What kind of stuff would grow in your cells filled with acid?

whatever grows there must be fairly hardy. 🙂
the only thing worse is putting ambient air in your tires.

bumpy

[Gjac]

ScottG wrote:

Mandalay Parr wrote:
Should always use distilled water.

X2.
Did that and learned an expensive lesson back in the day. Stuff grew on the tops of cells like weeds - and we have soft water.

I have always used distilled water but when it is 4 degrees out and your distilled water bottle is frozen solid I figured warm tap water was good enough. What kind of stuff would grow in your cells filled with acid?

[gbopp]

Several years ago the house batteries in my 96 Southwind were slushy. I charged them and they came back. They are still in use and holding a charge.

You should be fine. I now keep the RV connected to shore power 24/7, just in case.

[Dennis12]

You should never put frozen water in a battery. It says so right in the manual.

[time2roll]

Gjac wrote:
They are holding a charge for the last 5 days.

I think you are fine for now. Does not sound like there was a hard freeze in the cells.

Tap water may or may not shorten the life or reduce capacity depending on how much iron and other minerals the water contained. Done is done.

[ScottG]

Mandalay Parr wrote:
Should always use distilled water.

X2.
Did that and learned an expensive lesson back in the day. Stuff grew on the tops of cells like weeds - and we have soft water.

[Lwiddis]

" I asked the shop to charge the batteries because they sat so long over the summer since July"

Unless the RV was stored inside by the "shop," perfect example of why a solar system would have....saved the day.

[Matt_Colie]

We ran a very serious boat maintenance business before the depression. So, we ran into this sort of thing occasionally. Often after months of being ignored.

To be entirely honest, they bank may just survive, they would have liked it better with a slower charge rate because heat is not good.

Distilled vs tap water is not that big an issue, but being down to the dividers is that big an issue.

It seems as if there was very little load when discharged, the better the chance for survival.

Good Luck

Matt

[Mandalay_Parr]

Should always use distilled water.