Forum Discussion

hbrady's avatar
hbrady
Explorer
May 12, 2016

Battery stink

My Coachmen Freedom express has been plugged in since I de-winterized it in April, the battery (new in 2014) was stored in the garage (heated) over the winter. Over the last week I've noticed a sulfur smell coming from the front of the camper and last night I discovered it was coming from the battery. I remember from my EMS days the ambulance battery trays always stunk when the ambulance was plugged in but I never knew the cause. I've read this can be a sign of a bad battery or a battery being overcharged but how would one narrow the cause? I did have the battery drain fully a couple weeks ago when I had unplugged it for a few days (I had left a light on). Would that ruined the battery?
  • dodge_guy's avatar
    dodge_guy
    Explorer II
    May 12, 2016
    More than likely the battery is toast. the charger is seeing low voltage and is trying to charge it. it is being charged so much it is boiling the battery. I had one do the exact same thing.

    I can tell you from personal experience you do not want to be near a bad, boiling, overcharged battery! they can explode! (I know from experience). fortunately I was not hurt, but it could have been very bad!
  • mbopp's avatar
    mbopp
    Explorer
    May 12, 2016
    If the battery has a shorted cell the converter sees the low voltage as a discharged battery and puts a lot of current into it. This boils off the remaining good cells and that's what you smell.
    I'd pull the battery and get it tested.
  • hbrady's avatar
    hbrady
    Explorer
    May 12, 2016
    dodge guy wrote:
    ....I can tell you from personal experience you do not want to be near a bad, boiling, overcharged battery! they can explode! (I know from experience). fortunately I was not hurt, but it could have been very bad!


    Reminds me of when I was a kid, my father was jump starting his old Case bulldozer, jumper cables sparked and the gases is the battery compartment ignited causing the battery to blow up. Luckily someone was home and called the rescue. His face was a mess for weeks. Luckily it didn't blind him.
  • hbrady's avatar
    hbrady
    Explorer
    May 12, 2016
    So I checked the battery this AM and noticed the sticker showed it was actually a 2013 battery. This means since 2010 my TT will be on it's 3rd battery, is this typical or maybe it's a sign my converter / charger is not working properly?
  • hohenwald48's avatar
    hohenwald48
    Explorer
    May 12, 2016
    Failure to properly maintain the battery water level will also cause the smell.
  • teejaywhy's avatar
    teejaywhy
    Explorer
    May 12, 2016
    hbrady wrote:
    So I checked the battery this AM and noticed the sticker showed it was actually a 2013 battery. This means since 2010 my TT will be on it's 3rd battery, is this typical or maybe it's a sign my converter / charger is not working properly?


    Possibly. Or more likely that your maintenance methodology could be improved.
  • hbrady's avatar
    hbrady
    Explorer
    May 12, 2016
    teejaywhy wrote:

    Possibly. Or more likely that your maintenance methodology could be improved.


    Since I've only owned it 8 months I'll blame previous owner ;) I think I'll install a cutoff switch, no sense keeping it on charge when TT is plugged in.
  • corvettekent's avatar
    corvettekent
    Explorer
    May 12, 2016
    Put a volt meter on it and tell us what voltage it is changing at. Also what brand and type of converter do you have?
  • darbyjudy's avatar
    darbyjudy
    Explorer
    May 12, 2016
    Put a voltmeter across the battery while it is hooked. It possible your converter is over charging the battery. I had that happen to my motor home. I woke up one morning to the gas detector going off. Traced it to the battery, felt the battery and it was hot. Put a voltmeter across it and it was over 16 volts. Had to replace the converter.

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