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House battery exploded

Turned off the house battery switch. One exploded the other ok.  Also shorted a fuse on dash. On the rd and headed to az.I think I can proceed by just using chassis battery. Please advice. Planning on continuing in the .orni g. Staying in hotel over nite. In a pickle need advice
 Thanks

Re: House battery exploded

Reply #1 –
What year/model coach do you have?  You can see the batteries in your rig (mine are hidden).  If there is battery acid out in the open, that's bad.  Need to get it cleaned up so it isn't eating everything ASAP.

Keith
2003 U320 38' #6197

Re: House battery exploded

Reply #2 –
It is a 87 grand villa o red 3600. Should be listed for everyone to see. If not I have to fix that. I need advice so I can move on safely

House battery boiled over

Reply #3 –
Wonder If I can proceed switching off house batteries and safely proceed just using chassis battery


 

Re: House battery boiled over

Reply #4 –
Connect the one good battery.. disconnect the one you have that is bad.

Other thread should be merged. Clean the area first .. baking soda and water and old cloths. Leave the doors open for smell and use a fan if you can. Clean real well.. it will cause your skin to itch just by the acid being in the air. Wear a mask if you can.. cloth is better than nothing in this case.

Once you get the single battery connected and the other connections removed or taped off.. don't want a short.. if you have a boost switch turn it on. Should be able to charge and run off boost from the alternator 

Making me itch just thinking about this.
2002 U320 36' Single axle  MOST MODED IN HISTORY SO MUCH ITS ALMOST ILLIGAL
2 slides ( living room and bedroom)
undisclosed
male
female
genderless
nonbinary
transgendered

Re: House battery exploded

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Rkcox2 –
One exploded the other ok...
Turned off the house battery switch.
Wonder If I can...safely proceed just using chassis battery
What do you mean by "house battery switch"?  Are you talking about the battery disconnect switch (salesman switch) located near the entrance door?

Battery explosions are typically caused by a conventional flooded lead acid battery being over-charged to the point that it is venting hydrogen fumes.  The fumes are then ignited by a electrical spark.

If your chassis battery is good, then it will supply all the circuits you need to drive the coach.  Be sure to secure or disconnect any loose battery cables to avoid any chance of a short circuit.



1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: House battery exploded

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Rkcox2 –
It is a 87 grand villa o red 3600. Should be listed for everyone to see. If not I have to fix that. I need advice so I can move on safely
Gooooood Morning!

Where are the batteries located, and is the house battery physically damaged?  If the battery is physically damaged I have a good idea on what happened.  If you don't have a volt-ohm-meter HF has one for about $8 that's good enough.

Either way, NAPA, O'Reilly, AutoZone, Parts Plus or whatever for one or more batteries.  They'll also have short cables with which to connect multiple batteries in parallel for more capacity.  Buy what you need and don't allow perfection to get in the way of done.
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: House battery exploded

Reply #7 –
Yes you can proceed but first use baking soda to neutralize the acid and then wash everything down.
You haven't said if the battery exploded with the engine running or you were plugged in. Start your engine
and run at high idle and check your voltage. If it is over 15 volts and that is even a little high, you need to
get the regulator reset or you will wreck your other batteries. If it happened while plugged in don't plug in
until that charger has been checked.
 
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: House battery exploded

Reply #8 –
What type Battery? Lead acid? Lithium? Baking soda for lead acid. Multiple lead acid  batteries in Parallel will hide a failing battery and cause it to be overheated with little indicated issues other than low output and the smell of rotten eggs. Disconnect as mention and neutralize as best as possible till you can properly resolve. Lithium generally dont leak but may explode and catch on fire. Once ignited they are quite evil. Use eye protection and PPE "personal protective equipment" load testing batteries separately before use is the only way to prevent this from happening.

Re: House battery exploded

Reply #9 –
Quote from: dsd –
.Lithium generally dont leak but may explode and catch on fire. .

Not all lithium is the same.. So this isnt correct.. Lifpo4 isnt flammable "typically".. Others is..


BatteryStuff Articles | Overview of the Different Types of Lithium Batteries...
Are lithium LiFePO4 safe?
The LiFePO4 batteries are the safest type of Lithium batteries as they will not overheat, and even if punctured they will not catch on fire. The cathode material in LiFePO4 batteries is not hazardous, and so poses no negative health hazards or environmental hazards.Oct 31, 2019

Lithium Battery Overview - BatteryStuff.com
2002 U320 36' Single axle  MOST MODED IN HISTORY SO MUCH ITS ALMOST ILLIGAL
2 slides ( living room and bedroom)
undisclosed
male
female
genderless
nonbinary
transgendered

Re: House battery exploded

Reply #10 –
Quote from: NevadaBornRvR –
Not all lithium is the same.. So this isnt correct.. Lifpo4 isnt flammable "typically".. Others is..


BatteryStuff Articles | Overview of the Different Types of Lithium Batteries...
Are lithium LiFePO4 safe?
The LiFePO4 batteries are the safest type of Lithium batteries as they will not overheat, and even if punctured they will not catch on fire. The cathode material in LiFePO4 batteries is not hazardous, and so poses no negative health hazards or environmental hazards.Oct 31, 2019

Lithium Battery Overview - BatteryStuff.com
Good information.. was unaware. Basically just wanted it out there Lithium are to be handled differently.

Re: House battery exploded

Reply #11 –
Quote from: oldguy –
If it happened while plugged in don't plug in
until that charger has been checked.
1987.  If it hasn't been upgraded he's still got the battery boiler power converter.  Without knowing more, the opinion around the table here is a fairly dry battery with room inside to accumulate enough hydrogen and oxygen to make a decent "bang."

One of the reasons I'm not concerned about my running flooded lead-acid batteries are the "smart" power converters I installed.  They provide a full state of charge with minimal out-gassing once every 22 or so hours during a 15 minute 14.4V run to stir the electrolyte.

Art
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: House battery exploded

Reply #12 –
Thanks for the responses. The house batteries are 2. 6 volt  trojoin connected in parallele both boiled over.  Switch I was referring to is inside about steps.It controls current to house.  Cables fried so matter about the switch. Jumped my heavy duty Napa battery because it begane to discharge below 10. This is a big commercial battery weighing in at 140 lbs. Found out one post connection was lose. Tightened that and after running eng it would not charge. So headed to Napa in tonopah 2 HR drive from Austin Nv. Will have new battery for chassi tomarrow. Will drive back to Napa and they will troble shoot the electric system. Don't know how far I could Dr day time with new battery while turning off all electrical draw. I have a 10 HR Dr to home in sun city west az.




Re: House battery exploded

Reply #13 –
Quote from: Rkcox2 –
Thanks for the responses. The house batteries are 2. 6 volt  trojoin connected in parallele both boiled over.  Switch I was referring to is inside about steps.It controls current to house.  Cables fried so matter about the switch. Jumped my heavy duty Napa battery because it begane to discharge below 10. This is a big commercial battery weighing in at 140 lbs. Found out one post connection was lose. Tightened that and after running eng it would not charge. So headed to Napa in tonopah 2 HR drive from Austin Nv. Will have new battery for chassi tomarrow. Will drive back to Napa and they will troble shoot the electric system. Don't know how far I could Dr day time with new battery while turning off all electrical draw. I have a 10 HR Dr to home in sun city west az.

OK, let's start out with the bolded portion:  Your coach is 12 VDC.  If 6 VDC batteries, they have to be hooked up in SERIES, not parallel.

First thing I would do is find out why the alternator is not charging.  Check voltage with the engine at around 1,100 RPM.  Start at the BATTERY ISOLATOR lug that goes to the chassis battery.  Then at the center lug of the isolator and then at the alternator B+ terminal.  Let us know what you find.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: House battery exploded

Reply #14 –
Moving forward, the best buy for power converters in my not so humble opinion are the Progressive Dynamics 9200 series.  I have used them since 2011, with no trouble.  I like them so much that when we moved into this 1992 Foretravel U225 I added a second PD9260 whose only purpose is to maintain the chassis 8D flooded cell lead acid battery, and to power the chassis from the 6.5KW Onan generator in case of engine driven alternator failure on the road.  So I guess that's two things.

Art

FWIW, Using these power converters I only water the house and chassis 8D batteries every 6 months.  That's all.
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.