4x4 Action Group

Hi Guys,

Stuck my head into my Xplorer van this afternoon and smelt that dreaded muuf smell. A battery was cooked.

I assume the battery came with the van, a 2013 model. I am using a Victron Blue Smart Charger to charge both batteries, old one that cooked is an Exide DC and the second one is a Dixon because I could not get an Exide DC. The Dixon was fitted 2 years ago, the charger 1 year ago.

So the question is why would one cook and not the other? Did it perhaps run low on electrolyte? I do admit the van has not been used for 7 months as I was out of action so unable to play with the van. But weekly "open and see what is still inside" did occur. Only smelt it today.

Cheers

Deep cycle??

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Klink vir my jou Donkie-switch het sy werk gedoen.

I would say that age has played a role in the older battery dying, it happens.
The newer battery is still good as it has "worked" less.

I think this is why it's recommended to buy 2 batteries of the same brand, model, batch etc, it increases the chances of equal performance and life.

I also don't leave my batteries on charge indefinitely, I rather charge once a month for a day or 3 and then turn the 220v off to my camping trailer.

grips wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 02, 2020 7:34 pm

Deep cycle??

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Yes DC battery

Wave wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 03, 2020 8:18 am

I would say that age has played a role in the older battery dying, it happens.
The newer battery is still good as it has "worked" less.

I think this is why it's recommended to buy 2 batteries of the same brand, model, batch etc, it increases the chances of equal performance and life.

I also don't leave my batteries on charge indefinitely, I rather charge once a month for a day or 3 and then turn the 220v off to my camping trailer.

Thanks Wave.

I leave my fridge running all the time thus I have to be very careful not to run the batteries down by forgetting. It a senior thing you know.

What may help is to fit an external switch under the bed or next to the NL battery meter to isolate and reconnect.

Cheers

Ricoffy wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 03, 2020 6:21 am

Klink vir my jou Donkie-switch het sy werk gedoen.

Ekke verstaan nie? Donkie switch?

HenriSteyn wrote:

grips wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 02, 2020 7:34 pm

Deep cycle??

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Yes DC battery

The reason I am asking I also owned a Xplorer and lost two deep cycle batteries. One were almost at a point to explode.

Third Deep cycle same problem, it was installed in one of my 4x4's as a dual battery.
Took it out and put it on a C-Tek charger to trickle charge only to find it boiling hot a few days later.

I came to the conclusion that Deep Cycle batteries does not like trickle charging over prolonged periods.
Do not use DC anymore

I would suggest you run the fridge on 220v when parked/stored.

Run the battery charger once a month, as Grips says, seems Deep Cycle batteries do not like to be on charge constantly, I think that's what killed my 1 deep cycle in my camping trailer last year, as I decided to trust the intelligent charger and left the trailer on charge for months on end and then 1 battery died when I needed it most: camping semi-off-grid... I replaced the 2 Deep Cycles with High Cycles

Wave wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 03, 2020 9:19 am

I would suggest you run the fridge on 220v when parked/stored.

Run the battery charger once a month, as Grips says, seems Deep Cycle batteries do not like to be on charge constantly, I think that's what killed my 1 deep cycle in my camping trailer last year, as I decided to trust the intelligent charger and left the trailer on charge for months on end and then 1 battery died when I needed it most: camping semi-off-grid... I replaced the 2 Deep Cycles with High Cycles

Thanks Ge'off.

I was searching for your post but gave up. Like my battery.

I will look at a separate external switch to isolate the charger from the 220v system as you will know, getting to the isolator where it is now bedding and mattresses have to be moved etc.

Maybe a 220v timer on the battery charger circuit will do the trick?

Cheers