Battery Leakage

[Right-arm fast]

Have got one of our MX170s in the workshop because the batteries had gone flat. I was assuming that the batteries were shot because they are quite old and were covered in electrolyte, ie they were wet over the top with a build up of corrosion on the positive terminal of both batteries.

Anyway charged them both up and load tested them and the are ok. However when they were charging they let out some moisture on to the top, as you would expect, so I put the cell caps back on and wiped off the moisture and let them stand whilst I checked the alternator as it wasn't charging. They have again got moisture all over the top of them 48hrs after they were last bench charged and wiped clean, why?

 

[essexpete]

I would guess the battery is on its way out.

 

[Lincsman]

what voltage is it charging at?

 

[Right-arm fast]

I would guess the battery is on its way out.

what voltage is it charging at?

I don't know as the brushes have worn and so the alternator wasn't charging.
Must be just that the batteries have had it as Pete says but I have never seen batteries get in such a mess by themselves just sitting doing nothing. Theres a bit of corrosion going on inside the battery box as a result which will need a wash down and a bit of paint plus some new battery brackets.

 

[essexpete]

Apparently one cell down may cause the above.

 

[milkloss]

Had this on our maxxum 5130. I think because the top of the battery was exposed to water dripping off the cab the battery was over full. Changed to a battery better protected and haven’t had a problem since but never really worked out for sure what the problem was.

Boiling water over anything with acid on it.

 

[Right-arm fast]

I think the alternator must have been hugely overcharging them both and knackered them as they are both badly leaking which was the bit I couldn't understand. Will never know now.