Battery constantly venting

[ChuckW]

Hey guys I have a battery that is constantly venting. It's a two year old Deka Pro Master and it's still holding a charge as it should, and I keep the water level up, but it just keeps venting and I'm constantly having to clean the acid off the top of the battery and battery tray. Is this anything I should be concerned with?

[Sir Nuke]

I had one that was doing the same thing....not the same brand though. Come to find out when I started looking as the speed cap, one of the cells wasn't seating properly.....once I realized that, and looked real close and ensured all if the cells seated properly and sealed, the issue want away.

[ChuckW]

Thanks for the reply. I had checked that previously, but I'll check again.

[Cobra,1]

Sure your not overfilling batteries?
Need to cover the plates but if you fill cell all the way to top it will boil/vent excess water out top.

[JohnnieB]

In addition to filling too full, batteries can be filled at the wrong time.

The sulfate ions migrate from the lead and lead dioxide plates during battery charging, changing the water (H2O) in the electrolyte into sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and expanding the volume of the electrolyte.

In other words, if the battery is partially discharged when the electrolyte is brought up to the proper level, it will be overfilled when charged.

With a single exception, water (distilled) should only be added to fully charged batteries.

The exception, if the plates are exposed, added just enough water to cover plate, then charge and fill to proper level.

[cgtech]

Originally Posted by JohnnieB

In addition to filling too full, batteries can be filled at the wrong time.

The sulfate ions migrate from the lead and lead dioxide plates during battery charging, changing the water (H2O) in the electrolyte into sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and expanding the volume of the electrolyte.

In other words, if the battery is partially discharged when the electrolyte is brought up to the proper level, it will be overfilled when charged.

With a single exception, water (distilled) should only be added to fully charged batteries.

The exception, if the plates are exposed, added just enough water to cover plate, then charge and fill to proper level.

100% true! Man, I sure wish I could get more customers to follow those guidelines. Especially those with automatic fill systems! Several times a week I deal with "BFS leaking" complaints, when I know they are filling before batteries are charged (but can't prove it). The cells are filled up into the rim, and all uniformly overfilled to the same level. I wish we never sold another automatic fill system. I fill my own batteries to about 1/4" above the plates, it might require checking them a little more often, but I never had juice all over the tops of the batteries.

[JohnnieB]

IIRC, auto-fill systems were invented by a company that sell batteries.

If you stop and think about it a bit, maintaining the electrolyte at a lower level (1/4" above the plate) increases the SG, which in turn improves capacity and lowers internal resistance.

[ChuckW]

Thanks for all of the reply's guys. I probably should have given a little more information in my initial post.

The batteries have been maintained and kept filled about 1/4-1/2" above the plates within 48hrs after they have been fully recharged. I've only had to top them up once so far. Also, I've noticed this particular battery has been venting since I've owned the cart; roughly 3 months now. Every time I lift the seat, a I can hear it venting and there is always some acid on the top of battery. I checked the SG last month when I performed my last top up, and it was at 1.275, so right about where it should have been when fully charged. The battery also seems to perform OK. I'm just having to constantly clean up acid off my garage floor and/or my trailer.

I did notice the quick fill caps are pretty dirty, so I'm going to try cleaning them in baking soda and distilled water, then rinse in clean distilled water, to see if I can get them to seal better. Cant hurt to try.

[cgtech]

Cleaning the outside doesn't require distilled water, garden hose & baking soda will be fine (that's a waste of your distilled water). The "good stuff" is only required for the inside of the batteries!

[ChuckW]

Originally Posted by cgtech

Cleaning the outside doesn't require distilled water, garden hose & baking soda will be fine (that's a waste of your distilled water). The "good stuff" is only required for the inside of the batteries!

Thanks CGTech, I was going to do as you suggested and clean the outside and tops of the batteries with baking soda and garden hose, then remove the caps and clean them separately in distilled water and baking soda in hopes of getting them to seal better. May be a waste of time, but couldn't hurt.