odd smell

[hot rod]

when i have my batteries on charge there is an odd smell. i have check the water and it is full on all the batteries. all the cables are clean with no corrosion. the cart is 36volt ezgo 08 model with the batteries replaced in 10. i do leave the cart plugged in all the time. the batteries are dirty from dust and other stuff. i was not sure if they could be washed off because of all the controlers and motor. cart holds charge very good and charges up fairly quick.
the smell is not like overheating or like a wire sorting out. i can not explain the smell. it is kind of sweet but kind of bitter. when the cart is driven there is no smell at all or if it is just setting and not charging no smell.
hot rod

[scottyb]

Batteries gas while charging. You could be smelling sulfur and hydrogen? Don't light a match!

[DaveTM]

Have you checked the battery water levels? I'm asking that because the "inspector gadget" in me suspects that if the dust you speak of has a blanket continuity across the "battery spectrum" (ie: the battery tops) then that would indicate to me that no one has stuck there little fingers on the battery caps and popped 'em off to peer into the vast darkness of the battery cells to see the water levels.

Now...you need to take this fearful plunge...and should you see these little metal wiggly things....that would be the tops of the battery cells....and that's not a good thing. These should be covered with Distilled water. Not tap....but Distilled. Go to the grocery store and buy a few gallons of Distilled water. Fill up each battery cell until the wiggly looking metal things have at least a half-inch of water over 'em.

Your smell issue should be gone.

[hot rod]

as i said in the thread water levels were full. after cleaning the batteries with a rag and baken soda and water the smell has stopped. i guess that the dust and gunk that had covered the batteries was smelling when the batteries got warmed up when charging. thanks for the advice on the water levels but i check my batteries at least once per month and always have distilled water in the shop.

[JohnnieB]

Hot Rod,

You may notice a rotten egg smell around charging batteries because when they are gassing, hydrogen and oxygen are bubbling through sulfuric acid and if the conditions are right, some sulfur dioxide (SO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are formed. Both have the rotten egg smell, both are toxic and hydrogen sulfide is also highly flammable.

Cleaning the battery tops with baking soda got rid of most of it, but you'll probably get a whiff every now and then.

When I do, I just remove the seat and let it air out a few minutes before doing whatever it was I was going to do. H2S is some nasty stuff, so I avoid breathing it.

[RLTexas]

I have brand new batteries and had the same sulfur smell during the initial charge. I assume this is normal and why the owners manual says only charge in open air conditions.

[simple man]

Originally Posted by JohnnieB

Hot Rod,

You may notice a rotten egg smell around charging batteries because when they are gassing, hydrogen and oxygen are bubbling through sulfuric acid and if the conditions are right, some sulfur dioxide (SO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are formed. Both have the rotten egg smell, both are toxic and hydrogen sulfide is also highly flammable.

Cleaning the battery tops with baking soda got rid of most of it, but you'll probably get a whiff every now and then.

When I do, I just remove the seat and let it air out a few minutes before doing whatever it was I was going to do. H2S is some nasty stuff, so I avoid breathing it.

It's not a bad idea to have the seat either removed or raised while charging the batteries. The heat and gas produced can then readily escape!

[Rickochet]

Originally Posted by RLTexas

I have brand new batteries and had the same sulfur smell during the initial charge. I assume this is normal and why the owners manual says only charge in open air conditions.

I have new batteries in my cart and have always charged outside. I brought the cart in the garage for the winter and put it on the charger recently for a monthly "top off" charge. Rotten egg smell plus. Next time I charge it will be out side again.