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05-14-2022, 04:12 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: Colfax
Posts: 19
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What's that smell.
This AM with our Cougar parked in our driveway I stepped out & was hit with a smell??? walked around trying to discover what was the issue. As I passed in front of my 5th there it was. Coming from one of the Interstate batteries and it was very hot. A little back ground, I have kept the rig plugged in to shore power. Only one battery was hot, the #2 seemed to be fine. (1)My first impression the on board inverter/charger was not tripping to maintain status. (2) could we have a faulty battery as the #2 battery seemed to be fine. (3) With shore power cut, the rig showed 12.5 on control screen. A few hours later I pulled in the awning (batt @ 11.1) I kept getting a warning of low batt on the screen. I strongly believe if I had not shut off the power to the 5th we would have had a fire. Looking forward to your input or winning lotto tickets.
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05-14-2022, 05:51 PM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,234
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When was the last time you checked the water level in the batteries? If you leave your RV plugged in, you need to check the battery cells at least once a month. You probably wouldn’t have a fire, but I have seen batteries explode.
Make sure you replace BOTH batteries at the same time.
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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05-15-2022, 04:06 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Henniker
Posts: 2,011
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That smell is Hydrogen Sulfide gas, very nasty stuff. You may have a low water level or another issue that is causing the battery to boil. As chuck said, you need to check and top off battery water frequently. Use ONLY distilled water if you do need to add some (about 99˘ a gallon at the grocery store).
__________________
Rob & Amy
2019 Passport 240BH SL (current)
2024 Cougar 29BHL (on order, due early May)
2022 Ford F250 7.3L Godzilla Crew Cab 4x4
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05-15-2022, 07:46 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Monument
Posts: 178
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It's also flammable.
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05-16-2022, 05:14 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Berkley
Posts: 750
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A friend of mine had this problem, and we never did figure it out. He later sold the trailer to someone else and his new one had no issue. But it would constantly and consistently boil any battery that was on it.
When he finally put the 3rd new battery on, he installed a battery disconnect on the battery terminal so he wouldn't have the problem. It was as if the converter didn't know when to shut off, so it just kept trying to charge the battery.
We spent a full weekend tearing the convertor out and looking at it down to the circuit board level. I couldn't find anything that was obviously wrong with it, so we put it back in. My suggestion was to replace it, but he decided to replace the whole rig instead lol.
__________________
2022 Ford F150 3.5 Ecoboost SCrew 4x4 MaxTow
2020 Salem Hemisphere Hyper-Lyte 25RBHL
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09-02-2022, 04:00 PM
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#6
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: Colfax
Posts: 19
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This is a follow up to my original post What's that smell. In May one of two deep cycle interstate sealed batteries "cook off" It was very hot to touch & it was emitting sulfur type gas. Also, I had the rig plugged in to shore power. I returned to the dealer & they tested the bad battery finding it was toast. If I remember it would only hold 2-3 volts. Ok as of May, new Interstate battery with the other Interstate deep cycle, and connected to 110v AC house current. Today 9/2 the same thing happen, the new battery was emitting gas & was hot to the touch 170 degrees @11.7 volts, the "first out battery 12.4 @ 102 degrees. I have disconnected the house 110v waiting for this the battery to cool down. Thinking (haha) out loud same battery position with house 110v connected....do I have a converter problem. Both batts are pos to pos and until today was showing 13.2volts.
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09-02-2022, 04:20 PM
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#7
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,598
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How do you have the cables to the trailer connected? Are they both to the same battery? If so that's probably your problem. The pos and neg cables should come off different batteries going to the trailer (load).
Also, when you replace batteries IMO you always replace them both. One will cannibalize the other if one is less efficient than the other - btdt.
__________________
Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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09-02-2022, 04:51 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: Colfax
Posts: 19
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Both batteries are of the same series. Originally, the two batteries were same series installed at the same time. Keep in mind this is the second time this problem has occurred. No load. basically both batts were charging showing 13.2v (2) The pos and neg cables should come off different batteries going to the trailer (load). I need to research this point. Thank you for your response.
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09-02-2022, 05:09 PM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,709
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Always, always, replace both batteries in a 2 battery system. If the battery you left in had a shorted cell the converter will "see" that as the battery isn't fully charged. The converter doesn't know how many batteries are connected. It simply charges according to the voltage it reads. 2 12vdc batteries wired in parallel electrically is no different than one higher capacity battery.
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Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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09-02-2022, 05:55 PM
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#10
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,598
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cousin Gary
Both batteries are of the same series. Originally, the two batteries were same series installed at the same time. Keep in mind this is the second time this problem has occurred. No load. basically both batts were charging showing 13.2v (2) The pos and neg cables should come off different batteries going to the trailer (load). I need to research this point. Thank you for your response.
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If you connect your pos and neg trailer batteries to the same battery it is the "work horse". The current flows from pos to neg through that battery. The other battery is simply an outside battery to "help", maybe, if the primary battery (pos and neg hooked to it) don't kill it. See if you don't have both cables connected to the same battery, that explains dead, boiled batteries in the same position.
__________________
Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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09-02-2022, 07:57 PM
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#11
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Venice
Posts: 5,346
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You never answered Chuck and Bob's question about how often you check electrolyte levels in your batteries. You should check them at least once a month if connected to shore power and just like flashlights or other electronics replace both batteries at the same time.
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Hank & Lynn
2007 Cougar 290RKS, E-Z Flex, 16" XPS RIBs ( SOLD .. Gonna miss her ... looking for new 5r)
2004.5 Dodge 2500 QC, LB, 5.9HO, WestTach gauges, Ride-Rite
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09-03-2022, 03:42 PM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: Colfax
Posts: 19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hankpage
You never answered Chuck and Bob's question about how often you check electrolyte levels in your batteries. You should check them at least once a month if connected to shore power and just like flashlights or other electronics replace both batteries at the same time.
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Thanks for responding. To answer, as mentioned in the earlier post the batteries are sealed.
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09-03-2022, 03:47 PM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: Colfax
Posts: 19
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Now that explanation I understand. I will have both tested and replacing both.
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09-03-2022, 03:58 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Florissant
Posts: 687
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cousin Gary
This AM with our Cougar parked in our driveway I stepped out & was hit with a smell??? (snip)
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My daughter has a Dodge 2500 diesel truck that has 2, 12v batteries in parallel. One of the terminal clamps had melted in two and its battery casing burned a hole in the top. The next time I get batteries for the trailer, I will be getting 2, 6V batteries in series to avoid these kinds of issues.
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Skids
2019 Bullet 248RKS
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09-03-2022, 04:05 PM
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#15
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,709
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cousin Gary
Now that explanation I understand. I will have both tested and replacing both.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cousin Gary
Thanks for responding. To answer, as mentioned in the earlier post the batteries are sealed.
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I'm not saying your batteries weren't sealed but most batteries that are flooded cell are not actually sealed, even if they appear so. On my grp 31 NAPA battery the top label goes right across the 6 flush mounted screw in covers. I cut the label to access the cells. I've seen some with a small vent on the side at the top that when pried on will remove a large section of the top revealing all the cells.
Just putting that info out there incase someone reads this and says "yup, mine are sealed to". Take a good close look first.
__________________
Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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09-03-2022, 04:07 PM
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#16
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: Colfax
Posts: 19
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OK, I'll check. thanks.
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