# Failing Gel Batteries - any advice please



## JeanLuc (Jan 13, 2007)

Hi there, if anyone is online and has knowledge of gel battery problems, I could do with some advice.

I have had my suspicions that the batteries may be below par as my inverter has recently been showing signs of supply voltage drop. Did not have this problem when first used last year. However to the point.

I have 2 x 80 Ah Gels wired in parallel and charged through a Schaudt Elektroblock EBL99. No problems with that and it seems fine.

The van is parked on the drive and earlier this evening I plugged in the mains hookup to recharge the batteries - about 4 hours ago. (The EBL battery switch is off to prevent any drain, but that does not affect charging.) Just now we heard the CO alarm going berserk, and there is a slightly acrid smell in the van. So I have disconnected everything and opened the doors / vents to clear it. One of the batteries is warm (but definitely not hot) and the other is cold. All the gas systems are switched off and isolated. The only thing that has changed in the connection to EHU.

I am wondering if a failing Gel can give off CO (amongst other gases) but I really am not sure what to check next.

Any ideas guys?

Philip


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

After a charge, separate them and rest them a few hours with no load, then stick a multimeter across the terminals of each. Report back.

Dave


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## JeanLuc (Jan 13, 2007)

Thanks Dave, but I am loathe to reconnect and complete the charging process. The CO alarm activating and the acrid smell in the van have worried me a bit. I do not have any off-line charger so would have to charge in-situ. And I don't have a multi-meter, but I guess I ought to get one.

I might try a call to Exide in the morning to see if they can diagnose the symptoms. Sorry I'm not following your advice directly, but hope you will appreciate my concerns (above).

Philip


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

After 4 hours on a decent charger, you can say they are charged already, so take it from there


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## 92046 (May 1, 2005)

*Gel Bats*

Hi Philip

You say one of the batteries is warm/hot,

Is "All" of the battery hot, or can you feel heat in one area of the battery ?. as if you have one duff cell this can give you heat in that area only, also if you test with a meter and only get around 10 - 11 volts this will show you have a duff cell,

The battery will have 6 cells, and if one cell has shorted, yes you will get that eye watering smell after charging, from a charger, or from engine charging,
good luck.

Colin


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## andynkim (Apr 9, 2007)

Hi Philip
Connecting batteries in parralel is always slightly risky expecially if left without being used.

The internal resistance off batteries even new and off the same type are not the same and over time one will discharge the other.

I sugest that either the warm battery has fried the cold one because the cold one has internal short circuits or the cold one has fried the warm one for the same reason.

Either way they are probably both knackered.

If you have to connect batteries in parrallel then I sugest seperating them when they are not being used and then when getting ready for the off charging them individually before reconnecting them in parallel.

If one battery fails with a cell shorting out then resulting currents can course a fire.

Make sure the connectinng cables are fused with a fuse to match the max current drawn.

Cheers all.


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## JeanLuc (Jan 13, 2007)

Thanks all for the guidance.
The warm battery is warmer towards one end and in particular, the -ve terminal is quite warm whilst +ve is not. So I guess that points to a shorted cell. The parallel wiring arrangement is as originally fitted by Hymer during manufacture, so I'm not going to make any changes to that.
I am not sure how old the batteries are. They could be the original equipment which would make them 5+ years old (I bought the van second-hand early in 2007, but it left Hymer's factory in Feb 2003).

It all seems to point to the end of useful battery life.


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## AberdeenAngus (Jul 26, 2008)

5 years is a good run.
take em both out & replace with a single Elecsol 270.....drool


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

JeanLuc said:


> It all seems to point to the end of useful battery life.


I think that you are right there JeanLuc. There should be a date code on the batteries, eg, 05/03, fifth week in 2003. I suspect that they are the originals. We still had an original Varta Gel on our 6 year old Hymer.

Jock.


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## JeanLuc (Jan 13, 2007)

Unfortunately, I think I can only fit 2 x 110Ah Elecsols. The battery tray sits under the floor and is just large enough for 2 x 80Ah Exide Gels (pretty much same size as Elecsol 110s). The tray depth is limited to 200mm which limits the number of formats that will fit. So, much as I might like to fit a 270 Ah Elecsol, I fear that is not a realistic proposition. However, an increase from 160Ah to 220Ah will be welcome.


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## davesport (Nov 12, 2006)

Philip.

I had the warm patch on my dead Exide too. I never thought to localise it, but the dead battery was very definitely warm/tepid to the touch in one area, whilst the other good one was stone cold. I was at that stage ready to replace both & did'nt realise the significance of this. 

Regards Dave.


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## JeanLuc (Jan 13, 2007)

*Update*

Hi all,

Well, based on the various advice - thanks everyone - and a chat with Dave Newell who is doing a service and fitting a rear-view camera for me next week, I have asked him to get me a couple of Elecsol 110s to fit whilst I am there. I have isolated the battery that was warm, so only have the other one in-circuit now.

I know Davesport in particular was concerned about the Calcium/Calcium 'weight loss' of the new Elecsols, but having phoned them again, they claim there is not a reduction in lead. In the case of the 110Ah the chap said there is only about a 2kg reduction. Apparently it is due to a different construction of the grid. I think someone posted a link to a report that explained that Calcium grids are rolled rather than being cast, so presumably they are thinner / lighter?

So, I'm joining the ranks of Wet L/A battery users, and it's goodbye to Gels.

Regards,
Philip


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

If that is the case then please do not forget to change the switch on the Electroblok from "gel" to "wet" otherwise the new batteries will receive the wrong type of charge.


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## JeanLuc (Jan 13, 2007)

Thanks Pippin - I'm aware of that.


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