I have two "maintenance free" sealed batteries. Yesterday when I
checked the battery trays where the batteries are secured in place, I
found that both battery trays are quite wet (like 1/16" deep). This is
odd. The batteries are inside a compartment that is protected from
elements, and the rest of the compartment is completely dry -- only the
battery trays are wet. I am sure the water is not from the air because
the air in early winter is relatively dry.

I am not sure if both batteries are leaking or not. I cannot tell. I
have a feeling that I should not expect _both_ batteries leak at the
same time. Anyway, I have already dried the battery trays. I will
check this next weekend to see if they will become wet again.
Meanwhile, I would like to know if there is any "known" reason that can
cause a battery tray becomes wet like mine.

Thanks.

Jay Chan

wrote in message
oups.com...
I have two "maintenance free" sealed batteries. Yesterday when I
checked the battery trays where the batteries are secured in place, I
found that both battery trays are quite wet (like 1/16" deep). This is
odd. The batteries are inside a compartment that is protected from
elements, and the rest of the compartment is completely dry -- only the
battery trays are wet. I am sure the water is not from the air because
the air in early winter is relatively dry.

I am not sure if both batteries are leaking or not. I cannot tell. I
have a feeling that I should not expect _both_ batteries leak at the
same time. Anyway, I have already dried the battery trays. I will
check this next weekend to see if they will become wet again.
Meanwhile, I would like to know if there is any "known" reason that can
cause a battery tray becomes wet like mine.

Thanks.

Jay Chan


Jay, why do you keep posting boat questions in this newsgroup? It's getting
a little annoying.

:-) :-)

Jay,

I had the same problem, but I found out about the leaking when I was
wintering the engine. I did not notice any wetness in the bilge, but when
I was finished I noticed my jeans were falling apart. The acid ate through
the seat and legs from when I sat next to the battery. The dealer could
not identify the problem, so I just purchased a battery box, with a lid, so
the acid would not splash around the bilge. The battery lasted 3 yrs, and
it never failed me, but when the tire dealer put a heavy stress on the
battery it showed up weak. Since I didn't want to have it fail me in the
middle of the lake, I replaced both of them.


wrote in message
oups.com...
I have two "maintenance free" sealed batteries. Yesterday when I
checked the battery trays where the batteries are secured in place, I
found that both battery trays are quite wet (like 1/16" deep). This is
odd. The batteries are inside a compartment that is protected from
elements, and the rest of the compartment is completely dry -- only the
battery trays are wet. I am sure the water is not from the air because
the air in early winter is relatively dry.

I am not sure if both batteries are leaking or not. I cannot tell. I
have a feeling that I should not expect _both_ batteries leak at the
same time. Anyway, I have already dried the battery trays. I will
check this next weekend to see if they will become wet again.
Meanwhile, I would like to know if there is any "known" reason that can
cause a battery tray becomes wet like mine.

Thanks.

Jay Chan

In article .com,
says...
I have two "maintenance free" sealed batteries. Yesterday when I
checked the battery trays where the batteries are secured in place, I
found that both battery trays are quite wet (like 1/16" deep). This is
odd. The batteries are inside a compartment that is protected from
elements, and the rest of the compartment is completely dry -- only the
battery trays are wet. I am sure the water is not from the air because
the air in early winter is relatively dry.

I am not sure if both batteries are leaking or not. I cannot tell. I
have a feeling that I should not expect _both_ batteries leak at the
same time. Anyway, I have already dried the battery trays. I will
check this next weekend to see if they will become wet again.
Meanwhile, I would like to know if there is any "known" reason that can
cause a battery tray becomes wet like mine.

Thanks.

Jay Chan

Moisture condensation from heating a cooling of the battery during
charge cycles?

Did you test to see whether the liquid was electrolyte? I little
splashed on your best jeans will tell you within a couple of hours.

jps

says...

I have two "maintenance free" sealed batteries. Yesterday when I
checked the battery trays where the batteries are secured in place, I
found that both battery trays are quite wet (like 1/16" deep). This is
odd. The batteries are inside a compartment that is protected from
elements, and the rest of the compartment is completely dry -- only the
battery trays are wet. I am sure the water is not from the air because
the air in early winter is relatively dry.


Hmm, seems likely that it is condensed battery electrolyte. They are
hooked up to a charger, yes?

jps wrote:
Moisture condensation from heating a cooling of the battery during
charge cycles?


Possible

Did you test to see whether the liquid was electrolyte? I little
splashed on your best jeans will tell you within a couple of hours.


A better test is to drop a pinch of baking soda in it.

BTW you should mix up a solution of baking soda in distilled water and
use it to wipe down the area around your batteries. You'd be amazed at
what that stuff gets on, and it is very corrosive.

Fair Skies
Doug King

You did not say whether this battery is for an electric trolling motor,
or for a electrical system on a larger powered boat system? An
electrical trolling motor experiences high discharge, and gets hot,
resulting in condensation as it cools down. As it is used, it also
boils out the electrolyte, which is why you cannot use the battery in a
completely sealed compartment, and though the battery is described as
sealed, it is vented as well. What condenses typically is the recently
boiled out electrolyte, which then gets concentrated in the battery
compartment bilge.

If you are getting a large splatter area, try a trickle charger. It
sounds like you are overcharging the battery if they are only lasting a
couple of years, especially on a boat if it is not used continually.
Does the boat have its own charging system? Are the batteries put away
discharged? Or are you charging to just keep them topped off, ready for
the next outing? Overcharging just boils them dry, and kills them
quickly! TnT

Life is about each moment of breath,
Living, about each breathless moment!

Thanks, KnesisKnosis, aka Tinkerntom, aka TnT

and now a friendlier, "RkyMtnHootOwl"


2 WW kayaks,
'73 Folbot Super,
pre '60 AEII
77 Hobie Cat 16


DSK wrote:
says...

I have two "maintenance free" sealed batteries. Yesterday when I
checked the battery trays where the batteries are secured in place, I
found that both battery trays are quite wet (like 1/16" deep). This is
odd. The batteries are inside a compartment that is protected from
elements, and the rest of the compartment is completely dry -- only the
battery trays are wet. I am sure the water is not from the air because
the air in early winter is relatively dry.


Hmm, seems likely that it is condensed battery electrolyte. They are
hooked up to a charger, yes?

jps wrote:
Moisture condensation from heating a cooling of the battery during
charge cycles?


Possible

Did you test to see whether the liquid was electrolyte? I little
splashed on your best jeans will tell you within a couple of hours.


A better test is to drop a pinch of baking soda in it.

BTW you should mix up a solution of baking soda in distilled water and
use it to wipe down the area around your batteries. You'd be amazed at
what that stuff gets on, and it is very corrosive.

Fair Skies
Doug King

jps,
I noticed that.


"jps" wrote in message
...
In article .com,
says...
I have two "maintenance free" sealed batteries. Yesterday when I
checked the battery trays where the batteries are secured in place, I
found that both battery trays are quite wet (like 1/16" deep). This is
odd. The batteries are inside a compartment that is protected from
elements, and the rest of the compartment is completely dry -- only the
battery trays are wet. I am sure the water is not from the air because
the air in early winter is relatively dry.

I am not sure if both batteries are leaking or not. I cannot tell. I
have a feeling that I should not expect _both_ batteries leak at the
same time. Anyway, I have already dried the battery trays. I will
check this next weekend to see if they will become wet again.
Meanwhile, I would like to know if there is any "known" reason that can
cause a battery tray becomes wet like mine.

Thanks.

Jay Chan

Moisture condensation from heating a cooling of the battery during
charge cycles?

Did you test to see whether the liquid was electrolyte? I little
splashed on your best jeans will tell you within a couple of hours.

jps

On 21 Nov 2005 11:56:41 -0800, "
wrote:

I have two "maintenance free" sealed batteries. Yesterday when I
checked the battery trays where the batteries are secured in place, I
found that both battery trays are quite wet (like 1/16" deep). This is
odd. The batteries are inside a compartment that is protected from
elements, and the rest of the compartment is completely dry -- only the
battery trays are wet. I am sure the water is not from the air because
the air in early winter is relatively dry.

I am not sure if both batteries are leaking or not. I cannot tell. I
have a feeling that I should not expect _both_ batteries leak at the
same time. Anyway, I have already dried the battery trays. I will
check this next weekend to see if they will become wet again.
Meanwhile, I would like to know if there is any "known" reason that can
cause a battery tray becomes wet like mine.

Thanks.

Jay Chan

Look at whatever you used to dry the trays with. If it were battery
leakage, whatever you used should be full of holes by now.
--
John H

"It's *not* a baby kicking, beautiful bride, it's only a fetus!"

A Famous Hypocrite

Moisture condensation from heating a cooling of the battery during
charge cycles?

I don't quite picture how the charging cycle can cause this. But this
might have something to do with condensation. Might be everything in
the compartment were very cold at night, and moisture in the air might
have condensed on the surface of everything in the compartment. The
condensed water might drip down to the bottom of the battery tray and
stay there. On the other hand, the condensation on the other surface
might have dried out through ventilation, or have been absorbed into
the fiberglass shell of the compartment (can fiberglass absorb water?).
That might have explained why only the inside of the battery trays
were still wet. But I am not sure. I am just wondering whether any
one else has this experience?

Did you test to see whether the liquid was electrolyte? I little
splashed on your best jeans will tell you within a couple of hours.

I am under the impression that electrolyte is acidic. But I didn't
smell anything unusual when I saw the wet battery trays. I actually
used my bare hands and paper towel to dry the battery trays, and I
still have skin on my hand. Therefore, I doubt that those liquid was
electrolyte.

Jay Chan

I had the same problem, but I found out about the leaking when I was
wintering the engine. I did not notice any wetness in the bilge, but when
I was finished I noticed my jeans were falling apart. The acid ate through
the seat and legs from when I sat next to the battery. The dealer could
not identify the problem, so I just purchased a battery box, with a lid, so
the acid would not splash around the bilge. The battery lasted 3 yrs, and
it never failed me, but when the tire dealer put a heavy stress on the
battery it showed up weak. Since I didn't want to have it fail me in the
middle of the lake, I replaced both of them.

Sorry to hear that you have a bad experience with a leaky battery. But
I think neither of mine is leaking. I didn't smell anything unusual.
They were just water. I used my bare hands with paper towel to clean
the battery trays, and my skin was not irritated.

Jay Chan