Exploding Batteries on my Swift Kontiki 645

centerman

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I have a serious problem I have 3 batteries 135AH connected red to red, black to black 2 of these blew up whilst laid up and connected to the mains during covid. I went out for a few days I opened up were 2 of my batteries are stored to switch on the inverter as we were wilding wife's hair dryer required to find them in pieces and acid every were? still working as the original battery is in separate place under floor. first in the line no problem. I assumed as I have 2 85W solar panels connected to good quality MPPT and remote meter Tracer model left on whilst the main cable plugged into electric at home on drive I had caused the problem of over charging these 2 batteries?

So I cleaned up the mess and treated the acid loss and replaced the 2 batteries with AMG 95AH then released the first in row wa a 135AH so to be safe replaced this with a further AMG 95AH to keep all the same and went on our way. Have had it on drive when 2nd lockdown from December was on. Was preparing the truck to use it yesterday and decided to open up Battery area to check all was ok and surprise to see white powder and what appears to be acid again both of these batteries have a drain fitted and goes outside under floor.

My local electrical chap says sound like Charger must be stuffed and I should replace this as a start I have currently fitted a Sargent EC200 spoke to technical there and he said same but asked me to check with a meter across terminals and if over 14volts it is overcharging but when did this it was reading 13.71 on both of these 2 batteries with just mains connected and same with solar and mains connected? Checked the original located battery with just solar connected this read 14volts.

So currently both power sources are switched off and sergeant technical chap is at a loss he says a reading of 13.71 is fine and unit is working correctly. Has any only got any idea what is going on or should i spend the £700.00 and replace the EC200 for the latest unit?

Help Hel Help

Cheers Brian
 
It should be charging at 14.4 v and dropping to float at 13.7, smart chargers and mppt regulator will not over charge the batteries, there must have been a fault in the old charger, or the battery was stuffed.
 
Was there a really bad eggy smell? I had that on a previous MH, the battery was cooking the acid, I had to keep stopping to allow it to coo,l until I could get home and replace it.
 
On my Epever duoracer you have to programme what type of battery you are charging I don’t know whether that setting is on the Tracer you have to set it to fld if they are lead acid worth a check
 
This is the setting for the battery type
 

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centerman said:
I have a serious problem I have 3 batteries 135AH connected red to red, black to black 2 of these blew up whilst laid up and connected to the mains during covid. I went out for a few days I opened up were 2 of my batteries are stored to switch on the inverter as we were wilding wife's hair dryer required to find them in pieces and acid every were? still working as the original battery is in separate place under floor. first in the line no problem. I assumed as I have 2 85W solar panels connected to good quality MPPT and remote meter Tracer model left on whilst the main cable plugged into electric at home on drive I had caused the problem of over charging these 2 batteries?

So I cleaned up the mess and treated the acid loss and replaced the 2 batteries with AMG 95AH then released the first in row wa a 135AH so to be safe replaced this with a further AMG 95AH to keep all the same and went on our way. Have had it on drive when 2nd lockdown from December was on. Was preparing the truck to use it yesterday and decided to open up Battery area to check all was ok and surprise to see white powder and what appears to be acid again both of these batteries have a drain fitted and goes outside under floor.

My local electrical chap says sound like Charger must be stuffed and I should replace this as a start I have currently fitted a Sargent EC200 spoke to technical there and he said same but asked me to check with a meter across terminals and if over 14volts it is overcharging but when did this it was reading 13.71 on both of these 2 batteries with just mains connected and same with solar and mains connected? Checked the original located battery with just solar connected this read 14volts.

So currently both power sources are switched off and sergeant technical chap is at a loss he says a reading of 13.71 is fine and unit is working correctly. Has any only got any idea what is going on or should i spend the £700.00 and replace the EC200 for the latest unit?

Help Hel Help

Cheers Brian
Click to expand...
Hi Brian

Well firstly, what you could do is remove the Sargent unit and send it back to them for evaluation and any repairs. I believe this is a fixed-price service and covers any repairs required and also with some of the units any updates and improvements made over the lifetime of that unit (for example, if you send in an EC325, you get back what is effectively an EC328).
This is my understanding of how their service works and I think it is a reasonable turnround time and reasonably priced.
See here: https://sargentltd.co.uk/shop/product/power-supply-unit-fixed-price-repair/238

Checking the voltage at a moment in time with the meter will not really tell you if the voltage has gone higher in the past however, so that is not a great way to confirm it is ok or not.

However ... If this was MY van and I suspected the EC200 was ok generally but the charger was suspect, I would not send it away and put the money into a brand new Smart Charger.
The Mains Charger and Split Charger in the Sargent units is pretty basic and it is worthwhile bypassing them even when they are operating as designed. (I have an EC325, updated to EC328 after a repair I believe, and virtually the first thing I did when I got the Motorhome was to turn off the mains charger in it, disable the split charger in it, and fit modern alternatives. That would be, IMO, the best way forward.
(I do like the Sargent units generally and their features, but I really don't think much of the charging capabilty they have - even the newer ones).
 
That's sounds like it's still broken! Did you take photographs, as the explosion on sealed lead acid could be down to your hairdryer and dry cells
But they like high to drawn amps.. but recharged asap
Were they out of date ie over 3 years or older and dry ? If so got your money's worth.

Do you start van engine when inverter in use ie run it ?

2000 amp inverter on a half charged battery bank and the dark nights of winter. Lots of time for battery's to eat is self
12 v system 70 amp hairdryer , cook some food in nuker another 50 amps your electric blanket and heating 30 to 50 amps evan at 800 watts all done in the dark so no solar.

Problem solved by making sure your inverter is used during daylight at best or best best in the morning to give batteries a chance to recharge via a 5amp solar panel !
 
trevskoda said:
It should be charging at 14.4 v and dropping to float at 13.7, smart chargers and mppt regulator will not over charge the batteries, there must have been a fault in the old charger, or the battery was stuffed.
Click to expand...
On Solar it does charge at 14.4 and after it is full it drops to around 13.7 so all looking ok? the solar is on and switches down once fully charged sergeant recon no fault and it there is nothing wrong with unit? I am wondering if the sign of acid damage is just recurring from some that was stacked in to surrounding timber etc? so I have washed the signs of it again with Bi Carb and will leave it switched on and see if there is any showing on battery none of them are hot or swollen and no smell. I may be worrying over nothing will let you know.
 
izwozral said:
Was there a really bad eggy smell? I had that on a previous MH, the battery was cooking the acid, I had to keep stopping to allow it to coo,l until I could get home and replace it.
Click to expand...
Hi no there was no smell and no heat on battery will let you know once I get to bottom of it this time. Hoping it is just some residual white powder and small amount of wet area left from previous exploding batteries fingers crossed
 
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Hi have kept an eye on batteries and noticed no heat smell or leaking now. I had washed out storage space as this was noted that the white dust creeping up sides and small damp space on floor assumed these new batteries were leaking again after other set exploded and spread acid all over. But a friend suspects it is previous liquid coming out of timbers from last time now it has warmed up in van? what do you all think


I have run it on just Solar no problem and no further signs any 3 batteries so just switched solar of and switched on line power from main and see how this is going on charging rate around 13.41

Let you all know
Brian
 
centerman said:
Hi have kept an eye on batteries and noticed no heat smell or leaking now. I had washed out storage space as this was noted that the white dust creeping up sides and small damp space on floor assumed these new batteries were leaking again after other set exploded and spread acid all over. But a friend suspects it is previous liquid coming out of timbers from last time now it has warmed up in van? what do you all think


I have run it on just Solar no problem and no further signs any 3 batteries so just switched solar of and switched on line power from main and see how this is going on charging rate around 13.41

Let you all know
Brian
Click to expand...
It should also be charging at 14.4 until full then drop back to 13.7 ish, charger could be at fault.
 
Before changing batteries our van was fitted with a Varta AGM. Reading the data sheet a bulk charge voltage of up to 14.7v was recommended. I first fitted a Victron MPPT which would charge to 14.7v.

Without the MPPT I found that neither the original Nordelettronica battery charger or the alternator could fully charge the AGM to my liking.

From the info on the Halfords page I didn't notice and real charging specs.

I have recently changed to lithium and feel they were worth every penny.
 
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