Hot battery

[Barnaclepete]

I have a x19H and I have 2 12v group 24 Interstate batteries that are 8 months old and were installed by the dealer when brand new. My converter is a wfco wf-8735 p.

I plugged it into shore and after 2 days one battery had a funny smell, I opened the battery box and the battery was very hot. One cell was down to the top of the plate but the others appeared fine if not a little low. They were all topped off 2 weeks prior. Using a hydrometer they all showed 12.4 when they should have been at 12.6.

Any thoughts if this is a bad battery or converter issue?

Thanks

[Kodiakattack]

Well I would think if it was a charging issue both batteries would be hot . Maybe try to switch them around and see if it still happens to same one. Also check your voltage while charging see if both are the same.

[Jmooney]

Sounds like a bad cell in the one battery. Remove charge. Let rest for 4 hours, take voltage readings of the two batteries.

[Ela1948]

Originally Posted by Jmooney

Sounds like a bad cell in the one battery. Remove charge. Let rest for 4 hours, take voltage readings of the two batteries.

X2 Disconnect the batteries so they are at rest.(no draw on them) Let set over nite. Each battery should have 12.7 voltage or better.

[norty1]

I would think that a interstate dealer would adjust that battery. A quick test will determine if you have a bad cell which is the indication.

[RoyBraddy]

Your real problem IMO is the WF 8935 converter/charger unit. These are known to just always just put out 13.6VDC and over time this will boil out your battery fluids. You really need to check for this every week. Once the fluids get below the core level then the core will most likely short out from the crud build-up on it.

That is what you was smelling - the boiling out of your fluids...

Your best converters will be the smart mode type that really goes to the multiple DC Charging voltages. (14.4VDC-13.6VDC-13.2VDC modes) The PD 8900 series and the IOTA series are good replacements...

I think you are going to find a bad cell in the battery.

I initially got two 12VDc Interstate on my new Starcraft 14 R/T POPUP trailer and lost one 12VDc Interstate battery right away doing the same thing. I wanted more multiple batteries to charge so I added the PD9260C Converter/charger to my trailer which is now my primary converter/charger. Since my WF8945 converter/charger was new i didn't have the heart to throw it out so I left it in place in the bottom compartment of the WF8900 series Power Distribution Panel and added my PD9260C 60AMP stand alone as close to the batteries as I could and still be inside my trailer. This is just 5-feet away from my main battery switch.

I can run either the WF-8945 or PD9260C converter/charger unit by just flipping the corresponding 120VAC circuit breaker. This leaves my WF-8945 converter/charger a standby backup unit if I ever need it.

Since running my now three good working batteries on the PD9260C I have not seen any additional problems with 12VDC Interstate batteries. They are just now starting to drop off abit in performance since installed in 2008.

I am hoping to replace them with four each TROJAN T-1275s (Total 600AHs)or two groups of two 6VDC Gulf Cart Batteries wired in series(Total 450AHs).

For me running the batteries on working smart mode chargers and never dropping the charge state below the 50% charge mark has been my success for good deep cycle batteries to use.

We do most of camping off the the power grid...

Roy Ken

[Barnaclepete]

Originally Posted by RoyBraddy

Your real problem IMO is the WF 8935 converter/charger unit. These are known to just always just put out 13.6VDC and over time this will boil out your battery fluids. You really need to check for this every week. Once the fluids get below the core level then the core will most likely short out from the crud build-up on it.

That is what you was smelling - the boiling out of your fluids...

Your best converters will be the smart mode type that really goes to the multiple DC Charging voltages. (14.4VDC-13.6VDC-13.2VDC modes) The PD 8900 series and the IOTA series are good replacements...

I think you are going to find a bad cell in the battery.

I initially got two 12VDc Interstate on my new Starcraft 14 R/T POPUP trailer and lost one 12VDc Interstate battery right away doing the same thing. I wanted more multiple batteries to charge so I added the PD9260C Converter/charger to my trailer which is now my primary converter/charger. Since my WF8945 converter/charger was new i didn't have the heart to throw it out so I left it in place in the bottom compartment of the WF8900 series Power Distribution Panel and added my PD9260C 60AMP stand alone as close to the batteries as I could and still be inside my trailer. This is just 5-feet away from my main battery switch.

I can run either the WF-8945 or PD9260C converter/charger unit by just flipping the corresponding 120VAC circuit breaker. This leaves my WF-8945 converter/charger a standby backup unit if I ever need it.

Since running my now three good working batteries on the PD9260C I have not seen any additional problems with 12VDC Interstate batteries. They are just now starting to drop off abit in performance since installed in 2008.

I am hoping to replace them with four each TROJAN T-1275s (Total 600AHs)or two groups of two 6VDC Gulf Cart Batteries wired in series(Total 450AHs).

For me running the batteries on working smart mode chargers and never dropping the charge state below the 50% charge mark has been my success for good deep cycle batteries to use.

We do most of camping off the the power grid...

Roy Ken

Roy, thank you for your reply.This is what I am afraid of happened even though this is supposed to be a smart charger and drop to 13.2 in float mode. I’m finding mine is staying at 13.69 on my one good battery after 3 days.After this time it should be dropping to 13.2. I still have yet to take the former hot battery to be tested (I will tonight).I emailed Jayco explaining my potential issue.

http://rv52.com/wp-content/uploads/2...-8735-8740.pdf
from the manual
Float Mode: If the RV is not being used for approximately 48 hours,
with a “no load” condition and the shore power is plugged in, the
converter will automatically go into the “Float mode.” In this mode,
the converter is charging the battery with a trickle voltage of 13.2 Vdc.
When the converter senses a demand (by turning on lights), the
converter automatically returns to the “Absorption mode” 13.6 Vdc.

[SmokerBill]

It might not be dropping to float mode BECAUSE of having a bad battery. Charge voltage is being converted to heat, and not being stored in the battery, and the converter never sees a fully charged battery.

Try removing just the bad, hot battery. Reconnect to the single good one (if in fact it is good). See if it takes a full charge, and if it allows the converter to drop to Float mode.

[Barnaclepete]

Just as a follow-up. it appears to of been a bad battery I received from the dealer. I installed 2 new batters and they last way longer than the old ones and now my converter drops down to 13.2. thanks

[SmokerBill]

Glad you got it figured out Barnaclepete!