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Thread: Flooded Wet Cell Start Batteries

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    3,988

    Default Flooded Wet Cell Start Batteries

    I got a pic sent to me today of an exploded battery and this explination.

    Bus been sitting for a while. Went to start and it barley turned over charged it up tried to start again and BOOM.

    So what of this. Well, if a battery is out of water and a plate is also broke and shorting charging low on water makes hydrogen gas broken plate makes spark and BOOM.

    So that got me thinking about the so called maintenence free sealed flooded wet cell batteries. NOT. First they r not really sealed and prolonged high temp could potentially evaporate the water just for starters. Overcharge, pinhole in the case ect ect.

    I suppose there is aplication that demands a sealed wet cell battery but for our start batteries it is not nessessary and if u have 1 with caps that can be removed and reservoirs that can be kept full the possibility of blowing one up is significantly reduced.

    When he didn't start and went back with the charger if the batteries had caps he would have found the dry battery and filled it but his were sealed and it went BOOM. No good. Could have been avoided I think.

    No good reason to buy a sealed flooded wet cell for start batts or no???

    My 2 cents. What say u.
    Last edited by Joe Camper; 01-28-2016 at 05:52 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Clearwater
    Posts
    231

    Default

    Joe,

    For starters, here is the situation: The "maintenance free" group 31 batteries that are in almost every Prevost out there, ARE NOT sealed batteries. They are, in fact, vented to the atmosphere, and thus evaporation occurs. The only truly sealed batteries are the Valve Regulated Absorbed Glass Matt (AGM) or Gel batteries. To make matters worse, charging flooded vented liquid lead acid batteries will cause gassing, so this type of battery must be observed for electrolyte level while under a charge, which you cannot do with the Prevost standard start batteries.

    I just simply tell everyone with a Prevost that comes into our facility to either treat the start batteries as disposible and change every 2 years if you live in the south, or buy AGM's and replace them every 5-10 years, as they actually wear out.
    Ben Cummings
    U.S.A. Luxury Coaches, LLC
    Clearwater, FL

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    3,988

    Default

    Thanks for responding Ben. After the initial inquiry I had I asked around and found no fewer than 5 others that had the same experience of batteries that exploded when trying to start directly after charging and thought it was worth passing around.

    So we agree, the maintenence free flooded wet cell is not really true and can explode given the wrong conditions.

    I since found flooded wet cells with flat tops like a maintenence free style but actually having caps that could be removed to fill the cells and they won't get in the way of the tie down for them that normal caps that stick up will.
    Last edited by Joe Camper; 02-08-2016 at 07:13 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Brooksville, Fl. & Franklin, N.C.
    Posts
    1,600

    Default

    I have always cut the decals on top of my Interstate Group 31 batteries with a razor knife. This allows me to open the inserts and monitor levels of acid. Usually add water once or twice during the life of the battery.

    99 Country Coach 45XL
    Jeep Liberty

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    McKinney
    Posts
    57

    Default

    Ben, is there an AGM you recommend ?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Clearwater
    Posts
    231

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Texas 40 View Post
    Ben, is there an AGM you recommend ?
    The ones we have used here are the Spiral Cell Optimas, due to space only. The Lifeline group 31 is a little taller and on XL2 coaches would interfer with the battery cover brackets. They would fit into an H3 battery bay though.
    Ben Cummings
    U.S.A. Luxury Coaches, LLC
    Clearwater, FL

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    McKinney
    Posts
    57

    Default

    Thanks Ben.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Sanford
    Posts
    212

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BenC View Post
    The ones we have used here are the Spiral Cell Optimas, due to space only. The Lifeline group 31 is a little taller and on XL2 coaches would interfer with the battery cover brackets. They would fit into an H3 battery bay though.
    Ben, have you had good luck with the Optimas built within the last couple years? I seem to see newer Optimas with higher failure rates as well as Interstate batts. Something happened with them We have been having great luck with the NAPA gold 1120cca batts. The 900cca NAPA batts don't last either for some reason. For those coaches that set for long periods without starting, if people would go to rear and turn off circuit breakers 19-24 (if they go up to 24) the 12 volt bank will last much longer. I actually like to install a high quality ignition solenoid to interrupt these breakers when key is off as turning coach disconnect off does not affect these. I personally think it's a flaw from Prevost but they wouldl not change it as I pointed it out to them in the mid eighties!! They said it was to keep DDEC and ATEC memories but what good is it when batts are dead! Just my humble opinion....

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Bradenton
    Posts
    317

    Default

    Donnie, do you have a '03-11 H engine cover for sale ? Geo.
    Corey Grubb & George Prentice
    1999 H3-45 Vantare
    Will & Grace-fierce felines
    Cedar Hammock, FL.

    The road goes on forever
    and the party never ends

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Sanford
    Posts
    212

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    Quote Originally Posted by coreygrubb View Post
    Donnie, do you have a '03-11 H engine cover for sale ? Geo.
    Round or square tail lights. I think round came out in 03. I have lots of round tail light doors. I will have to check to see if I have a square tail light door left..it's possible.

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