Van Stinks batteries red hot

[reevco62]

Just read the thread MY VAN STINKS

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=224799&p=1806312&hilit=battery+red+hot#p1806312

But my problem is not solar related.

I returned home from France yesterday after parking the American RV up at home took the Transit van to Coventry to pick up the. pooch from friends that had been looking after him.
After driving the RV for a month across Europe the Transit van felt like a Go-cart.

On the way home there was a really bad smell like rotten eggs and burnt rubber first thoughts where the clutch was on it's way out or a belt had gone, I had AC running at max the transit was like a fridge yet I could feel a sheering heat around my legs put my hand down to the metalwork of the seat and it was red hot, once home pulled the seat back and found both batteries where red hot and acid everywhere they had got so hot they had got to boiling point.

Once ignition was off and engine had stopped running they soon cooled down.

Still to check it all out but it looks to me as if the alternator is seriously over charging.

Thoughts please...

[dumper]

Yes sounds like overcharging alternator or if it’s got smart charging playing up get the coeds read and output voltage checked

[reevco62]

I should have put the model of the van 2.2 2011 Tourneo Trend. With double batteries.

[reevco62]

Results are in:

Alternator is fine
Just one of the two batteries bad.


Battery test




Alternator Test




Old fashioned drop test.

[metalworker0]

well the only one there that says its bad is the analogue drop test .. the digital is saying replace with no measurement results of the amp hours only what it should actually be .

perhaps alternator has intermittent fault and over charges

seems odd that battery would heat up if fooked

anyway .. your drop test says otherwise, so replace

but do some more alternator tests strait away after replacing batteries with strait forward digital volt testing.

ive driven round with buggered batteries for weeks .. they never got hot

all the best.mark

[reevco62]

Will do

[andz327]

I've never had a weak battery do that either.. ...

Sent from my SM-G990B using Tapatalk

[knobby1]

It's usually "overcharging" which causes batteries to boil or get hot...if you can smell "rotten eggs"...it is possible to battery can explode from the Hydrogen-Sulphide gas build-up, it's highly flamable and potentially explosive. Sulphuric acid burns are not a good thing either.

Best to get it sorted very soon. If replacing the battery/s...check battery voltage with engine running to rule out overcharging.....anything more than ~14.4v - 14.6v is too much and can destroy an otherwise good battery in no time..

Lord Knobrot (Smithy)

[T350camper]

I totally agree with the previous advice. Almost certainly there has been an overcharging issue... even if it appears okay for now. And batteries certainly can explode! The fire risk and other potential injuries should not be underestimated. Clip a voltmeter onto it for a good few trips just to be sure. If it goes up over 15 volts... stop and turn the engine off.
Take care.

[reevco62]

Fitted new battery today all running well took it for a 20 mile run with OBD11 plugged in and alternator held a nice steady 14.3v to 14.4v and never fluctuated at all