laimeduck Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 exploding leisure battery. One of the two 110 Ah leisure batteries in our motorhome literally exploded underneath the seat we were sitting on tonight. Quite scary! Part of the top of the battery and most of the screw tops were blown off. fortunately there were a couple of plastic boxes on top of the battery positions. No idea why this has happened - but the battery insides do look very dry? We are on a campsite near Haverfordwest on EHU so the charger was operational. There seems to be no effect to the in van electrical system. I will of course when I can replace both batteries but it would be useful to know if we can continue to operate on the existing leisure battery and the mains charger operated by the EHU. We are only here for 4 days before returning home. I have no means of testing any systems whilst here. Thanks Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirou Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 If one battery was dry, the other is likely to be the same. I would be looking for a temporary replacement at least. Cheap, small starter battery from nearby supermarket or something. You won't be loading it while on EHU so deep discharge characteristics are irrelevant. While at the shop, get some bicarbonate of soda to neutralize any spilled acid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul- Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 Quite often CO detectors will sound when a battery is gassing long before they get to the stage of going bang. I'm a bit surprised yours didn't give a warning if it was overheating......, so could the battery have shorted? is there any signs of something amiss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weldted Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 Explosive gas can be released from the battery when charging more so if the level of charge is too high. If you have a multi meter check the voltage at the battery terminals whilst it is on charge. Ideally no more than 14:4 volts. Before you use the meter with the mains and 12 volts circuits off check the battery connections are tight on the remaining battery and any fuses nearby are sound. Was there any unusual smell prior to the battery exploding. Take care Re the acid spilt. You should be fine with the one battery whilst on hook up but perhaps turn the charger off overnight and when heavier loads are not req Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanb Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 Jeremy, It is most likely that your battery developed an internal short circuit. If that is so, the probability of the other battery doing the same is low. You have already been advised as to cleaning up with bicarb, but hosing the area with copious amounts of water is probably the simplest first step. Common sense says isolate the affected battery. (This is one reason why my batteries are individually fused.) You say that you have no means of testing, but what about using your control panel. I would expect this to at least indicate hab battery voltage, If your charger had been overcharging the battery, I think that it is more likely that any explosion would have been have been external to the battery. From my professional experience of many lead acid batteries and chargers, I can only remember one instance of a charger cooking the battery. This battery did not explode, but as suggested above you could smell it, but if your batteries are externally vented, this may go unnoticed. I can understand that you are quite shaken by the event, but if the electrolyte level in the remaining battery is OK, (Can you see the level through a translucent case?) and charge voltage is OK, then I see no reason why you cannot continue to use the remaining battery. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted September 18, 2020 Author Share Posted September 18, 2020 Hi everyone - thanks for your input. Especially Alan B - grateful peace of mind! I think it was an own goal! No electrolyte. Have given myself a kick up the ****! Just been to Halfords and have topped up the 2nd battery with de-ionised water. That seems to be charging OK now. The batteries are in an underslung box so now cleanup needed ed until they are removed. The Benimar control panel only gives % figures for battery state and when on EHU or engine running this reads 100%.will monitor it over the next day or so. Halford have their own brand 100 Ah leisure batteries in stock for £110 B cat which would be OK for the way we use. Anyone know if they're any good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanb Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 Jeremy, 1. Tanya list The popular LFD90 at less than £100 including delivery. This would give you the advantage of a dual purpose battery, which could be used to jump start in an emergency. If you are buying two, it could be worth haggling. 2. I seem to remember reading a post, that Halfords were selling EFL batteries under their own brand. I think that it may have been Weldted. Perhaps he will either deny, or expand on this. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 laimeduck - 2020-09-18 2:01 PM ...Just been to Halfords and have topped up the 2nd battery with de-ionised water. That seems to be charging OK now. The batteries are in an underslung box so now cleanup needed ed until they are removed. The Benimar control panel only gives % figures for battery state and when on EHU or engine running this reads 100%.will monitor it over the next day or so. Halford have their own brand 100 Ah leisure batteries in stock for £110 B cat which would be OK for the way we use. Anyone know if they're any good? This 2019 forum thread discussed the Halfords HLB700 battery https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Replacement-Batteries-/52117/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted September 18, 2020 Author Share Posted September 18, 2020 Thanks again Alanb & Derek for reminding me of Allan's posts. My wife has a £20 voucher for Halfords so that would bring the price down to £100 each, so I don't think at present I'll be able to better that. I'd read all the threads Allan did but had forgotten them so the Halfords/Youasa seems a good buy. All seems OK simply running on the single battery at present so I think I'll leave things until I get home. Thanks Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 laimeduck - 2020-09-18 6:40 PM My wife has a £20 voucher for Halfords so that would bring the price down to £100 each, so I don't think at present I'll be able to better that. If you can find someone with a Halford's Trade Card you can get a further 20% off that price! Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowy Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 I fitted two of the Halfords batteries HLB700 last October in place of my old ones which were 5 years old. I also replaced the cab one with the HLB700 as well. I was in Spain for 4 months and they were great, if they do 5 years I will be happy with that. It also means if my cab one goes flat, I can swap them over to start the engine. I jump started it one time and spiked the unit, which meant a dash up to Alan for repairs. So a lesson learnt for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 The Yuasa webpage for their L36-EFB battery (Halfords HLB700) is here https://www.yuasa.co.uk/l26-162.html A datasheet can be downloaded from there and this shows that the battery is ‘non-maintainable’ (ie. the cell caps are covered by the upper surface’s labelling, so electrolite-level checking/topping-up is not an option) and that the battery can be (and should be) fitted with a vent tube. The Varta LFD90 battery is similar in those respects - ‘non-maintainable' and ventable from either end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCC Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 If you can't find anyone with a trade card I think there is a 10% discount with a Shell card at present, but only for a limited time. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancepar Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 Hi Jeremy, I bet you have checked there is nothing under the seat that could cause have caused a spark. Bye Lance B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted September 19, 2020 Author Share Posted September 19, 2020 lancepar - 2020-09-19 2:18 PM Hi Jeremy, I bet you have checked there is nothing under the seat that could cause have caused a spark. Bye Lance B-) Lance hello - nope ,,,,,,blankets and groundsheets and a couple of wine boxes. Oooh wait a minute,,,,, a crate of Doombar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted September 23, 2020 Author Share Posted September 23, 2020 Well I made it through the holiday and arrived back home this afternoon, with 2 brand new Halford/Yuasa 100Ah leisure batteries picked up in the local Halfords for £100 each with discount & I will fit them tomorrow. One question please from you lot who know:- As far as I know I can't isolate the solar panel - there is no switch anywhere & I have no idea if there is a fuse - there certainly isn't on the control panel - The Benimar handbook is woeful! I intend to cover the solar panel with a thick blanket - will that allow me to install the two new batteries safely and without sparks and short outs? Thanks Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninian Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 Hi, On my van, There are fuses on the leads that leave the batteries you may find the same on you're van that you would be able to remove and then replace once you have fitted the batteries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted September 23, 2020 Author Share Posted September 23, 2020 Ninian - 2020-09-23 6:16 PM Hi, On my van, There are fuses on the leads that leave the batteries you may find the same on you're van that you would be able to remove and then replace once you have fitted the batteries. Ninian hi - have just checked and no fuses there on my van. Thanks anyway Still need to know if a blanket on the Solar panel will do the trick? Can anyone advise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 Just change the batteries at midnight, Jeremy. B-) A decent thick blanket over the panel should be sufficient. If your electrics are the same as were fitted on my slightly earlier Benimar, the control panel was part of the electronics box, and the whole was mounted above the door. The solar panel was a factory-fit, and the regulator was in the electronics behind the control panel. It isn't over-difficult to remove the electronics, but it is awkward due to position (I know, 'cos I swapped mine out when the regulator failed). I think the blanket is a much better solution than removing the electronics and detaching the solar panel leads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddy Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 Covering the solar panel will work ok as this will stop it working while you change the batteries (I am surprised that there are not any fuses at the batteries or close to them) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted September 28, 2020 Author Share Posted September 28, 2020 Quick update 2 New Halfords/Yuasa batteries now installed with homemade vent tubes and all is working well- so far. The new batteries are about 15mm lower in height than the old ones making it much easier to route the thick cables to the posts. Oh - and Robin - I didn't do it at midnight - couldn't see! Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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