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Old 05-11-2013, 05:38 AM   #1
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Smoking Batteries (was: Battery problem in our Parkliner)

So, We took our Parkliner trailer out after 5 months storage yesterday and woke between 3-4am this morning to a bad smell. We opened the power section and found that both of the batteries were smoking and quickly evacuated the family from trailer, smoke alarm blaring.

It was scary and we are shaken up a bit but thank goodness are all safe. And in contact with the manufacturer this morning so that is a little comforting, who is replacing the blue top marine batteries to a different type. Hopefully that's the correct fix for the problem.
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Old 05-11-2013, 05:45 AM   #2
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It doesn't make sense that both batteries would fail in this manner simultaneously. I suspect that you have a short circuit somewhere with inadequate fuse protection.

In my UHaul, I installed a 30 amp circuit breaker right at the battery terminal so that any wire past the battery terminal itself is protected.

The photo that Deryk posted of his batteries had a metal hold down strap across the batteries that looked like it could shift and short out . Check this out, too.

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Old 05-11-2013, 06:02 AM   #3
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Thanks for commenting Thomas. I was thinking the same thing-- what are the odds of both batteries!? I like the idea of the circuit breaker at the battery very much, especially after this incident. We'll want to do that for sure.
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Old 05-11-2013, 06:09 AM   #4
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After the smoke cleared. Shuddering to think our heads were resting above this.


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Old 05-11-2013, 07:21 AM   #5
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Battery placement has been revised but the hanger strapping retained. Aren't there better holddown/racks available for AGMs? Deryk's looks like the strap is in close proximity to the terminal but he's had no scary incident that I've heard about. The strapping does look like a cheap and cheerful make do IMO.

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Old 05-11-2013, 07:58 AM   #6
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So is there any clue as to what happened now that you can see in there?
I can't see anything obvious looking at the pic you provide?

Either way be sure not to do anything else without figuring out what happened,batteries should not just smoke like that!

Obviously I hope.
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Old 05-11-2013, 07:59 AM   #7
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If it was something other than the batteries you should see melted insulation. Look for damaged wires. Use your nose and sniff around. It also could be the converter failed to switch to float mode. As far as the tie down, a battery box screwed to the floor might be a solution. Good luck, Raz
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Old 05-11-2013, 08:01 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mimi Lee View Post
So, We took our Parkliner trailer out after 5 months storage yesterday and woke between 3-4am this morning to a bad smell. We opened the power section and found that both of the batteries were smoking and quickly evacuated the family from trailer, smoke alarm blaring.

It was scary and we are shaken up a bit but thank goodness are all safe. And in contact with the manufacturer this morning so that is a little comforting, who is replacing the blue top marine batteries to a different type. Hopefully that's the correct fix for the problem.
Most likely something more serious than just bad batteries. Have your tech very carefully check out your convertor. Sounds like some level of unregulated voltage possibly going to the battery.
An internally shorted battery can also fail catastrophically ( I was near one that exploded one time....blew the top off the battery and sent acid all over everything....lucky no one was close by the open hood of the truck ).
As for having a metal strap running across the top of a battery, that is quite simply dangerous and a foolish thing to do. Not trying to sound mean about it, but just trying to be ( brutally ) honest.....that is dangerous.
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Old 05-11-2013, 08:16 AM   #9
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Those batteries do not look like they are properly hooked up. I noticed in the Parkliner's prototype 2 years ago that they hooked up only one battery with the second being a slave. You need to have converter positive to battery A and converter negative to battery B with the remaining posts connected positive to positive and negative to one another. That way the pair are treated as one big battery for charging purposes. The wrong way will only charge the first battery. See here http://www.gearseds.com/files/twobat_onechgr2.pdf
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Old 05-11-2013, 08:27 AM   #10
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Jim,
What you're describing is for two 6 volt batteries which you could connect is series to get 12 Volts. I believe these are 12 volt batteries.

I'm suggesting that the batteries were pretty well run down after being in storage. The converter attempted to charge them with a higher current than the AGM batteries could handle thus overheating the batteries. Something else to check out.
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Old 05-11-2013, 08:29 AM   #11
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No, I'm suggesting 2x12v in parallel series. Look at the diagram. Hold on, another diagram. How to Charge Two 12 Volt Batteries with One Charger | OverlandResource.com
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Old 05-11-2013, 08:35 AM   #12
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No, I'm suggesting 2x12v in parallel series. Look at the diagram. Hold on, another diagram.
Maybe my eyes are deceiving me, but I see in both cases White wires to the Negative terminals and Black wires to the Positive terminals.
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Old 05-11-2013, 08:35 AM   #13
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Looked at your diagram. Two 12V in parallel look exactly like Mimi's setup. So many conductors in the lugs on Deryk's I can't tell where they're going. I agree with Byron; think you're thinking of the two 6s in series.

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Old 05-11-2013, 08:47 AM   #14
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See post#11 for diagram of proper hook up to your converter/charger. This eliminates the slave battery situation another source http://www.gearseds.com/files/twobat_onechgr2.pdf
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Old 05-11-2013, 09:01 AM   #15
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By George I think you'd got the right schematic now. Plenty of EEs about if not.

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Old 05-11-2013, 09:03 AM   #16
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Jim,
I don't believe it'll make one bit of difference. It's ok to connect the way your diagram shows, it's also ok to connect to one battery, they're still in parallel will be seen by the charger as one battery.

You'll find something on the internet to support almost any idea or thought, in this case no harm is done because it just doesn't matter.
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Old 05-11-2013, 09:14 AM   #17
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Here is a quote "IMPORTANT: In parallel systems, always pull your main cables from opposite corners of the battery bank! (as in the above drawings)This way all the batteries are charged and discharged equally. Disappointing performance and premature battery failure await those that don't heed this simple rule."


Perhaps this is what happens to Parkliner's Optima batteries which should be good for 5 years.
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Old 05-11-2013, 09:19 AM   #18
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Here is a quote "IMPORTANT: In parallel systems, always pull your main cables from opposite corners of the battery bank! (as in the above drawings)This way all the batteries are charged and discharged equally. Disappointing performance and premature battery failure await those that don't heed this simple rule."


Perhaps this is what happens to Parkliner's Optima batteries which should be good for 5 years.
Jim

It makes no difference at all especially when the batteries are right next to each other,they are in the same configuration either way and are in parallel.

I don't know where they come up with some of this stuff but.....

So far we have no indication that I can tell from the O.P. what she thinks happened,do we?

I can not discern enough from the single picture and the way it is framed to tell how they are really connected anyway.

I do know those steel straps just look like an accident designed to happen!
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Old 05-11-2013, 09:37 AM   #19
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Isn't it the case that one could simply put a jumper positive to positive and neg to neg and tap the jumpers mid run to the converter? I think we're brainwashed by those water pipe analogies. Isn't the "juice" (difference in potential) more or less physically everywhere at once rather than sequentially following a roadmap? I bet I'm in trouble now! I have a lot of dunce hats--one for every subject.

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Old 05-11-2013, 09:40 AM   #20
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I think it is due to the circuits in the converter/smart charger reading voltages and the charger shutting off when the first battery is charged but the second isn't in the incorrect setup thereby reducing your total. By connecting it the correct way, that will not happen.
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