I thought it was hypocritical of me to wear my Chevy muscle shirt earlier because I was going to drive the Dodge but I threw it on anyway because it's white and it was warm outside.
I carried my golf clubs and my fishing gear out to the truck and jumped in, ready to go.
Turn the key and all I heard was the slow groan of a starter that doesn't have enough juice.

I popped the hood and looked at the wiring for burns, loose cables, too much corrosion on the cables (that's made it not want to start before) and came up with nothing.
I looked at the 50 amp fuse for the amp and saw that the bar in it was bent (too much power getting pulled through it but not enough to pop it). Then I noticed that the plastic on the battery side of the fuse was melted a little bit. So I pulled it out thinking there was an issue there.

I tested the battery voltage, it read 11.26v.

I had to get going so I ended up driving the Chevy anyway (bad juju wearing this shirt I guess).

When I got home (4 hours later) I checked the voltage again, it read 11.07v. This thing is losing power.

I tested the ignition off draw.
The meter showed .017 amps. Hmm... That's good.
I put the fuse for the amp back in and tested it again. .017 amps. Hmm... That's good.

Then I looked down at the battery and saw this



That thing had to come out so that it wouldn't keep expanding and spew acid all over the engine bay or somehow find a spark and catch on fire.

Yesterday I was asking a lot from my amp with some bass-heavy music for about 40 minutes all together. I look at the battery gauge now and then when the bass hits to make sure the needle doesn't dip at all and it doesn't and didn't yesterday. It was pegged just over 14v like always.

I didn't have a hint of an issue until when I went to start the truck today.

So what's the deal with my situation?
I think that the battery was on it's way out (it's 6 years old this month actually) and the big power draw yesterday from the amp put the last nail in its coffin. I also believe that the vents on it got plugged somehow and that's why it's swollen. One thing I've noticed with the Everstart batteries is that they like to breathe and if this thing couldn't breathe then I could see it swelling up like it did.

The End.

 

Bad juju AND its age. Combine that and recent heat, not that unusual. Luckily it didn't strand you somewhere.

Golf cluns AND fishing gear? Around here it is too hot to golf, grass is brown, and no water to fish in! I think my golf clubs and fishing rods are dry rotting!

 

it happens. i seem to have a fair bit of good luck with batteries. people give me batteries and some of them almost work like they are brand new. i got a mopar battery sitting behind my truck that needs to be tested. i know it has 12.3 volts or something like that but the real test is charging it full and seeing how long it takes the radio to drain it to the point it wont start.

 

wow, that is just wonkie. I've (gladly) not heard of that happening? You guys sound like this is a common thing? The swollen effect, that is.

 

Due to summer heat here in Texas, it is not too uncommon. My RV had one like that when I bought it. $90+ later.....

 

I've seen that many times here in Southern Illinois.

 

Can't say I have any experience with swelling on hot days ... in Canada you get to know your battery condition very well every winter ... but it's extremely common in cold climates if the cell voltage falls below a certain point the battery will freeze (electrolyte is closer to water than acid in this condition) and expand the case. My guess is we don't see it in hot weather so much because you can't go through a winter without a good battery.

I think in your case could be overcharge or not accepting a charge anymore (and wasting energy from the alt as heat, causing the case expansion). Either way, it's a bad sign for a battery. I've recovered ones that were expanded from freezing but my guess is heat-related and it's done, since charging it isn't going to fix the cause.


6 years is good life from a lead-acid; I'd say you were due. So either way it's just one of those things where you have to spend on maintenance.

 

I've seen a few end up not holding a charge but I've never seen one swell up before.

The grass is nice and green around here with all the rain we've been getting for the last few months and all the ponds are pretty full. All I need to get some rain around here is a day off. Seems like the nicest days are on days that I work.

I don't think it was an overcharge issue since the gauge was telling me that it was putting out what it always has.

It doesn't surprise me that it needs to be replaced, I believe the expected life of a battery is only 5 years under normal use.

I just hope the weak battery is what made the amps fuse melt the plastic around one of the contacts a bit. I'm thinking I need to throw a 30 amp fuse in that fuse holder since the 50 amp fuse didn't blow.

 

Yellowtop time!!

 

^ I was thinking the same thing.

I run an Interstate; great battery, but expensive. Mine was $125, but that was installed by the shop.