Starter Battery Failure - Page 2

Ed in Montana · 09-21-2009, 08:20 PM

The question is, do I replace the starter batteries with standard Ford batteries or Optima heavy duty batteries? One previous battery thread is not complementary about Optima batteries.

And thank you to Scatter for mentioning the overcharging from the alternator problem. I will have that checked out as soon as I have two new starter batteries.

Burklin · 09-21-2009, 08:45 PM

Last week I boiled my starter batteries while on shore power. Woke up to the smell of sulfur in our driveway. Could hear the batteries boiling from 50' away. Felt the battery box and it was too hot to touch. If someone close by carried the Odyssey batteries (PC1750T) I would have purchased them and had the Ford dealer install them. Pressed for time, I had both starter batteries replaced with the Ford Motocrap batteries. I've set my alarm for 24 months to replace them with the Odyssey batteries.

Ed in Montana · 09-22-2009, 05:19 AM

How do you boil your batteries on shore power? I thought shore power recharged your house battery and the battery separator kept the house and starter batteries apart.

scatter · 09-22-2009, 06:59 AM

I've seen the other thread knocking the Optima's, but I have them in all my rigs and have never had a problem with them. I'm going to stick with them till I have problems. Maybe they're not as good as they used to be, but I haven't noticed it.
By the way, I used to use Odyssey's, but I did have all sorts of problems with them a few years ago and that's when I switched to Optima.

Angel · 09-22-2009, 09:42 AM

I went to my local reliable repair place, had my oil changed and battery cleaned of the leakage on it and the terminals cleaned. He checked the alternator voltage and said my battery was charging fine. He thought that the off road and up and down hill probablly caused the seepage. The battery is only a year old. He thought it should last another 2 or 3 years and then I should replace it with a gel cell. The battery watch is on and I will have it checked with each oil change-every 4000 miles.

Thanks Scatter for your info. I will go back today and have him ck the regulator. I have to go there today anyway, the right break line shows that the right tire has been rubbing it.

Ed, you are right, no more greasy sleep overs for The Lighthouse. :-)

Angel

Burklin · 09-22-2009, 11:20 AM

I'm told that my starter batteries will charge while on shore power. With a dead cell or some other anomaly, the battery will continue to receive a charge, needed or not.

scatter · 09-22-2009, 12:47 PM

Angel, and others, my alternator/regulator tested fine. The way my batteries were failing with lots of leakage is indicative of overcharge. I just browbeat Ford into the replacement and now all is fine. No idea what was going on, but to date, I be happy.

Scalf77 · 09-22-2009, 01:57 PM

The Surepower 1315 separator is bi-directional, so when plugged in and your house battery gets above 13.2 the separator will close and charge the starting battery also.

jage · 09-22-2009, 07:47 PM

My Sure Power failed and I replaced it with a BlueSea separator. One nice feature is it includes a manual OFF position, but of course you'd have to suspect there is a problem in the first place.

**daveb** · 09-22-2009, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burklin

I'm told that my starter batteries will charge while on shore power. With a dead cell or some other anomaly, the battery will continue to receive a charge, needed or not.

Yep and if you have a failing battery it will boil or over charge the bad battery.