Wrong Charger DOES make a Difference

C

cj10jeeper

Lifer
 Lichfield, England
While I was away on holiday someone kindly put one of my Jeep batteries on charge for me.
Standard charger for a month, instead of the correct intelligent one, so in essence pumped current through it all the time.

Quite dramatic failure, especially if you realise it went off inside the Jeep, where it resided as a support 'winch' battery

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Can't see this one recovering with a good charge .....
 
pvr said:
Now where did the acid go ...
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Jeep has kitchen sink drains in all the floor wells (to allow water in ant out quickly) I think most boiled dry but rest just landed on the concrete floor and dried up. Not even a mark on the paint (but the inside never was a show and shine)
 
I think batterychargers (and the wrong ones) are also the primary cause for garage fires (and fires in dealerships etc, especially classic cars).
So consider yourself lucky ;)
 
GuidoK said:
I think batterychargers (and the wrong ones) are also the primary cause for garage fires (and fires in dealerships etc, especially classic cars).
So consider yourself lucky ;)
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Oh - I do and agree with you. Could have taken out my 2 Jeeps and offsite workshop.

Despite that I often preach about things like workshop safety (jacking cars, etc. Xenon lights, airbags, etc. and of using correct chargers, Sh*t like this still happens.

While I believe it largely boiled dry first it did eventually pop and bits of the case were all over the interior.

I posted as it's a sobering sight..
 
nasty. lucky escape there!

the acid in batteries like this is only weak ~40% mix with water so hopefully wouldn't have done much damage.
 
domsz4 said:
nasty. lucky escape there!

the acid in batteries like this is only weak ~40% mix with water
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Yes, but as it is sulphuric acid it gets stronger and stronger as the water evaporates.
It does not convert to gas like hydrochloric acid does (max. concentration is 36% or so)
Sulphuric acid is a liquid in concentrated form.

Still even 40% is plenty strong to eat away in metal or fabric (and some plastics) left standing, so a good rinse/hose down of the car and floor is the best treatment.
 
I have always worried about leaving ours charging while we are not at the house.

I assume nobody has had any problems with the CTEK stuff?

H.
 
Would it have made any difference if the charger was direct to the battery or onto the terminal points under bonnet ? :?
 
To snswer the above:

A ctec charger or similar smart charger set to the correct battery type won't create any pronlems. What was connected (not ny me) was a boost charger that dropped to trickle. I assume it dried and/or overheated it causing massive failure.

No priblem connecting to battery direct when not connected ti the car
 
I've used the CTEK chargers for the past 8 years all year round and not suffered any problems. On the Z3 its connected via the the ciggy lighter socket and on the M135i on the underbonnet terminals. I've just replaced it with the latest charger as my original the mode button was playing up. I do ensure a circuit breaker is plugged in just in case of any power surges or should any problems arise. The charger itself has a safety mode should it sense any charging problems and should stop charging.

Tim.
 
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