Battery whistles!
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Printed Date: 07 Jun 2025 at 7:30pm
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Topic: Battery whistles!
Posted By: kansasfrogs
Subject: Battery whistles!
Date Posted: 26 Jan 2022 at 12:57pm
I know it sounds stupid, but my RV battery whistles when it's connected to the + and - cables...Is this normal? Thanks in advance. ------------- FROGGY |
Replies:
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 26 Jan 2022 at 1:29pm
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Definitely not normal. Sounds like it may be overcharging? Take a voltmeter and read voltage of the battery. Fully charged at rest (not plugged in to shore power) will read 12.72v or higher. Is it steaming? Have you checked to see if all cells are full (electrolyte) and if not filled with distilled water? Make sure you are not plugged into shore power when doing the above. Also is this a symptom when both plugged in and not plugged in to 120v? Need more info to give you a better answer. ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 26 Jan 2022 at 7:20pm
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+1 to Jato, it sounds like it might be overcharging. Does the whisting only occur when you have shore power connected? Get a voltmeter and check the battery voltage at it's terminals while you are plugged into shore power. Even on it's highest charge setting you shouldn't be over 15V or so. If you are then disconnect and get a new charger.
Also, what make and model battery do you have? Does it have removable caps on top? ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: kansasfrogs
Date Posted: 27 Jan 2022 at 10:30am
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I had it on the trickle charger over night and it has stopped making the bubbling/whistling sound. The six cells had been recently filled with distilled water, after having heard the sounds before. It doesn't seem to be bubbling out anywhere, but since it has stopped, I will leave it unhooked until I leave for a month long trip tomorrow morning. I do not have a battery voltmeter yet and can't get one until I am on the road again. Thanks for all your suggestions and help. I appreciate it! Liz ------------- FROGGY |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 27 Jan 2022 at 6:23pm
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Maybe there was too much water added to the cells and when the trickle charger was charging, the excess water/steam had to be expelled through the vent holes thus possibly making the whistling sound. Only a thought. Yes, get yourself a voltmeter, they are quite inexpensive. I got mine at Harbor Freight for $4 with a coupon. ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 28 Jan 2022 at 6:50am
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The WFCO charger has several charge modes. When in bulk mode it pushes the voltage up to about 14.4V for a few hours. A fully charged battery charging in that voltage range will produce amounts of hydrogen and oxygen gasses. Those gases exiting the battery caps are what you are hearing.
That gassing (known as equalization) has a beneficial effect in mixing the electrolyte which otherwise tends to stratify (heavier sulfuric acid at the bottom, water in top) in flooded type batteries. Too much voltage for too long is bad as it can rapidly use up the water leaving the top of the battery plates exposed. That is what happened to my WFCO. It's bulk mode is supposed to last no more than 4 hours at 14.4V after turn on. Then it drop to 13.6 for 44 hours (absorption mode), then to 13.2V (float mode) and stays there. Mine went up to around 16V. So it's a good idea to check with a meter to see if you are really getting the voltage and charge stage times WFCO is claiming. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 28 Jan 2022 at 7:05am
So did you simply check the voltage at your battery every 30 minutes or so to find those results or use another method? Thanks ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 28 Jan 2022 at 7:20am
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I only caught it because I checked my water level a week after I filled it. My plates were already almost exposed. I was using way too much water. So then I checked voltage and was somewhere north of 16v, don't recall exactly. Shut off the charge and only used it for an hour or two at a time after that.
Edit: BTW the batteries were audibly bubbling away agressivly when I went to check the electrolyte level. Not a whistling sound but mthe golf cart batteries have pretty open caps. If you had caps with smaller vents and or a valve regulated AGM type battery they would produce a whistle indicating a higher airflow rate through a smallet aperture. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |