DEEP CYCLE BATTERY

[jgeatz]

Got a question for you guys, I have a two to three old deep cycle lead acid battery. Went to charge it up, that went fine, took a charge. Now that is has been sitting awhile I notice fluid leaking out of the top of the battery. I checked the fluid before I charged and it was fine. Don't know if I should use it in the boat because of the mess. Question is why would it start this now, used it last year, worked fine. Did not overcharge it or anything, to me this is really strange. Have probably use every type of deep cycle out there and have never seen this before. Might just have to scrap it out. Tell me what you guys think.

[buzzsaw]

Did you by chance top off the fluid in the batteries? if so, you may have over filled them or if you bought it used maybe somebody else topped the batteries off to much. If you didn't do this maybe an alien came down and sabotaged your battery.

I topped mine off a few years ago on my last boat and it spilled over and messed up the paint and had a distinctive sorta sweet electric smell.... I could have lived without that!

[Surface Tension]

Its not all that uncommon to have acid on top the battery after charging it. When charging your battery is going to be giving off gases. Over charging will start to boil the battery and make the matter worse. Also the type charger and the rate it charges is going to make a difference as to how much residue you see on top the battery.