Two weeks ago we discovered Jan's battery in her 240D diesel (big battery) car boiling when we stopped for groceries after driving for 8 hours. We smelled something strange (sulpher) when we pulled off the Interstate near home and when we got to the nearby Publix store we opened the hood. The battery was hot and steaming from its overflow vent. We let it cool off and bought some distilled water and a squirt bottle in the store. It took about a half a gallon. After watering the battery everything seems normal again. I really should check it with a hydrometer soon and replace the acid if it is low S.G.
Lesson Learned Even though your starting batteries are connected to a ordinary car alternator which charges gently they will "use" water. You should still check your starting batteries monthly with a hydrometer for state of charge, detecting any bad cells and a top-up with distilled water. Norm S/V Bandersnatch Lying Julington Creek FL 30 07.72N 081 38.4W _______________________________________________ Liveaboard mailing list [email protected] To adjust your membership settings over the web http://www.liveaboardnow.org/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard To subscribe send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] The archives are at http://www.liveaboardnow.org/pipermail/liveaboard/ To search the archives http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] The Mailman Users Guide can be found here http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html
