Welcome to Just Commodores, a site specifically designed for all people who share the same passion as yourself.

New Posts Contact us

Just Commodores Forum Community

It takes just a moment to join our fantastic community

Register

Need advise about a battery

craigvk

Banned
Joined
Jun 4, 2005
Messages
1,981
Reaction score
23
Points
38
Members Ride
VK 5L Calais
I am wondering if anyone here has serious experience about the workings of car batteries. I am quite knowledgable about auto electrics and mechanics, but I have a question.

My bros. car alternator in his VK for some time has been over charging the battery. The regulator 20 seconds out of each minute has been peaking to 16.9 volt and then going back to around 14 volt as normal. This has been happening for a while and I only traced the problem when he couldn't start the car and I jumped it and found this problem when testing with my meter. I did replace the alternator today and it seems to be charging as normal now.

Now the big question. Does overcharging make the electrolite evaporate in any way? Do I need to top up the cells? I am hoping that there isn't any battery damage. The battery is 5 months old and I think this overcharging possibly killed the previous battery.
Any advise appreciated.
 

sircruisealotVS

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
2,934
Reaction score
50
Points
48
Age
39
Location
South Brisbane
Members Ride
VZ LS1 Calais
well, overcharging a battery is detrimental to its life length...it looses capacity and can create a build up of hydrogen gas (which is very bad!lol) and oxygen as the water in the electrolite is broken down from excessive heat.
you can also buckle the plates within the cell which will cause them to shed their active material (reducing battery life as i mentioned before).
being an unsealed battery you should be able to replace the water thats been lost and have a good chance of the battery lasting a while yet, although the damamge thats been done (if any) to the plates is irreversable.
 

craigvk

Banned
Joined
Jun 4, 2005
Messages
1,981
Reaction score
23
Points
38
Members Ride
VK 5L Calais
Thanks. I will see how it goes and hope that it's alright. It was only overcharged shortly every minute, so it can't be as bad as being charged at that constantly.
 

Garth

Your guess is as good as mine......
Joined
Oct 5, 2002
Messages
2,662
Reaction score
68
Points
48
Age
46
Location
Brisbane
Website
www.justcommodores.com.au
Members Ride
100 series Toyota Landcruiser V8 monster
over charging a battery, the age old issue, nah, no dammage would have been done champ,

is it a dry cell or can you top it up? if you are concerned then pop of the coveres and check the status of the battery electrolyte.

just remember, considering a normal car system is between 14.6v and 14.9v, peaking at 16.9 wont do any dammage of the serious nature. usualy battery's have a tollerance, of 10% you can go above the nominal charging voltage by 10% (depending on battery) so a charginv voltage of 16.2 (using the 14v mark) wont do any dammage, and what is .7 of a volt, nothing. so i wouldnt worry.

cheers
garth
 

craigvk

Banned
Joined
Jun 4, 2005
Messages
1,981
Reaction score
23
Points
38
Members Ride
VK 5L Calais
Cool. Thanks man, I hope everything is cool.

I did notice a while back that the motor like out of the blue 'panted' every minute or so like I said above about the voltage change but I couldn't figure it out until I tested it with my meter. I am just wondering whether solid state devices are all that reliable as I thought. :D Meaning transistor regulators. Nah, I think they are pretty damn good although this crap has happened. :)
 

craigvk

Banned
Joined
Jun 4, 2005
Messages
1,981
Reaction score
23
Points
38
Members Ride
VK 5L Calais
Turns out when he called the RACV whilst at the gym, the guy said there was no fluid in the battery. As I thought had happened. :(
 
Last edited:

jdd

Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2004
Messages
115
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Age
60
I tend to agree that no damage would occur as long as it wasn’t to the point of raising the battery temperature substantially.
All good quality regulators for solar panels deliberately over-charge wet cell lead acids every few days for a few hours at a time to stop them sulphating. I’m quite sure they wouldn’t do this if it were detrimental to the battery.
 

craigvk

Banned
Joined
Jun 4, 2005
Messages
1,981
Reaction score
23
Points
38
Members Ride
VK 5L Calais
The fluid was topped up. I have it on charge now. I will charge it for a while and hope it's alright.
 

vee ka

New Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Messages
257
Reaction score
1
Points
0
Location
Perth WA
Members Ride
'85 HDT VK SS, '03 Liberty GT, '06 Forester XT
i had the exact same problem with my vk ss, the regulator in the alternator was stuffed and was overcharging exactly how you said your bros was, same peaking at 16 odd volts then goes back to 14 odd. cuts in and out. my battery was about 1 year old and the overcharging cooked it, batteyr ended up absolutly stuffed. wouldnt hold charge, still read 12.8 volts on th multi meter but wouldnt start the car. replaced the regulator and the battery and its all sweet now. so i reckon, by personal experience, yes it can cause damage because it did to me. :thumbsup:
 

Demons1964

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2004
Messages
453
Reaction score
15
Points
18
Age
48
Location
SE Melbourne
Members Ride
VY Calais, WHII Statesman V8, VC L 202
So Craig was it just a faulty regulator or did you end up replacing the whole alternator?
 
Top