Ignition Circuit "POP"

[Golfman25]

98 370 sundancer with 7.4 mpi. Get to the boat today to change the oil, port engine starts up fine. Get the port done and go to start the Stbd side to warm up the oil. Get click, click, click. Thought it was weird as it was fine a few weeks ago and the charger has been on. But went ahead and used the emergency cross over to start it up. Figured 10 min run may charge the battery. Change the oil and go to start, and nothing -- no clicks. Hit the emergency cross over and a loud "POP." Don't even think I kept my finger on the switch long enough for the engine to turn over.

So I'm like WTF and start looking. It's not gas. Been in bilge all day and not a wif of gas smell. Do smell a "burning" smell -- dock neigbor thought was like a fire cracker smell. But it quickly went away. Checked every button, switch, etc. I could find and all appeared to be good. After about 20 min. went ahead and tried again. Nothing there with the stbd ignition switch, but with the cross over got the engine started and seemed to run fine for a few min while I checked for oil leaks. Turn off. Digging around again and in a few minuites I here a beep, beep, beep. What the hell -- turns out my GPS is on making the noise. Some how this event turned it on. Turn it off.

So I go to check the batteries. With charger on, all five are pushing about 13.9 volts. Charger off, the all fall to just over 13 volts. I was expecting to maybe see a dead one.

In the past I have gotten a pop from the radio sub woofer when I started the stbd engine. But radio wasn't on and not sure that makes any sense.

So what say you? And suggestions? I'd like to figure it out quick as she gets pulled on Friday. Thanks in advance.

 

[Tim Fila]

How old are the batteries?

 

[Golfman25]

How old are the batteries?

I just checked. New in 2020.

Looks like they might be cheap wal-mart batteries. Everstart MAXX-29DC. Looking at a picture I took today, and one is missing the little cover over the cells.

 

[Tim Fila]

You need to check the battery under load. Even though it shows over 13v, it could be bad.

 

[Golfman25]

You need to check the battery under load. Even though it shows over 13v, it could be bad.

Yeah. Just comparing pictures from when I looked at the boat in July to today, it looks like I blew the top off of one battery. No clue where the top went. Think I'll replace the two starbords this week before haul out and the other two over the winter.

 

[Hoplite808]

There is a possibility that you have a loose battery connection and the emergency crossover helped an arc jump the gap caused by loose connection/corrosion which is the pop you heard. Double check the battery cable connections at the batteries, switches, and starters.

 

[Tim Fila]

Yeah. Just comparing pictures from when I looked at the boat in July to today, it looks like I blew the top off of one battery. No clue where the top went. Think I'll replace the two starbords this week before haul out and the other two over the winter.

Check your battery charger. They can and do go bad. On our previous boat, they over cooked our thruster batteries. Had a strong sulfur smell.

 

[Nater Potater]

Yeah. Just comparing pictures from when I looked at the boat in July to today, it looks like I blew the top off of one battery. No clue where the top went. Think I'll replace the two starbords this week before haul out and the other two over the winter.

That's a very scary scenario. My folk's minivan blew the entire top off its battery when they went to start it. It had an intercell connection that had corroded thin, then blew like a fuse when they hit the starter. The spark it created ignited the perfect hydrogen/oxygen mix inside the battery, and blewie! I'd be for pulling all of those batteries out of the bilge and running a proper load test, or maybe going as far as getting rid of them altogether.

 

[Golfman25]

That's a very scary scenario. My folk's minivan blew the entire top off its battery when they went to start it. It had an intercell connection that had corroded thin, then blew like a fuse when they hit the starter. The spark it created ignited the perfect hydrogen/oxygen mix inside the battery, and blewie! I'd be for pulling all of those batteries out of the bilge and running a proper load test, or maybe going as far as getting rid of them altogether.

Getting rid of them. Not putting Walmart POS batteries in a boat.

 

[Golfman25]

Check your battery charger. They can and do go bad. On our previous boat, they over cooked our thruster batteries. Had a strong sulfur smell.

On the winter upgrade list.

 

[bahamabreisus]

We had a battery explode a few years back. Sounded like a bomb went off. People came out of houses around the marina to see what happened, scared the s### out of me.

 

[Golfman25]

Confirmed it was a battery explosion. Top is all cracked. Will post pics when I get home. Installed 2 new batteries this morning. Thanks all.

 

[Golfman25]

Pics as promised

 

[Nater Potater]

Crap! Get back in there with some baking soda in water to neutralize the acid splatters. I'm just happy for you that nothing else exploded from that.

 

[Golfman25]

Crap! Get back in there with some baking soda in water to neutralize the acid splatters. I'm just happy for you that nothing else exploded from that.

I think part of the problem is there was no acid in it. Two of the cells looked pretty empty. Not much of a mess, pretty much contained in the battery tray. Most of what you see there is spillage from pushing two batteries up a dock ramp and the cart being front loaded and tilting. Still can't find the top though.

 

[Mig22]

New to you in 2020 - that 4/18 sticker on the top of the battery in the photo indicates a manufacturer date of April 2018. Check the date on your replacement. IMO I typically try to stay with one’s that only have been on the shelf 6mos or less. Sometimes they sit there loose charge …then the recharge …results in sulfated a cell.

 

[Golfman25]

New to you in 2020 - that 4/18 sticker on the top of the battery in the photo indicates a manufacturer date of April 2018. Check the date on your replacement. IMO I typically try to stay with one’s that only have been on the shelf 6mos or less. Sometimes they sit there loose charge …then the recharge …results in sulfated a cell.

Not me but previous owner -- I have only had the boat about 2 months, so still figuring it all out. I saw that sticker today too. So basically a 2 year old battery when purchased. Cheap ass wal-mart crap. The other set as 2021 stickers. I put a set of Die Hards in today. Will do a second set, plus a new charger (turned the current charger off) this winter as the boat comes out friday.

 

[Bill Curtis]

Seen a few blow up from the cells being nearly dry. Charger probably boiled off the water over time and was never checked / refilled.

Batteries are 4 years old so, about due for replacement anyway.

Gotta check the battery water on regular occasions

 

[play dough]

Getting rid of them. Not putting Walmart POS batteries in a boat.

That brand is manufactured by Johnson Controls that provides product under several brand names. Not to say the specs on an Everstart aren't maybe inferior, but just because it came off a Walmart shelf, doesn't make it a "POS" product. I had a similar battery experience, and my issue wasn't too much different from yours and was clearly caused by my lack of maintenance.

 

[Golfman25]

That brand is manufactured by Johnson Controls that provides product under several brand names. Not to say the specs on an Everstart aren't maybe inferior, but just because it came off a Walmart shelf, doesn't make it a "POS" product. I had a similar battery experience, and my issue wasn't too much different from yours and was clearly caused by my lack of maintenance.

Sure, but I’ll guarantee you that the Walmart manufacturing specs are less robust than the other brands. Those batteries sell for less than $100 when every other similar battery is $150 or more. Got to get the savings from somewhere.