dry cell battery - cooked!

Damo105 · #1 (**permalink**) 06-29-2008, 08:00 PM

Hi All,

Just had the engine in my 105 rebuilt. I picked the car up on Friday night, and on Saturday I took it out for a short drive, and after about 15kms (20 minutes running), the battery cooked. I lifted the hood to find the battery emitting gas, and the plastic top of the battery breached and cracked.

It's a sealed dry cell battery, similar to an Odyssey, but made in China (the brand is Pulse). It's the small unit designed for 4cyl cars.

So I went straight to my mechanic (was only around the corner luckily), suspecting that he had re-installed the battery incorrectly after the engine build. But the alternator and voltage regulator were wired up correct, and the negative strap was firmly attached to the body. So we checked the charge with a volt meter and it was charging at 13.5 volts.

All my mechanic could come up with was the battery must have an internal short or problem.

It's about a year old and has never given me trouble, though it's never held it's charge well when the car sits idle.

I rang the place I bought it and they said they've never heard of this happening.

So has anyone else had a similar experience with a dry cell battery?

**Roadtrip** · #2 (**permalink**) 06-30-2008, 04:51 AM

Never seen that, but I can tell you that I think that Chicom-made parts are often times junk. Cheap, but junk.

**lowmileage** · #3 (**permalink**) 06-30-2008, 06:52 AM

IMO, Made in China = Junk. And I'm not totally convinced on those Dry Cell batteries either.

69alfa · #4 (**permalink**) 07-10-2008, 04:31 PM

Are there any Gel cell batteries not made in China ? I put them in all the time at work for fire panels and never seen one not from China in ten years or more. The worst thing for Gel Cells is heat. Is your under the hood or in the trunk?

**GTV4EVR** · #5 (**permalink**) 07-10-2008, 05:27 PM

I like the new photo Dave!

**Tifosi** · #6 (**permalink**) 07-10-2008, 05:39 PM

Mayhaps while the engine was out and the battery was sitting over there -----> somewhere, it got dropped, kicked, knocked over, or generally just whacked hard by something which could have caused internal damage that is/was invisible from the outside.

JoeCab · #7 (**permalink**) 07-10-2008, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 69alfa

Are there any Gel cell batteries not made in China ?

Damo105 · #8 (**permalink**) 07-12-2008, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tifosi

Mayhaps while the engine was out and the battery was sitting over there -----> somewhere, it got dropped, kicked, knocked over, or generally just whacked hard by something which could have caused internal damage that is/was invisible from the outside.

**Tifosi** · #9 (**permalink**) 07-12-2008, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damo105

The word from the distributor is that the battery was charging correctly and therefore there is no internal short etc. They claim it was overcharged, so not covered by warranty, Typical!