Problem with deuce batteries

[reblawyer]

When I went to start up this morning I heard a sizzle from the battery box, upon investigation I found that the negative terminal on my ground side battery had melted. I thought the problem was a loose connection between the batteries so I pulled the connector and bypassed with jumpers, same result. Any thoughts?

 

[sermis]

Get a load tester and pull a load on each battery. If not a loose conection might be a dead cell direct short inside one of the batteries.

 

[ARMYMAN30YearsPlus]

After going through four of the miltary version square batteries I said heck with it and installed two 1050 CA 950 CCA commercial batteries that have a three year replacement and 10 year warranty. I had to mod the box a little but it cranks in a second and support my inverter

 

[reblawyer]

When I turn on the master switch everything, including the fuel pump, fires up as usual. No problems are appearant until I pull the load for starting.

 

[sermis]

.Short in one of the cables or cable ends or dead short in one battery. I am guessing one of the batteries is toast

 

[westfolk]

I'd check connections.

 

[OPCOM]

I also put civvy batteries in. To make up the space, I laid some PVC pipe in the bottom of the box to make up the right and left space and keep terminals from touching the metal box. been just fine! Have not had an issue front to back movement but probably should deal with it, and I apologize for the filthiness of my battery box. Don't use wood though, it will hold moisture. I

 

[nickd]

The PVC pipe is a good idea! To take the idea a step further, why not use larger diameter PVC pipe laid out length wise between the batteries and other pieces placed around the inside perimeter would prevent the batteries from shifting front to back or laft to right. I will remember to make this modification when my 6TL's need to be replcaed. It looks like a piece of 2" pvc would fit between the batteries and smaller sizes would fit around the edges to fill in the voids between the battery box and the batteries. I have one of the newer style plastic battery boxes.

 

[reblawyer]

Thanks for all the input guys, you have probably saved me a lot of heartache on running down my problem.