kpc2593

Just recently installed a back up camera to my car and it worked great but then the next morning my car was dead. I jumped the car and all was good. Then the next morning it was dead again so I jumped again. After 4 jumps in that week I finally had time and decided to investigate. After checking everything, I found that my back up camera was connected to a power source that remained on when the key wasn't in the ignition.

Changed the power source and my car doesn't die anymore but then as I drove home I got hit with this horrible stench. Smelled like straight ASS. I knew it wasn't my cat converter because the smell was coming from the drivers side part of the hood. I lifted my hood up and then noticed my battery was smoking.

I consider myself lucky for all that acid to not explode on me ...but I'm guessing my battery is done for due to the amount of times I had jump started it?

I hate cars

Don't screw with it anymore. If its out of the car already, put it somewhere it can't hurt anyone or start a fire. If its in the car don't touch it till its done doing whatever it's going to do. Hopefully it's at least disconnected.

Youre going to want to clean up its mess and repaint whatever its screwed up from the acid that's inevitably leaked. It you're lucky it just burped some H2S which is extremely deadly.

I would pay special attention to how this occurred. Was it being jumped, charged, just sitting, or during a drive. If it was while driving it you want to check the charging system to make sure the voltage regulator or something else isn't screwed up.

ZOMGVTEK

Is the battery really hot? Is it just 1/6 of the battery thats hot, or the whole thing?

I would assume a cell shorted internally. Get a new battery.

alexb92

Buy a new battery immediately (don't use the car until you do so) and discard the old one safely (Autozone will take it).

roof2006

No - that shouldn't kill your battery.

I'm thinking an electrical short near the battery caused some of your wires to melt. Best to get it towed to a garage and have someone else diagnose it / risk having it blow up on them.

I hate cars

The battery is done. The only question is did the car cause it or is it in the battery itself. I would test for an internal short so at least I would know the new battery isn't going to suffer the same fate. Or have a voltmeter handy as soon as you start it with the new battery. It's unlikely it's the car, you probably would have seen other problems if it was overcharging that bad.

ez12a

should double check the cam install job before throwing a new battery in.

edit: derp, you did. good job. i fail at reading.

pohljm

Sounds like it did not like being deep cycled and recharged so many times. New battery and test charging system.

dcmodels

If the battery caps can be removed on the old battery, check that there is water above the top of the cell plates in each plate. Only check after removing the battery from the vehicle. Generally, a battery cell will short only if the water level falls below the top of the cell plates.

WEAR GOGGLES and old clothes: I currently have a pair of jeans with many small holes from battery acid - I just replaced two batteries to two vehicles, and charged and tested them before installation. And I did not realize the problem until I washed the jeans, and the holes appeared.

And after I replace a battery into the car, I drive the car outside to the driveway, open the hood, and dump (carefully and slowly) a bucket of water onto the area surrounding the battery, as well as the top of the battery - ENGINE OFF - just in case I got any acid inside the engine compartment.

One thought: it is possible to damage the alternator, if the battery has been completely drained, and then the vehicle is driven without first re-charging the battery. The alternator is not meant to charge a completely dis-charged battery. The alternator will run hot, ruining the diodes inside it (the voltage regulator).

For more on battery maintenance,
https://acurazine.com/forums/1g-rdx-diy-faq-161/how-care-your-battery-775689/

kpc2593

Really appreciate the input you guys, took it to pep boys (where I had originally bought the battery) and they checked the entire charging system and found out that the battery had a dead cell. My battery turned out to have a 3-year free replacement so I got it replaced for free and everything is working great now.

I also noticed a difference in the way the car drives; it's much smoother. Have no idea if the battery had anything to with it but there is def a difference.

dcmodels

Interesting, I purchased a PepBoys Bosch battery last month, and it also had a bad cell. Which is why I check the battery *before* installation if possible, and which I did in this case. PepBoys also gave me a new battery, but I avoided any problem with the bad battery, by checking it before installation.

I am not impressed by these batteries, if this type of problem is common - never had a problem with a Sears battery.

kpc2593

Last month and already a bad cell?! My bad battery would have had it's third birthday this october. Thank god I was within the 3 year replacement.

I've only dealt with Bosch and energizer batteries.