Battery only showing 10 volts..

[Ash_GQ]

Real quick question, my battery is only showing 10 volts in my GQ, starts fine and runs the stereo for hours but hook up a multi and it only shows 10 volts with the engine off..

At idle it shows 14 volts no worrys but flick the spotties on and it drops to 10 volts and sometimes 9..

Im thinking its dropped a cell, anyone confirm?

[-Scott-]

That's what I'm thinking too. If it's a traditional wet cell battery with removable filler plugs, pull all the plugs & have a look while it's charging. If you find one cell bubbling "different", that's probably the culprit.

[Wozza244]

Take the cell lids off, the terminals off and hook a jumper lead from pos to neg (short it out) and look down the openings (not too closely) and if one is bubbling, its that cell that has dropped out. Do this quickly dont let it burn the terminals off. And yes id say definately dropped a cell.

[90HiLuXSuRf]

how long are the spotties staying on for when you do this?

[murcod]

Take the cell lids off, the terminals off and hook a jumper lead from pos to neg (short it out) and look down the openings (not too closely) and if one is bubbling, its that cell that has dropped out. Do this quickly dont let it burn the terminals off. And yes id say definately dropped a cell.

That might be a bit dangerous.....

[Wozza244]

Take the cell lids off, the terminals off and hook a jumper lead from pos to neg (short it out) and look down the openings (not too closely) and if one is bubbling, its that cell that has dropped out. Do this quickly dont let it burn the terminals off. And yes id say definately dropped a cell.

That might be a bit dangerous.....

Not if you know what you're doing it isnt. Ignition needs spark/air/fuel, give the situation too much air and it cannot ignite from the initial spark when the lead is connected, simple.....
Doing this in a controlled situation as i have described would be less dangerous than actually replacing terminal leads on your battery when there could be residual hydrogen gas sitting on top of the battery, being a dense gas it will sit down rather than float upward.

[-Scott-]

there could be residual hydrogen gas sitting on top of the battery, being a dense gas it will sit down rather than float upward.

Ever heard of the Hindenberg?

[Wozza244]

yeah it had a layer of flammable outer skin which was ignited by a spark of static as it docked due to the fact it wasnt grounded while in the air, and? It was the perfect storm with no control measures in place. Cheers.

[chimpboy]

residual hydrogen gas sitting on top of the battery, being a dense gas it will sit down rather than float upward.

Hydrogen gas is less dense and floats up fast. It has only 1/15 the density of air. There is no way known it sits around unless it has been contained. In fact I am not sure there is such a thing as a less dense gas than hydrogen gas.

[Wozza244]

I stand corrected on the density, what can i say, i have been poorly informed by a school science experiment....