Battery problem - the white stuff

[Québec]

I'm assuming finding white crud around one of the cells is not a good sign.

 

Have disconnected the battery (one of three leisure batteries) but is it a sign that I may need to change all three? How do I check?

 

[alan_fincher]

I'm not sure I would want what looks like a mooring stake "stored" (?) anywhere near unprotected battery terminals!

[Québec]

I'm not sure I would want what looks like a mooring stake "stored" (?) anywhere near unprotected battery terminals!

 

It has now been removed.

[kevinl]

It looks like you've overfilled that cell and then boiled it. The crud is just dried electrolyte, it should not have damaged the battery but the acid in that cell may be too weak. Take it out, clean off and check the acid. It shouldn't affect the rest of the batteries, hopefully it's just a simple overfill issue and not an overcharging problem, unlikely if it only affected one cell on one battery.

[Arthur Brown]

Clean it look for any obvious physical damage and use it. maybe put some petroleum jelly on the terminals, (Vaselene or No-crode)

 

If the situation returns then probably the terminals are displaced in their seals where they pass through the battery top, and this means that they will be messy til they die unless you can get some Pet Jelly into the gap.

 

Sodium bicarb from the galley (or shop!) will neutralise any exterior acid, wear gloves if you have sensitive skin, keep the white crud OFF clothes -it makes holes!

[ditchcrawler]

Is that around one of those silly magic eye charge indicators, if so it may be the seal around the window that has failed.

[Québec]

.... It shouldn't affect the rest of the batteries, hopefully it's just a simple overfill issue and not an overcharging problem, unlikely if it only affected one cell on one battery.

 

Definitely not overfilling. Which points to overcharging? That may explain why meter on 240v supply eating money when only battery charger left on.

[pistnbroke]

The vent on that cell is probably blocked so the vapour etc has forced out via the built in hydrometer /eye