Battery Sizzling

[Notacop]

Just be really careful, especially since that battery has already shown a defect of sorts (no matter what the causation, the battery has been pushed through its paces it is boiling). A battery can very easily explode, which means chunks of plastic shrapnel everywhere, and more importantly that means battery acid everywhere. I'd at least wear safety glasses and nitrile gloves. Coming from someone who worked 15+ years in the automotive repair field, I've seen this happen several times (witnessed it once).

Wearing the safety hat for once, not too often I do.

I am paranoid when it comes to batteries. I've shorted them once or twice, so I am always extra cautious.

 

[Sparksalot]

Is this easy to do? I am not electronically savvy. Is it as simple as not re-installing the second battery, or more involved than that? @Sparksalot is correct, this will be a daily/baby hauler for the wife.

In the pic you posted originally, there are two connections at the 175 amp fuse. One goes to the alternator, the other goes to the second battery. BEFORE you touch those, be sure both batteries are disconnected. Leave the alternator connection in place, but you can lift the other one, and leave it disconnected. Once that's done you can remove the second battery and not worry about the dangling terminals.

The battery at the passenger side, with that terminal block, is the primary.

 

[Notacop]

In the pic you posted originally, there are two connections at the 175 amp fuse. One goes to the alternator, the other goes to the second battery. BEFORE you touch those, be sure both batteries are disconnected. Leave the alternator connection in place, but you can lift the other one, and leave it disconnected. Once that's done you can remove the second battery and not worry about the dangling terminals.

The battery at the passenger side, with that terminal block, is the primary.

Thank you, I'll try that and see how it goes. I might as well pick up a simpler terminal set-up as well, since the wires connected to the 125 & 60 fuses are useless to me as well.

 

[Sparksalot]

Just wait until you rig up 4 radios, and a refrigerator.

for camping. Lol

 

[Notacop]

Ill have to hold on to the extra terminal then just in case!

Thanks for all of the info, I'll try it tonight and see how it goes.

 

[Notacop]

UPDATE: Swapped out the primary battery and removed the second battery. Disconnected the additional wires & fuses (60 & 125), these are currently taped off, but will be removed another day.

The truck started right up. Drove for about 30 mins, the smell and sizzle sound are gone. Fingers crossed that is the end of the issue and its not related to any short, or an alternator problem.

Follow up question: I still have the clunky splitter on the positive post, with 2 of the 3 fuses/connections removed (see pic in original post). Is there something more streamline that I can replace this with? The battery terminal is in a bit of an odd location, so I would like to keep the wires routed the same way (over the top of the battery with a drop to the terminal). Is the 175 fuse still necessary or can this cable route directly to the terminal connector.

Thanks again for all of the help!!

 

[bobo49505]

@Notacop let me amend that. The 175amp fuse is the connection point of the auxiliary battery. The 125 and 60 are the auxiliary power systems in the cabin.

no the 175 goes to the fuse box the positive of the 2nd batt meets the 1st batt at the starter terminal