Battery question?

Question

My jeep (01 Cherokee) die today and call AAA for a jump. I notice there are white stuff all over the negative side of the battery. The dealer (service guy) tell me to spray some baking soda water on it which I did. It melt or dissolve those white ashes away but then I notice there is some bubble coming out of the battery and turn the baking soda water to green color. No matter how much baking soda water I spray on the battery, the green liquid remain. I decide to charge the battery (which may be a big mistake) after it dried up a bit and now I can hear a sizzling noise (or boiling water sound) from the battery. Can someone tell me what's going on? Should I not recharge the battery? Do I need a new battery? Thanks in advance.

L.W.(ßill) · Accepted Answer

Hi Lynn,     The white lead sulfite, and green copper sulfite are caused by acidevaporating out of an over charged battery. Probably because the batteryis bad and no longer capable of holding a complete charge. Cleaning withbaking soda neutralizes that acid, from doing further damage, now havesomeone clean the terminals, so that connection won't fail again.         God Bless America, ßill O|||||||Omailto:      wrote:

Lynn · Answer

Hello, L.W.  Thanks for the advice.  Does that mean beside cleaning theterminal, I should replace the battery too?  Also, the sizzling noise I heardfrom the battery when charging with a charger, does it mean it is not takingcharges?  Thanks again."L.W.(ßill) Hughes III" wrote:

Nick N · Answer

Besides what Bill said, your battery seams to be leaking.  You should go buya new one.  So you don't have to stress about this again, I would do morethan just go to the local sears store for a replacment.  Look around forwhat's called an 'Optima' battery.  There is red and yellow I believe, getthe red one.  They don't leak and are tough as nails.  Mine has lasted mefour years and is still going strong.Please be very carefull with your battery!  Don't try to charge it again!Injured batteries can leak explosive gasses, and if you create a spark nearone of the terminals, well....Nick

Drink · Answer

Hi Lynn,  Sounds like you're fortunate enough to not do all your own mechanic work:)Either way, if you have a shop change out your battery, I'd recommend youask them to swap your battery cables as well if they look corroded at all.They're pretty cheap and can corrode up into the cable itself just like theterminals and there's no way to clean the cables if they're corroded underthe insulation.  Had that happen to me once where I was charging the heckout of a dead battery (I thought) but it wouldn't crank because the cableswere corroded so badly that it wouldn't pass enough current through it.  I know someone else had recommended a sealed Optima battery.  But, in alldue respect, I wouldn't bother.  A good battery is just fine and yourapplication doesn't call for the added expense of the Optima unless you takethe Cherokee off-road a lot.  Heck, if a decent, normal battery fails out inthe swamps, you still AAA coverage, right?:)P.S. I've often thought about tow coverage for when I got...

L.W.(ßill) · Answer

Yup.         God Bless America, ßill O|||||||Omailto:      wrote:

Lynn · Answer

Hey guys, thanks for all the suggestion and advice.  I will take the Jeep intomorrow to replace the battery and have the cables check out.  Just for myinformation, if the acid is leaking from the battery, it is no good anymore,correct?  I call Jeep service department to ask to bring the Jeep in for thatproblem, he told me no need but to spray baking soda water on the battery.  Iguess that is really not a fix then??Thanks again.Dr

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