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Old 04-08-2012, 02:02 AM   #1
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1970 27' Overlander
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sulfur stink

Started 'full timing' about a week ago, so been shaking small problems out of our 70 A/S....... Came home tonight with a strong sulfur, rotten egg smell. Jumped online, saw fifty blogs about hot water heater and water fungus problems, Well water smells fine. This was 'very strong smell'. Hint, back window of rear bath was open. Checked fifty things, finally checked converter, seemed ok, no over heating or smells. Finally checked the battery; it was hot. Totally out of distilled water, it had cooked out all of the 'sulfuric' acid, thus the sulfur smell. The rear window is right above the battery rear hatch, and it just filled the whole trailer with bad smells.......filled it full of distilled water, smell stopped immediately. Now to figure out why?

Have not towed it in a week or more, been on shore power, plugged in to power supply, why? Any suggestions? bad inverter??
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Old 04-08-2012, 03:18 AM   #2
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over charged battery

With a modern converter, the batteries should not have been overcharged. The old style converters were noted for doing that. Check the charge voltage output from the converter. Replace the converter if it is too high and overcharging the batteries.
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Old 04-08-2012, 04:19 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dwightdi View Post
With a modern converter, the batteries should not have been overcharged. The old style converters were noted for doing that. Check the charge voltage output from the converter. Replace the converter if it is too high and overcharging the batteries.
If your univolt is original, the 69 through 74 (or thereabouts) were notorious for failing. When this happens the voltage goes high and boils the battery.

If a voltmeter check shows voltage much above 13.8 you have a charger failure. If the voltage is ok you most likely have a shorted battery cell.
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Old 04-08-2012, 05:09 AM   #4
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Yep...time to convert the converter. or hire a battery sitter.

Not worth taking the chance of the same happening with a new battery.

Bob
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Old 04-08-2012, 05:10 AM   #5
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Are you sure its the battery? Make sure its not a gas/ propane leak. Propane has an additive that smells like sulfur/ rotten eggs to alert people to a leak. As soon as you said sulfur, I thought gas leak.
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Old 04-08-2012, 06:55 AM   #6
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also if the propane is about to run out it will put some of that smell out there too...sometimes faint but you can smell it.
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Old 04-08-2012, 07:17 AM   #7
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The smell in propane is more like a skunk smell. Sounds like the converter is your problem. Time to upgrade.
If you are parked more or less permanently you can disconnect the battery and just use the converter if it is one of the modern types. A battery switch would make this an easy step. Just remember to reconnect the battery before hitting the road.
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Old 04-08-2012, 02:41 PM   #8
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I had an SOB ('76 Shasta) that used to boil out the battery when it was on shore power. Somehow I always forgot to check the battery level until it was too late.

That said, though, you will find that tyour battery will likely need replacing as well as replacing your converter/charger.
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Old 04-11-2012, 04:28 PM   #9
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hate to tell you this

better check for dead mice
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Old 04-13-2012, 05:35 PM   #10
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Quote:
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better check for dead mice
Had that too - after leaving mouse bait I found the squishy dead mouse in a box of dog biscuits as I reached in to get one for my dog. uuuuggghh
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