[xj] Battery snorts white powder

Looking for some feedback from the technical buffs. My battery is
surrounded by a black steel box with a fan. I have recently noticed that
the battery is producing white powder on the top edge of the box where it is
in contact with the battery. It would rot your nose if you inhaled it!
Its water soluble and when cleaned off the metal is bare and bright.

What is causing this problem and how can I stop it before it becomes a major
problem (rust)? Should I add a rubber strip between the box and the battery
to insulate them from each other? I am planning on repainting the box and
wondered if I should get it powder coated to better protect it from the
battery. Any other ideas.

Thanks in advance.

Don Lewis
Jaguar XJC 5.3 1977
Melbourne, Australia
http://donscoupe.xjc.com.au===================================================
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Hi Don,
I had the same problem, except that my metal did not become bare and bright:
how did you do that? poured some bicarbonate of soda on it and scraped ?

I suggest it’s either a problem of the battery fan, or a problem in the
alternator regulator: it’s boiling up because the voltage delivered is too
high. Do you have a voltmeter on the dash? Check whether the battery is in
the red zone (too high). If it is, then you must reduce the voltage output
from the regulator (you can on the Lucas 20CR one which has the 4TR external
regulator): there’s a chpater on this in Haynes.
Put a voltmeter in parallel to the battery terminals. Rev up the engine: the
voltage should be approx. 13-14. Mine had been 16 (and boiling up) before I
renewed the alternator. However, I don;t know what you could do to reduce
the voltage on an internal regulator.

It’s not difficult at all

Good hunting

Guillaume-----Original Message-----
From: owner-xj@jag-lovers.org [mailto:owner-xj@jag-lovers.org]On Behalf
Of Don Lewis
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2001 3:28 AM
To: XJ Lovers Mailing List
Subject: [xj] Battery snorts white powder

Looking for some feedback from the technical buffs. My battery is
surrounded by a black steel box with a fan. I have recently noticed that
the battery is producing white powder on the top edge of the box where it is
in contact with the battery. It would rot your nose if you inhaled it!
Its water soluble and when cleaned off the metal is bare and bright.

What is causing this problem and how can I stop it before it becomes a major
problem (rust)? Should I add a rubber strip between the box and the battery
to insulate them from each other? I am planning on repainting the box and
wondered if I should get it powder coated to better protect it from the
battery. Any other ideas.

Thanks in advance.

Don Lewis
Jaguar XJC 5.3 1977
Melbourne, Australia
http://donscoupe.xjc.com.au

===================================================
The archives and FAQ will answer many queries on the XJ series…
FAQs: http://www.jag-lovers.org/xjlovers/xjfaq/index.html
Archives: http://www.jag-lovers.org/lists/search.html

To remove yourself from this list, go to
http://www.jag-lovers.org/cgi-bin/majordomo.

===================================================
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Don:

This type corrosion is one of the main reasons the factory switched to
sealed Delco lead acid batteries as OEM.

There are just too many delicate objects in that area, not the least of which
is the horn fuse :slight_smile:

-BQ===================================================
The archives and FAQ will answer many queries on the XJ series…
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Don, dump the whole box and little fan and use a plain sealed battery – no
more problems. The whole assembly and concept fits perfectly the meaning of
“kludge”. {:o]–
Alex
79xj6L SII (BRG + wires)
86xj6 SIII (Black)
61 Sprite MkII (Red)
Menlo Park, Calif.

Don Lewis wrote:

Looking for some feedback from the technical buffs. My battery is
surrounded by a black steel box with a fan. I have recently noticed that
the battery is producing white powder on the top edge of the box where it is
in contact with the battery. It would rot your nose if you inhaled it!
Its water soluble and when cleaned off the metal is bare and bright.

What is causing this problem and how can I stop it before it becomes a major
problem (rust)? Should I add a rubber strip between the box and the battery
to insulate them from each other? I am planning on repainting the box and
wondered if I should get it powder coated to better protect it from the
battery. Any other ideas.

Thanks in advance.

Don Lewis
Jaguar XJC 5.3 1977
Melbourne, Australia
http://donscoupe.xjc.com.au

===================================================
The archives and FAQ will answer many queries on the XJ series…
FAQs: http://www.jag-lovers.org/xjlovers/xjfaq/index.html
Archives: Jag-lovers Forums - Jag-lovers

To remove yourself from this list, go to Jag-lovers Forums - Jag-lovers.