Sulphur smell from battery box

Been there done that on my 69 chev years ago I was young and didn’t know better about unplugging charger before disconnecting from battery. Luckily it was winter and I was wearing toque and a skidoo suit I quickly gave myself a face wash in the snow . Somehow I saw the flames and battery top lift but eyes closed in time. I learned to respect batteries early in life lol

 

Having worked with DC extensively i concur with what others have said. Once sealed batteries start off gassing, replace or expect headaches.

Testing your alternator with a non-pos multimeter isnt a bad idea but just know that most vehicle alternators i have dealt with have an operating/load range so even that isn't so cut and dry as say ~12/14 vdc. If you cant afford any fluke multimeter most anything off of circuit specialists is safer than going to the hardware store or Menards.

Semi tractor trailers seem to have so many parasitic loads on them that i'm surprised they last as long as they do.

 

Replace them all, don't mess around with it. Bad Batteries can take an alt with them if ignored, make sure all connections are clean and solid,

 

I had one blow up on me when I was green back in 1979. Luckily it was a 6 volt. And I was fortunate to have a water hose next to me. My trucking experience’s have come 101 style. Learn from all my mistakes.

 

You down south, perhaps?

 

Ayup, my dad showed me that one when i was 8. He was testing batterys for his rig and had us all stand behind a little plexiglass thing he had set up just for this while he did it. One of them more or less exploded and covered the entire thing in acid and burning sadness. My dad casually steped out from behind the wall with an extingusiher and put out the burning battery turned to us and told us to remimber that.

Never have forgotten that little show to this day. I also learned that day why my one uncle had chemical burn scars all over his face.

 

Sounds like you have a bad battery. Load test each battery, and check to see which one is warm.

 

And THERES the story of why your father was so cautious

 

Pretty much lol. That said i never did forget that lesson because the only things ive heard go boom as loudly are a .50BMG or a widow maker going pop.