Sealed Batt = Bad?

[Nathan @ XSpower]

Sorry for the long Tom Clancy reply here, but there is a lot of info to cover here really.

Not going to lie to you any of our batteries can swell up under the hood, just like a lot of others can. We have designed our batteries to be used in under the hood applications, so they will hold up a lot better than some of our competitor's batteries. As a general rule (not always the mandatory rule), swollen batteries are not covered under warranty. This is because our batteries can not, and will not swell up on their own. There has to be outside factors that make them swell. Most common factors are heat and over charging.

Now with that said there are a few batteries out there that companies say they can be used under the hood, but in reality if they are used under the hood they will swell just because they truly were not manufactured to be used under the hood. For example I nor anyone else at XS Power will ever tell anyone that the new XP series can be used in under the hood applications. Why? Because they were not designed for under the hood use. We already have batteries designed for that and the D and S series have worked great for under the hood applications. Scottie has had a 925 under the hood of his car for about 6 years now. I have had a 6500 under the hood since we first designed them, and I have beat the hell out of it and haven't had a problem. So, you really just need to know what you are buying when you buy it and keep the heat and charge voltage in mind when you are using them.

Worst thing about the heat is that if you charge at higher voltages (alternator charge voltage of 14.4V and higher constantly), then you are more likely to see your battery swell. You have to look at it this way. When the outside of a battery gets heated up it is is more likely to expand if there is excess pressure built up in the battery. When you charge at higher voltages you increase the pressure build up in the battery, so extra heat under the hood + charging to high makes it more likely to swell a battery.

You can live in Alaska and be near freezing all of the time and still swell a battery though. If you over charge a sealed battery the pressure has to go somewhere and there is only two options. It either pops the vents and the battery vents out, which then in turn means the battery will not be at 100% again. Or the battery swells, but does not pop the vents. I myself, if I had to choose between the two options, would rather have a swollen battery. If you charge at the proper voltages though, then you really do not have anything to worry about.

Ok, now what can you do to help protect your battery if you live in a higher temp area and want to demo and beat the heck out of your system? Well # 1 thing is to try and keep the heat away from the battery. This can be done with the stock battery shield/cover that a lot of vehicles have these days, or adding a shield if your vehicle doesn't already have one. We are actually designing something to help with this right now and it should be available soon. #2 if you are going to be competing or demoing in the heat, then just crack your hood open so some of the air can circulate and allow the engine heat to get out. #3 If you know you are going to be in higher heat, then do not bump up your alternator voltage higher than the recommended 14.4V.

Hope this clears it up a little. Short version is yes the S and D version batteries will work under the hood, but you can run into problems if you push the limits.

[basshead8569]

Sorry for the long Tom Clancy reply here, but there is a lot of info to cover here really.

Not going to lie to you any of our batteries can swell up under the hood, just like a lot of others can. We have designed our batteries to be used in under the hood applications, so they will hold up a lot better than some of our competitor's batteries. As a general rule (not always the mandatory rule), swollen batteries are not covered under warranty. This is because our batteries can not, and will not swell up on their own. There has to be outside factors that make them swell. Most common factors are heat and over charging.

Now with that said there are a few batteries out there that companies say they can be used under the hood, but in reality if they are used under the hood they will swell just because they truly were not manufactured to be used under the hood. For example I nor anyone else at XS Power will ever tell anyone that the new XP series can be used in under the hood applications. Why? Because they were not designed for under the hood use. We already have batteries designed for that and the D and S series have worked great for under the hood applications. Scottie has had a 925 under the hood of his car for about 6 years now. I have had a 6500 under the hood since we first designed them, and I have beat the hell out of it and haven't had a problem. So, you really just need to know what you are buying when you buy it and keep the heat and charge voltage in mind when you are using them.

Worst thing about the heat is that if you charge at higher voltages (alternator charge voltage of 14.4V and higher constantly), then you are more likely to see your battery swell. You have to look at it this way. When the outside of a battery gets heated up it is is more likely to expand if there is excess pressure built up in the battery. When you charge at higher voltages you increase the pressure build up in the battery, so extra heat under the hood + charging to high makes it more likely to swell a battery.

You can live in Alaska and be near freezing all of the time and still swell a battery though. If you over charge a sealed battery the pressure has to go somewhere and there is only two options. It either pops the vents and the battery vents out, which then in turn means the battery will not be at 100% again. Or the battery swells, but does not pop the vents. I myself, if I had to choose between the two options, would rather have a swollen battery. If you charge at the proper voltages though, then you really do not have anything to worry about.

Ok, now what can you do to help protect your battery if you live in a higher temp area and want to demo and beat the heck out of your system? Well # 1 thing is to try and keep the heat away from the battery. This can be done with the stock battery shield/cover that a lot of vehicles have these days, or adding a shield if your vehicle doesn't already have one. We are actually designing something to help with this right now and it should be available soon. #2 if you are going to be competing or demoing in the heat, then just crack your hood open so some of the air can circulate and allow the engine heat to get out. #3 If you know you are going to be in higher heat, then do not bump up your alternator voltage higher than the recommended 14.4V.

Hope this clears it up a little. Short version is yes the S and D version batteries will work under the hood, but you can run into problems if you push the limits.

I am glad that I read this. I had people telling me to take my xs power battery out from under the hood. That they need to be inside car only and blah blah blah.... I have the xs d3100 and for a month now it has been under the hood.

[csill420]

^^^^^ haha question answered?! Great explanation bro! I learned a few things from that also!!

[Nathan @ XSpower]

Steve has had his under the hood since he switched over with no problems. You can hear a lot on the internet, but about a 1/4 of it may have some truth to it. Funny how most cases are a friend of a friend of his brother's friend's uncle's duncle (duncle= dad and uncle both) had something happen to them type of story..lol

[Sheena]

thanks a lot for answering this nathan, i wont EVER be charging above 14.4, i think when my car starts it peaks at 14.8 even.

and as far as demoing goes, if i demo it will only be for a few songs, nothing lengthy.

while im driving the airflow will keep the temp down as well.

thanks again for the honest answer, and again i didnt have a conversation with anyone on battery swelling or this company sucks or that company is bad just simply, sealed batteries can swell.

hearing that was enough for me to ask my own questions to the experts, not the person i heard it from, but the experts.

hearing the answer straight from the horses mouth, cant get more expert than that.

[corona_jeff]

I think "they" are retarded

[getlocivic]

ive got a bunch of batteries in my shed.. all metal construction... most summer days it gets 150 in there... and no issues

i did have a standard lawnmower battery that swelld up and leakd all over my shelf

[Sheena]

i think its absolutely hilarious how many of you have nothing to contribute to this thread other than "YO BRO "they" stupid"

look, i wasnt taking notes and taking everything to heart on what i was hearing, i told them im putting a sealed xs power batt under the hood.

they said sealed was a bad idea under the hood, i asked why, answer "they can swell" changed the subject and an hour later i went home.

logged on here, asked a simple question which has just been answered.

i honestly cant see the big deal on this guys information especially if it was ignored and questioned later to the experts.

if theres any confusion, xs power was getting my money before, and they still are, i was simply curious about the situation.

its like someone telling me theres a bomb in my car, now, am i going to ignore them and be like pft lmfao w/e bro you're stupid.

or

am i going to call people who know about bombs?

[SQMonte]

Aren't most car batteries nowadays sealed? I've had a SVR battery under my hood for about 3yrs now and no problems at all, and the SVR is a sealed deep cycle battery similar to XSPower

[Sheena]

in my area the wal-mart, autozone, pepboyz, o-riley carry only wet cell.

when i bought my car in 09 it came with a wet cell, had to pour some distilled in it.