Is it normal for a car battery to get hot while charging?
2 Answers
When the battery is being charged, the electrolyte will be in a boiling state, so it's natural to feel that the battery is hot when touched by hand, and theoretically there is no risk of explosion. However, if the heating is abnormal, it may cause thermal runaway of the battery, leading to battery swelling. Car battery maintenance methods: 1. Avoid deep discharge. Most of the batteries on the market today are lead-acid batteries, which are structured by inserting positive and negative electrodes into a box filled with sulfuric acid electrolyte. If the battery is deeply discharged, the electrolyte and the plates will undergo a chemical reaction, forming a large amount of lead sulfate. When the lead sulfate reaches a certain level, it will harden into irreversible crystals. 2. Avoid excessively high temperatures. Most car owners only know that batteries are afraid of cold, and that low temperatures can affect battery capacity, making it difficult to start the car. However, excessively high temperatures can be fatal to the battery.
Last time I charged my battery, I encountered a heating issue, which was quite concerning. It's normal for the battery to feel slightly warm during charging, but if it becomes too hot to touch, that's absolutely unacceptable. In such cases, you should immediately disconnect the power and inspect it—it could be due to the charger's current setting being too high or an internal short circuit in the battery. My neighbor, Old Zhang, had his battery swell up because of continuous overheating, and it ended up being completely ruined. The most dangerous scenario is that overheating can lead to leakage or even fire, especially when charging during hot summer days. It's advisable to charge in a well-ventilated area and not exceed 8 hours. If the battery repeatedly overheats, it's best to replace it—safety first, after all.
