Battery spill

[Roba22]

I am not sure how or what happened but I just noticed it. First I have a 1996 Bass Tracker Pro-17. Took the boat out three weeks ago for a night trip and all is well, except upon launching I noticed that my piug was not pushed in all the way so it did get some water inside. So at the end of the trip there was still a little water left because as you know not all can come out. Anyways Come home put it up and plug in the onboard charger like every time before. I did not notice anything different and the batteries where still upright and caps on. Then after a week of work and a week of vacation I do not see the boat again till last night. I notice the funny looking puddle under the back of the boat. look under and I see two white spots. One about 6" long and the other about the size of a button.

So I freak and check inside and I see the same thing all over the inside around the battery and bottom near the drain plug. It was clear that a battery leaked or bubbled over or something and mixed with the water left inside. I just do not know what or how it did yet. Anyhow I took Coke (had it handy) and poured 4 cans into it. let is set while I went and bought two boxes of baking soda and then used that too. Washed it all off real good. While cleaning the bottom outside with a rag and brush I did not see any real holes. It did VERY slowly leak coke out in one area about the size of a dime and it looks to have about 3-4 tinny holes there. Its clear it leaked out so I know I have holes but not like what you would think. The other small spot never showed any leaks once it was cleaned. Filled it with clean water and checked. I did not poke hard in the area with a awl or anything but I did press to see if I could feel it move of feel soft. It did not. So now my question is how to fix? What should I do? I can not gain access to the inside area (covered with a shelf that holds the battery box and fuel tank) but I can feel some foam when I try and reach under. I have been told I have a couple options. 1.) Grind away all areas and have re welded. 2. Clean good and use JB weld? Or some 5200 epoxy. 3.) clean real good and get some of that vinyl that is used on boats. 4.) apparently there is some stuff that acts like a solder but work on Aluim.

I just want to do a quick fix so I can use the boat for a couple months. Then come November I will park it in the garage and pull as much as I can out and do a big fix. anyone been through this?

 

[marshman]

im confused...the holes are in the boat hull??

if the holes are tiny(1/8 inch or smaller), you could/i would just scuff sand them a bit and patch them up with some jb weld for a temp fix... if holes are bigger than that, more serious repair is needed...

 

[Roba22]

I'm sorry for not being clear. YES if came through the hull and out the bottom. it looks to be in two different spots. First it seems to have came out between the sealant and the very center "spin" I would call it. Down the center I see a overlap spin that is where the two pieces meet. it has like a spin to it. the acid looks to have came out between the rivets and dripped off. Very little here just one small area where you can see it has run out. the bigger area is in like a channel on the port side. You can tell that it pooled in this channel and ate through. The area that leaked is about the size of a dime and you can see 3-4 very small holes or really just dark spots about the size of a needle point. . The leak is very little and very slow. like one drop ever 2 minutes. so the holes are small. HOWEVER the area that has been affected is about 7 inches along this channel, with the dime area in the center of that. Just pressing in this area it feels firm but have not hit it with a hammer or poked at it any in hopes not to make it worse right now. If I have to cut away this whole 7 inch area I will. but my hope is to leave as much as I can. If I can!!

 

[Ranchero50]

From your description it appears that your batteries have been overcharging for a long time and the juice was soaked into the foam and has slowly eaten the aluminum away at a drip or rub spot. I'd suspect that when the hull got some water in it that it leached the acid out of the foam and that's what made the big mess.

Per the corrosion, I'd attack it now and fix it vs. run the risk of hitting something where the metal is weaker and having a very bad trip.

 

[Roba22]

You may be right and I agree I should fix it, but what should I do then? How much should I cut away and have new added? what about that foam I can feel? do I need to pull it all out and replace that as well? Is there anything that can naturalize all the acid and it not be a problem again? What type of weld or welder should I be looking for?

 

[Ranchero50]

Short term I would just rivet and 5200 a 1/8" aluminum plate over the damaged area. Extend the new metal an inch and pop it into place. Cover the seems and rivets with 5200 until you have time to rip the foam out and see just how bad it is.

Honestly, the damage may be deal breaking once you get the hull stripped down. You'll need to remove everything that touched the floor from end to end, then grind out or replace all the white powdered corrosion areas. Tracker is notorious for doing a really crappy job with the foam. I expect everywhere the foam touched the floor and at each rib you'll have issues. Expect the worst, hope for the best.

Read some of the boat builds to get an idea of what you are in for.

 

[Roba22]

Oh wow I was not expecting to have to rip it all out. I am not sure I have the know how to even try and tackle that. I had plans to replace the carpet on the front deck but this sounds like it is a HUGE undertaking. I am not a car or metal type guy. I can not weld and to be honest just looking at the back and what I was going to have to take out worried me. The gas tank seems to be held in with some bars that are pop riveted in. and that shelf that the battery and gas tank set on also looks to be welded and spot riveted there. How would I remove that? As for the rebuild link is there detail step by step on how to for my 1996 tracker? Oh man I would hate to make this even worse then it already is. I thank you for the advice and help!!

 

[TheMaestro]

Can you snap some pictures of the affected areas, maybe some closeups of the leaks as well? I think it would help us understand better what you are dealing with and maybe we can give you more specifics on what to do.

 

[Roba22]

Yes I will try and do that today. Never posted any pictures online but I will give it a shot. I decided yesterday to just rip out as much as I can and see whats done on the inside. I got the gas and oil tanks out. however that shelf has been a pain. I have drilled out all the rivets and it still wont come out. I will take some shots of what I have now and post later.