My Battery is getting Hot and over flows

[69Stang]

I have a 2007 Dodge Ram 2500 Mega Cab 5.9L w 56k on the engine
The battery on the passengers side is doing that. On that side is the alternator and a voltage regulator. There's No problem with the red wire running across to the driver's side and that battery is fine for temp. If I swap sides then it goes the other way for which is hot and over flowing. Also it was doing this with the old Alternator before it burnt out. Now the "New" alternator gets Hot after 5-10 minutes running.

Something here is also killing the batteries over night.

I'm going to get a voltage regulator tomorrow and hope that's it.
Any other ideas if it isn't?

 

[JohnnyMac]

Have you put a meter on the battery to see what the actual voltage is going into it while running? Also, if one of the batteries had a dead short, I would imagine that it would draw a ton of current. When you say if you switch battery sides it goes the other way. Does that mean that the same battery, no matter which side is overheating, or does that mean that no matter which battery is in the passenger side it is overheating?

 

[McBroom]

The overheating battery is going bad
It needs to be replaced asap as it could explode

Blue Mule

 

[BWL]

Check all your terminals first as a loose one can cause this problem and another problem I had on my 06'was the solenoid for the grid heater sticking on and overloading the system.

 

[MikeT]

The hot battery is bad and needs to be replaced before it damages other electrical components, like your new alternator and voltage regulator. Your old alternator probably burned out because of that battery.

Mike

 

[Badger 13]

When I had my diesel, I always replaced both batteries at the same time, which I believe is highly recommended.

 

[69Stang]

Have you put a meter on the battery to see what the actual voltage is going into it while running? Also, if one of the batteries had a dead short, I would imagine that it would draw a ton of current. When you say if you switch battery sides it goes the other way. Does that mean that the same battery, no matter which side is overheating, or does that mean that no matter which battery is in the passenger side it is overheating?

Both batteries have 14 volts running into them while running. Sorry to confuse you with the batteries switching sides. So if I put the battery that's steaming from the passenger's to the driver's side it's ok. But the battery that was good on the driver's side, is now put on the passenger's side, is now steaming. So No matter which battery is put onto the passenger's side it'll steam.

Now today the Dodge dealer said that it could be the PCM but I should check over everything else before buying that.

 

[69Stang]

The hot battery is bad and needs to be replaced before it damages other electrical components, like your new alternator and voltage regulator. Your old alternator probably burned out because of that battery.

Mike

The alternator burnt out before I replaced the batteries at first. I did replace both batteries but why install the brand new battery, over my 2 year old one w a 6 year warranty, on when that one even smokes/over flows? Doesn't pay to wreck the brand new battery

 

[69Stang]

The overheating battery is going bad
It needs to be replaced asap as it could explode

Blue Mule

I replaced both batteries at the same time. But since the Brand new one got Hot like the Old one I swapped them.
I didn't want that one to go to hell.

 

[69Stang]

The overheating battery is going bad
It needs to be replaced asap as it could explode

Blue Mule

I put a New one on that side to and it got Hot also so. So I put the battery back in that has the 6 year warranty in and is only 2 years old.

 

[McBroom]

I put a New one on that side to and it got Hot also so. So I put the battery back in that has the 6 year warranty in and is only 2 years old.

Hmmmm
I don't know unless there's a short somewhere that were just not mentally seeing(minds eye).
Is the problem battery the one that goes directly to the starter??

Blue Mule

 

[RoadRamblerNJ]

You have something drawing excessive current on the Pass side. Problem stayed with Pass side when you swapped batteries. Problem did not stay with battery. Something causing a dead short is cooking your battery. Also, mix up some baking soda & water to neutralize all the "boil over" acid. Apply every where it spilled over then flush it with water after it doesn't bubble any more.
Good luck hunting down the short.
A smoll clamp meter might help you find excessive current draw. If you don't have one, just put a Volt/Ohm meter in the circuits you're trouble shooting.

 

[Badger 13]

Is it possible the grid heaters are the cause, pulling too much juice from the battery ? Just a thought.

 

[69Stang]

The overheating battery is going bad
It needs to be replaced asap as it could explode

Blue Mule

Have you put a meter on the battery to see what the actual voltage is going into it while running? Also, if one of the batteries had a dead short, I would imagine that it would draw a ton of current. When you say if you switch battery sides it goes the other way. Does that mean that the same battery, no matter which side is overheating, or does that mean that no matter which battery is in the passenger side it is overheating?

The voltage is 13-13. I meant No matter what battery is put on the passengers side it over heats. Thanks

 

[TMyers]

For the "Short" to heat and boil over your passenger side battery, you have a large ground somewhere. It will be a heavy gauge wire. (If it were a smaller gauge, it would have already burnt the wiring harness.) Start with the positive battery cable. Is the "Red" Positive cable getting hot or warm? One of your red cables is going to the starter. The other is going to the regulator/fuse box. Your short is under the hood. If it were on the other side of the fuse box, your truck would be blowing fuses.

Look for it in the dark. If it's that bad, you might be able to see it glowing red.

 

[McBroom]

For the "Short" to heat and boil over your passenger side battery, you have a large ground somewhere. It will be a heavy gauge wire. (If it were a smaller gauge, it would have already burnt the wiring harness.) Start with the positive battery cable. Is the "Red" Positive cable getting hot or warm? One of your red cables is going to the starter. The other is going to the regulator/fuse box. Your short is under the hood. If it were on the other side of the fuse box, your truck would be blowing fuses.

Look for it in the dark. If it's that bad, you might be able to see it glowing red.

Awesome info!! OP follow this recommendation

Blue Mule

 

[madtrucker2016]

Take the battery out it will blow up. I was at my friends house in the driveway with him truck running,he opened the hood and we both said you smell battery acid and BOOM it blew up ,we got to the water hose real fast and took a shower .So its a bad thing in my book to mess with a battery when its cooking up trouble .

 

[BWL]

The battery terminal on the left has to be tightened on both sides of the terminal. If you only tighten it on the one side you'll have a bad connection on the wires hooked into the other side. It will feel like it's tight on the post, but a couple wires on the terminal will be loose enough to cause problems.