Buzzing noise comming from the battery

[v12horse]

I have been religously cleaning my engine bay today, but I was trying to make sure that no water or cleaning solution got near the battery and its associated wires.

Maybe it has always been there, but the battery is making this very quite buzzing sound. Does anyone know what this phenomenon is? The battery is only 3 years old, and there is plenty of juice going through the wires. Hmm, I have noticed a slight increase in amps according to the gauge. What is up with my battery?

Thank you in advance,

Ben

[Murph]

Three your old battery? Your doing well!

Is the battery making the sound when it's under load, or no load?

[Marty Rogan]

IT may be possible that you are overcharging the battery. This happened to my 70 a few years ago. One of the wires leading into my voltage regulator corroded and broke right at the connection, inside the VR plug. On a long trip up to Road America, it overcharged and cooked the new battery. The battery was making a weird sound and then started sinking to high heaven when it became well done!

Get your charging system checked out or you may need a new battery along with whatever else is casusing the problem.

Marty

[ryoojin83]

is it buzzing? or does it sound like its boiling inside? boiling isn't always bad, but ussually means over charging.

[Murph]

Get a multimeter over the battery terminals, see what voltage you're getting. Anything 14.4V is getting a bit high.

[v12horse]

I will see what the voltage is.

It makes the buzz when the car is turned off with no lights on. I didn't turn the lights on to check the sound changed. It didn't sound like boiling, just a very faint buzzing noise. I will keep you guys posted. Thanks for the input.

-Ben

[Zedrally]

Sounds possessed. Have a cross and wooden stake handy and don't go short on the garlic!!!

ROFL ROFL ROFL

[Murph]

Ahh...I've seen a battery do that once before when it was low on fluid. Check your levels if you haven't already.

[Alan Pugh]

Ok here's my take on it.

If it is a lead acid battery with screw in type top caps there is a small breather hole in each cap. It sounds like the buzzing noise you are hearing is the battery breathing, it is after all filled with acid that is bubbling away and this has to get out somewhere, hence the breather.

The buzzing sound is due to moisture in the cap and the air is bubbling past it to get out.

Just some general info for everyone,

The average life for a lead acid battery is 39 months.

A lead acid battery should be charged between 14.5 - 14.7 volts set by the voltage regulator.

Never charge a lead acid battery with the caps on.

My father worked for Dunlop batteries for 27 years so I guess if you hear things often enough you don't forget.