Gen3 Nissan battery been in storage has a funny smell?

1001 Views 15 Replies 7 Participants Last post by favguy, 2 mo ago

tortuga

Discussion Starter · 2 mo ago

Greetings all I have had 5 Gen 3 nissan leaf modules (three 3P9S and two 3P4S modules ) in storage for a few years and I noticed they have a slight alcohol/volatile hydrocarbon smell to them, someone told me this may indicate a pouch has gone bad.
What is the best procedure to check for this?
I suppose I'll isolate them into 5 different storage totes and see if one smells stronger.
Charge each module one at a time to its nominal and load test?
Thank you for any tips as I am hoping to revive my long shelved Zap project.

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Electric Land Cruiser

· #2 · 2 mo ago

Hmmm maybe hydrogen, the cells release it when they are damaged/get old but if you can smell it then they are no longer sealed either. Batteries that reach that stage I use as rifle targets.

You can measure the voltage to see if they are all still good, a damaged cell will show lower voltage. Also if the cells are really puffed up that's a bad sign.

Reactions: 1

tortuga

Discussion Starter · #3 · 2 mo ago

Electric Land Cruiser said:
Hmmm maybe hydrogen, the cells release it when they are damaged/get old but if you can smell it then they are no longer sealed either. Batteries that reach that stage I use as rifle targets.

You can measure the voltage to see if they are all still good, a damaged cell will show lower voltage. Also if the cells are really puffed up that's a bad sign.

Thank you, hopefully its just one of the 5 modules

cricketo

· #4 · 2 mo ago

All Nissan Leaf modules I've dealt with had a smell to them.

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remy_martian

· #5 · 2 mo ago

Electric Land Cruiser said:
Hmmm maybe hydrogen, the cells release it when they are damaged/get old

Nope.

Hydrogen is odorless.

You can't smell it when it outgases in a lithium cell/pack.

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cricketo

· #6 · 2 mo ago

I wonder if the smell is from the electrolyte. It gives out some "sweet" notes.

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remy_martian

· #7 · 2 mo ago

Yup. I had a laptop battery outgas and was trying to decide on a wine that would pair nicely with it 🧑‍🍳

Reactions: 1

Electric Land Cruiser

· #8 · 2 mo ago

remy_martian said:
Nope.

Hydrogen is odorless.

You can't smell it when it outgases in a lithium cell/pack.

Lithium batteries can offgas Hydrogen Flouride gas, as you know, which does have a smell and irritates the nostrils. The feeling reminds me of ozone. Of course you knew all this and you even admit that lithium offgas has a smell to it. Only a fool would think that I meant pure, unadulterated hydrogen gas was the only thing being released.

@cricketo Nissan and most OEMs built their batteries in climate controlled rooms which leaves that smell but the harsher smell that irritates the nostrils, throat, etc means the cell is leaking.

remy_martian

· #9 · 2 mo ago

Again, covering your tracks with total nonsense, because:

"Hydrofluoric acid or Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) is fatal if inhaled, if swallowed, or in contact with skin"

Hydrofluoric Acid and Hydrogen Fluoride - Radiological and Environmental Management - Purdue University

www.purdue.edu

Last time I checked, smell involves inhalation.

We, and you, were talking about hydrogen.

Electric Land Cruiser

· #10 · 2 mo ago

remy_martian said:
Again, covering your tracks with total nonsense, because:

"Hydrofluoric acid or Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) is fatal if inhaled, if swallowed, or in contact with skin"

Hydrofluoric Acid and Hydrogen Fluoride - Radiological and Environmental Management - Purdue University

www.purdue.edu

Last time I checked, smell involves inhalation.

We, and you, were talking about hydrogen.

Obviously, now you are just trolling.

How much HF needs to be inhaled to kill a person versus the person just smelling it? Your source says I need to spend 24 hours at 20% concentration to feel pain. So obviously a quick whiff won't kill me.

There are methods to smell without inhalation, used all the time in industry: Smelling a Chemical: The Wafting Technique

So again you're wrong, and you just keep doubling down to catch me in a "gotcha" moment like usual.

piotrsko

· #11 · 2 mo ago

remy_martian said:
Yup. I had a laptop battery outgas and was trying to decide on a wine that would pair nicely with it 🧑‍🍳

Foriegn or domestic? A NAPA pinot is my choice.

Seriously: whatever you smell should dissipate outside in non-Stagnant air and is probably a one off event. Allow it to rest a couple of days and see if the smell repeats. If it repeats you have some sort of venting issue causing the volitile electrolyte solvents access to the outside of the cell. My volt cells used to do this transitioning from cold days to summer desert days. By the time I figured it out it stopped but was never enough concentration to be dangerous. If it is a vague smell that comes and goes, it could be safe, but if it's a strong smell be very very careful

Reactions: 2

cricketo

· #12 · 2 mo ago

piotrsko said:
Foriegn or domestic? A NAPA pinot is my choice.

Seriously: whatever you smell should dissipate outside in non-Stagnant air and is probably a one off event. Allow it to rest a couple of days and see if the smell repeats. If it repeats you have some sort of venting issue causing the volitile electrolyte solvents access to the outside of the cell. My volt cells used to do this transitioning from cold days to summer desert days. By the time I figured it out it stopped but was never enough concentration to be dangerous. If it is a vague smell that comes and goes, it could be safe, but if it's a strong smell be very very careful

Dude! Best Pinot is from Oregon.

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remy_martian

· #13 · 2 mo ago

You missed the NAPA joke...

Reactions: 1

cricketo

· #14 · 2 mo ago

remy_martian said:
You missed the NAPA joke...

Auto parts ?

Reactions: 2

waynephaz

· #15 · 2 mo ago

Safety first, don't light a match or turn on a light switch without throughly airing out the storage unit.

favguy

· #16 · 2 mo ago

Every Nissan/Renault battery I've ever opened with AESC modules inside it has stunk of pear drop sweets/juicy fruit chewing gum (An old UK chewing gum some will recognise!) These were all good order none leaking modules. As far as I'm aware these modules all smell like this after a while in any enclosed case when you first open them up, it's normal. Dala in Finland (of youtube fame) has also noted similar on every pack he's opened up.

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