12 volt battery bulging!

[Ncasini]

Check your 12 volt battery to see if it’s bulging. Mine is and I noticed a recent youtube video about replacing the 12 volt battery and it was also bulging. I’m concerned that this is a problem. Dealer seems unconcerned. What do you think?
I only looked and noticed the bulging after a notification about power saving after the truck wasn’t used for a week this winter.
Battery still checked ok.

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[Lpotter86]

I preemptively replaced mine a couple months ago and my original (2023) was bugled on the sides.

 

[Adventureboy]

Bulging is usually caused by freezing due to a combination of low SOC and cold temperatures. It damages structures inside the battery. Even if it tests ok, I'd replace it ASAP.

 

[21st Century Truck]

Mine bulged this Fall and I replaced it.

 

[Eastbaylightning]

Check your 12 volt battery to see if it’s bulging. Mine is and I noticed a recent youtube video about replacing the 12 volt battery and it was also bulging. I’m concerned that this is a problem. Dealer seems unconcerned. What do you think?
I only looked and noticed the bulging after a notification about power saving after the truck wasn’t used for a week this winter.
Battery still checked ok.

I haven't checked mine yet (Original from Jan 2023).
Would you post the picture please?

 

[chl]

Check your 12 volt battery to see if it’s bulging. Mine is and I noticed a recent youtube video about replacing the 12 volt battery and it was also bulging. I’m concerned that this is a problem. Dealer seems unconcerned. What do you think?
I only looked and noticed the bulging after a notification about power saving after the truck wasn’t used for a week this winter.
Battery still checked ok.

Bulging could be from subjecting the battery to high currents resulting in excess heat during charging which the Lightning BMS seems to do according to some measurements made by owners.

The system allows the battery to get discharged without topping it off as well which can cause sulfate plating a different problem.

A charging current above 10,5A for a 35Ah AGM battery would normally not be recommended.

After you get your new battery, get a battery maintainer and use it regularly to keep the battery topped off to 100% as much as possible - I do it every day when the truck is not in use. My truck is 2 years old and the SOH according to my UNI-T battery tester is still 100%.

I have a 2012 Nissan Leaf with a 13.25 year old flooded battery with an SOH of 80 percent, still good, still does the job.

It is basic battery chemistry that lead-acid batteries will last a long time if kept at 100% as much as possible.

A $40 charger/maintainer like the NOCO Genius1 for example, is a lot less money and hassle of replacing a battery after the warranty has expired.

Just saying...

PS: no bulging here

 

[21st Century Truck]

I haven't checked mine yet (Original from Jan 2023).
Would you post the picture please?

Mine bulged, and significantly, only on the two sides, looking from the front as the battery sits on its shelf.

 

[Pod]

What did you replace it with?

 

[Lpotter86]

Hard to get a good angle on it. I replaced mine with a Motorcraft from RockAuto

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