Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

Yesterday I plugged in my Vagabond II for a top off charge (it had not been used for a couple of months) before leaving on a quick business trip.
This morning I received a call from my wife, telling me that my 'orange box' was putting out a terrible burnt smell, and it was so hot to the touch that she could only grab it by the shoulder strap and transfer it to the back porch, as she was afraid it would burst into flames (she did unplug it in the process).

Any suggestions on what to look for as potential causes when i get back home. or is this a matter that requires return to the factory?

V/r,

Stefano

Could be a couple of issues. If the smell is more like rotten eggs, the battery is likely sulfated (which can generate heat, too). If it is more of a burnt plastic smell, it could still be a sulfated battery, which the battery will look swollen and/or a white powdery substance will be apparent, or maybe even a crack in the case of the battery. Also, if more of a burnt smell, there could be an internal issue of the inverter.

In any case, it should be returned for service. The VII has a 2 year warranty, and you can call Customer Service to verify warranty status or any other specific repair process questions.

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll be back home tomorrow and definitely call customer support, as the unit is within the 2 yrs of warranty. Would a couple of months on the shelf cause battery sulfation? Any recommendations for best maintenance practices? The green light was still on when I plugged it in yesterday, so I assume there was still some amount of charge in the battery.

V/r,

Stefano

The reccomended way to maintenance the VII is to fully charge immediately after each use. Once fully charged, you should take it off the charger, then top off the charge about once a month or so. If not used for several months, put a draw on it, i.e. plug in a lamp, or a flash w/ the model lamps on, etc., then recharge. Here is a link to a thread that has a great explaination and discussion of this.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=295&start=0

It just occurred to me...how many people these days have ever actually smelled a rotten egg?

I don't think I've smelled an actual rotten egg since the early 60s.

Something to consider. The smell would be that of sulfur (as it is the battery sulfating). If you're from the sticks (like me), you may know the smell from sulfur water. Or perhaps chemistry class. In any case, it is a very different smell than that of burning plastic.

It turned out to be the battery... no sulfur smell, but a badly bulged battery and a bottom battery tray partially melted. The smell was definitely plastic cooking.

I will contact customer service for return instructions.

Thanks

Stefano

when you first turn on my Vagabond II smell like burned pizza is stuffed with plastic =) My dog almost died, and my wife would kick me out of the house with the orange bag =) bunch of flowers, champagne and bone (for dogs) have solved all the problems

But seriously, what is with the battery, if you smell of hydrogen sulfide

The smell you refer to is the smell of a sulfated battery. This is usually caused by the battery not getting a proper charge and sitting without a charge.