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Message started by rl153 on 05/31/09 at 10:58:14

Title: battery
Post by rl153 on 05/31/09 at 10:58:14

My battery is low ,should I refill it with acid or distilled water .What is best?

Title: Re: battery
Post by verslagen1 on 05/31/09 at 11:17:25

distilled H₂O

Title: Re: battery
Post by rl153 on 05/31/09 at 11:59:17

Why do you think it's better to use distilled water than battery acid?

Title: Re: battery
Post by bill67 on 05/31/09 at 12:01:00

I've never heard of putting Battery acid in an up and running battery.

Title: Re: battery
Post by John_D on 05/31/09 at 12:08:38

717A7F7F2524130 wrote:

I've never heard of putting Battery acid in an up and running battery.

I don't know if he does anymore, but Dad used to add acid to his, depending on what the pH on the battery tester (hygrometer?) said. I don't think you can even get into a lot of newer batteries, but he's got a lot of old 6v's on old tractors that you can.

Title: Re: battery
Post by rl153 on 05/31/09 at 12:14:04

I bought some battery acid .I thought it might be best to use .Do you think it could actually be counterproductive to an up and running battery? Also I have a 20 year old 1 amp trickle charger that I think works fine .I know new ones are cheap but I hate to thow this one out it looks like new .How can you test them and how long should you charge a battery with a one amp trickle charger? Thanks

Title: Re: battery
Post by John_D on 05/31/09 at 12:25:26

Whether or not you add acid or water depends entirely on the pH level of the battery. Check an auto parts store. Even in this day of maintenance free batterys you can still get one at NAPA's website for less than $2. The ones I've seen are similar to antifreeze testers: a tube with a squeeze bulb to suck up the fluid in the battery.
http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPages/NOLMaster.aspx?PageId=470&LineCode=BK&PartNumber=5001140&Description=Battery+Tester+%2f+Hand+Held
http://partimages.genpt.com/partimages/255879.jpg

Title: Re: battery
Post by rl153 on 05/31/09 at 12:35:03

So what do you do ,if the ph is low like 1 or two balls ,you add acid and if its 4 you just add distilled water ? Can it cause a problem if you add acid and it has 4 balls? I think the acid I bought is like 65% dsitilled water .

Title: Re: battery
Post by Charon on 05/31/09 at 13:15:30

The electrolyte in the battery is a mixture of distilled water and sulphuric acid. The sulphuric acid takes part in the reaction in the battery in such a way that, as the battery discharges, the acid becomes more dilute (the sulphate ends up on both the positive and the negative plates). A fully-charged battery has a more concentrated solution of acid. As the battery reaches full charge, part of the water is dissociated into hydrogen and oxygen. This mixture is explosive. It bubbles up through the acid, giving the appearance of boiling. The acid becomes more concentrated as the water departs, and of course the electrolyte level drops. You need to replenish the water, not the acid (unless there has been a spill), so add water, not acid. The reason for using distilled water instead of tap water is because of the minerals usually dissolved in tap water, which can contaminate the battery.

By the way, those battery testers do not measure pH. They measure specific gravity. Sulphuric acid is heavier than water. The acid solution becomes more concentrated as the battery charges, so the specific gravity of the mixture increases. In short, the more fully charged the battery, the heavier the electrolyte and the more balls float.

Title: Re: battery
Post by John_D on 05/31/09 at 13:29:21

Thanks for the in depth explanation Charon, much better than my stumbling account. ;D Been ages since I've actually messed with one.

As to whether to add acid or water depending on the amount of balls floating, I imagine that the tester has a guide that either came with it, or is on the side of the tester itself. As Charon stated, most likely just water will be all that's needed.

Title: Re: battery
Post by rl153 on 05/31/09 at 13:30:38

173C35263B3A540 wrote:

Thanks,I returned the battery acid and bought some distilled water .

Title: Re: battery
Post by ALfromN.H. on 05/31/09 at 13:56:37

two words " Big Crank"

Title: Re: battery
Post by Phelonius on 05/31/09 at 17:55:35

Distilled water is for the battery, distilled ethanol is for you.

Phelonius

Title: Re: battery
Post by John_D on 05/31/09 at 19:18:35

330B060F0C0D0A1610630 wrote:

Distilled water is for the battery, distilled ethanol is for you.

Phelonius

Words to live by! ;)