Battery Water Level

[guybo]

I see batteries with a lot of pressure often. Sometimes they build pressure bloat and start to stink of H2S. Those are the ones prone to going boom. The explosion isn't all that strong, but it'll spray acid and can hurt your eyes and burn you.

I don't know why, and most batteries have vent on the side, but it happens.

[Scrappydoo]

Originally Posted by humfrz

I thought the caps on most lead acid batteries had a breather hole ......


humfrz

I thought it was a sealed for life battery. Haven't had to top up a battery for years

[guybo]

A lo of "sealed" batteries just have a sticker on top of caps that screw in to plug up the cells and can be removed.

[Fred1]

Might sound stupid, but adding water in the battery will not cause issue when freezing temperature?

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Fred1

Might sound stupid, but adding water in the battery will not cause issue when freezing temperature?

The liquid that is already in the battery is mostly water.

So, a little "top off" of demineralized or distilled water won't hurt anything...... because what went away was water ..... not the acid.


humfrz

[guybo]

Batteries can freeze when it's really really cold out. But it can thaw out and it won't be damaged.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by guybo

Batteries can freeze when it's really really cold out. But it can thaw out and it won't be damaged.

A fully charged battery will freeze at something like minus 80 in which case a frozen battery is the least of your worries.

A dead or very low battery can freeze at just below 32 and if it freezes solid will be toast.

[guybo]

Nope. I've seen perfectly good batteries freeze on a really cold night where it got down to the negative teens. Thawed out, was fine.

[Gforce]

Originally Posted by guybo

I see batteries with a lot of pressure often. Sometimes they build pressure bloat and start to stink of H2S. Those are the ones prone to going boom. The explosion isn't all that strong, but it'll spray acid and can hurt your eyes and burn you.

I don't know why, and most batteries have vent on the side, but it happens.

All lead acid batteries generate hydrogen gas which is very explosive. That's why they all have vents.

[Gforce]

Originally Posted by humfrz

The liquid that is already in the battery is mostly water.

So, a little "top off" of demineralized or distilled water won't hurt anything...... because what went away was water ..... not the acid.


humfrz

Except for the time issue. Just as you can add water to cooling systems you can add water to batteries. However, to gain freeze protection the water must have a chance to mix with the "antifreeze". In the case of coolant the water needs to mix with the existing glycol mixture. This happens rapidly. With batteries it needs to mix with the sulfuric acid mixture. That takes quite awhile. Do not top up your battery in freezing weather, it can bust the case.

In reality, low maintenance batteries are worn out by the time they need water. Just replace it.

[Gforce]

Originally Posted by Scrappydoo

I thought it was a sealed for life battery. Haven't had to top up a battery for years

It is and you are correct. By the time a sealed for life battery needs water added it is totally worn out.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Gforce

Except for the time issue. Just as you can add water to cooling systems you can add water to batteries. However, to gain freeze protection the water must have a chance to mix with the "antifreeze". In the case of coolant the water needs to mix with the existing glycol mixture. This happens rapidly. With batteries it needs to mix with the sulfuric acid mixture. That takes quite awhile. Do not top up your battery in freezing weather, it can bust the case.

In reality, low maintenance batteries are worn out by the time they need water. Just replace it.

Well, now, @Gforce ...... I think you are splitting molecules here. Yes, the specific gravity of sulfuric acid is higher that that of water and in a weakly charged battery, acid stratification can take place.

However, in a healthy battery (fully charged), since the added water is soluble in the existing acid/water electrolyte solution, and the amount of water added is usually relatively small, and a battery in a car usually gets jostled around, thus mixing the added water to the electrolyte ..... the chances of the added water freezing and busting open the case are very small.

Besides, I've been adding water to batteries in the wintertime (living in OH, MO, CT and Europe) for the past 65 years and never have had a battery freeze and bust open.




humfrz

[qqzj]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Well, now, @Gforce ...... I think you are splitting molecules here. Yes, the specific gravity of sulfuric acid is higher that that of water and in a weakly charged battery, acid stratification can take place.

However, in a healthy battery (fully charged), since the added water is soluble in the existing acid/water electrolyte solution, and the amount of water added is usually relatively small, and a battery in a car usually gets jostled around, thus mixing the added water to the electrolyte ..... the chances of the added water freezing and busting open the case are very small.

Besides, I've been adding water to batteries in the wintertime (living in OH, MO, CT and Europe) for the past 65 years and never have had a battery freeze and bust open.




humfrz

65 yrs?

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by qqzj

65 yrs?

Yep, I remember adding water to the battery on the NEW tractor (that had a battery) when I was 9 years old ....... which beat the hell out of hand cranking the old tractor (which didn't have a battery).

Oh yes, make sure the magneto wires were dry, get a 5 gal pail and place it near the crank, set the crank, jump off the pail onto the crank (being careful NOT to wrap your thumb around the crank handle) and hope the hell you get your body out of the way on the way down, in case that sucker kicked back.

With any luck, she would start on the second attempt ......

OK, it's time fer ma Metamucil, then off to bed ZZZZZZZZZZ


humfrz