I have a 5 year old Walmart Everstart battery in my Honda Element. it was no longer holding a charge. It would charge up but then it would drain right after I took the maintainer off of it. I checked and the cells looked low to empty so I added distilled water and now it won't take a charge at all. My battery tender now says bad battery and won't even allow dash lights to come on. I tried putting a regular, straight (non tender) 1 amp battery charger on it for 2 days and nothing. Did adding water kill it for good?
Added water now battery won't charge!
- Thread starter davedasc
- Start date
Appears that the plates are sulfated because of low electrolyte. I think it is done. I'm sure it was done before you added any water because of the fast voltage discharge.
By adding water you lowered the specific gravity of the acid mix. You will need to put a much higher charge on it than 1A. If you have a 15A or a pulsing charger you may get it to come back partially because the bubbling will stir the mixture and relive the stratification. But it really is done as a starter battery, its ability to put out high current without the voltage dropping to 4 or 5 volts is questionable and even if it starts the car once or twice it will end up leaving you in a parking lot somewhere or damaging your alternator trying to run at 100% output constantly.
This is a what if.
What if OP drained the battery, neutralized the acid/ water mix, and replaced it with undiluted acid?
At one time, acid could be bought at Auto Zone.
What if OP drained the battery, neutralized the acid/ water mix, and replaced it with undiluted acid?
At one time, acid could be bought at Auto Zone.
Is Kaput.
Would be interesting. Big question is, how sulfated are the plates?
Once the plates get exposed it's a goner.
OK, well that explains it! I recently bought a Noco Genius 10 battery charger with repair mode. It won't even activate the repair mode. I've actually never tried the repair mode before this so I don't know how well it even works.
I'm not very familiar with dealing with car batteries but the cells looked that they were filled with metal shavings so I would guess that means they were heavily sulfated?
you are supposed to use repair mode after fully charging the battery Read the manual!
She led a good, long life.
It say "for optimal operation" but I called and they said it can be used on a dead battery but of course it wouldn't even activate on my battery.you are supposed to use repair mode after fully charging the battery Read the manual!
Using a battery hygrometer [hydrometer?] to test electrolyte solution can be useful. Have one here somewhere. It`s been a while since using one due to so called sealed batteries.
Did you shake the battery after adding the water? You have to mix it well with the existing electrolyte or it will seem dead.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
What’s the voltage. You likely diluted the electrolyte, but that doesn‘t mean there isn’t also a shorted cell.
Regardless, you most likely ruined this battery by letting the electrolyte go low. How did this happen? What‘s your alternator putting out?
Finally, if the battery is bad, you risk excessive wear on the alternator if it’s trying to dump too much current into a dead battery.
Regardless, you most likely ruined this battery by letting the electrolyte go low. How did this happen? What‘s your alternator putting out?
Finally, if the battery is bad, you risk excessive wear on the alternator if it’s trying to dump too much current into a dead battery.
The battery wasn't holding a charge, so the alternator kept dumping current into it, which cooked off the electrolyte so it was low. Adding water won't fix that, it was a symptom rather than the cause.
Why are you trying to revive a 5 year old starter battery that died of natural causes? Just trying to get stranded and need a jump? Well you achieved that.
Why are you trying to revive a 5 year old starter battery that died of natural causes? Just trying to get stranded and need a jump? Well you achieved that.
