Using tap water in lead acid battery

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Originally Posted By: SHOZ
When water (and no acid) is added because of electrolyte loss then the specific gravity lessens. This is good unless extreme. The lower strength acid will make it last longer. But it also cuts back on the capacity. If you frequently need to add water then it is either seriously over charging, the acid is too weak and may make that happen, or it is really hot, or there is an internal short in one or more cells.


I've never heard it that way. If acid vapors do result in less sulfuric acid it can't be very much. When on the submarine, the electrical division maintained the large 126 cell battery - each jar/cell was 4-1/2 ft tall and well over 1,000 lbs. The battery was watered monthly or quarterly, usually prior to equalizing charges. I was the electrical officer and don't ever recall adding acid to our batteries. Their expected life was around 5 years. Did get to go through a complete battery replacement back in the early 1980's. 35 years ago...forgetting 90% of what I knew...lol.


Battery water level maintenance
 
Originally Posted By: 69GTX
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
When water (and no acid) is added because of electrolyte loss then the specific gravity lessens. This is good unless extreme. The lower strength acid will make it last longer. But it also cuts back on the capacity. If you frequently need to add water then it is either seriously over charging, the acid is too weak and may make that happen, or it is really hot, or there is an internal short in one or more cells.


I've never heard it that way. If acid vapors do result in less sulfuric acid it can't be very much. When on the submarine, the electrical division maintained the large 126 cell battery - each jar/cell was 4-1/2 ft tall and well over 1,000 lbs. The battery was watered monthly or quarterly, usually prior to equalizing charges. I was the electrical officer and don't ever recall adding acid to our batteries. Their expected life was around 5 years. Did get to go through a complete battery replacement back in the early 1980's. 35 years ago...forgetting 90% of what I knew...lol.


Battery water level maintenance
I use to work where we made the sub batteries. If there is too much current then the electrolyte will boil and carry away the acid. If the battery doesn't leak or in the case of the sub battery it has a large enough area on top and a good cap then the acid won't travel. If a battery has acid on the top or the terminals are corroding it's leaking somehow.

But if too much water is added and the specific gravity drops then the charging current will be too much trying to maintain the nominal voltage when charged.
 
The typical JCI battery lets you pry the octagon things out and add water, even though they sit flush with the battery case. Not like the old ones with six soda-bottle tops that obviously came off.

They usually add minerals to "drinking water" so it tastes better (?) so you want the pharmacy grade stuff that's actually distilled.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
The typical JCI battery lets you pry the octagon things out and add water, even though they sit flush with the battery case. Not like the old ones with six soda-bottle tops that obviously came off.

They usually add minerals to "drinking water" so it tastes better (?) so you want the pharmacy grade stuff that's actually distilled.
The minerals they add are in small amounts, usually less than 15 ppm total. Some are straight RO water though. The really cheap stuff. It will say on the bottle.
 
Yep - I just use the smallest Dasani bottles - easy to handle. Our water has pretty heavy calcium - and after a failure loaded my plumbing with resin - adios to the water softener...
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I used an old glass cleaner spray bottle that has had several bottles of distilled run thru it and is clearly labeled as such. It sure beats pouring water in and having the runoff carry dirt into the cells or just plain make a mess.


Also, I just read Exide recommends charging their powersport batteries everytime you add water.
 
I add filtered rain water to every battery that can be opened everytime the car comes in for maintenance. In practice that means I top off 15-20 batteries a week.

I use this to get the level uniform:

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Sometimes they don't need any, but most can use some water. All cells are rarely equal aswell.
 
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