Are these batteries beyond recovery?
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Jabs
Well-Known Member
Hi Chewi,
Shall we start this one on RibNet??
Tony
Shall we start this one on RibNet??
Tony
Heckler
Well-Known Member
Start it on man in the moon if you like! Bottom line, over charge a battery and it gets hot and the electrolyte gives up water, it doesnt boil the electrolyte out of the case!! If you cannot accept a simple scientific fact and just want to argue, then go ahead, its you that is looking foolish!
Bottom line, since time began, overcharge a battery, the level of electrolyte goes down, you top it up with distilled water!
Stu
Jabs
Well-Known Member
I don't think so. I am writing from significant personal and professional knowledge.
If a battery gets hot and emits vapour, this is indeed water vapour and it can be replaced with water.
If a battery boils and electrolyte is forced out, and it can happen, this is electrolyte, acid in fact and to regain the correct SG you need to replace like with like.
That is what I have said all along and my comments are not being read correctly.
Do what you like. Add what you like but don't let your life depend on it!
If you want any more info I suggest you read a book on the subject rather than calling other posters foolish!
Tony.
Mrnotming
Well-Known Member
And to settle this, use the finger licking test!
Heckler
Well-Known Member
hee hee!!
Stu
lw395
Well-Known Member
In CSE level terms....
Mostly the batteries will 'gas' by breaking down water into H2 and O2.
So that can be put right by adding some H20.
But, to some extent, chemical reactions will be happening involving suphation, which effectively uses up some acid. So it's worth checking the specific gravity if possible, and maybe adding acid if it is low.
It normally takes a lot of current to bubble the acid right out of the battery, it can happen if the alternator goes bad. Or if the battery is overfilled to start with, has a poor vent design, is on an angle, vibration etc etc.
I've had long term overcharging on a small motorbike battery, adding D-water and a gentle charge, it functioned, maybe not 100% but it started the bike for another year.
Mostly the batteries will 'gas' by breaking down water into H2 and O2.
So that can be put right by adding some H20.
But, to some extent, chemical reactions will be happening involving suphation, which effectively uses up some acid. So it's worth checking the specific gravity if possible, and maybe adding acid if it is low.
It normally takes a lot of current to bubble the acid right out of the battery, it can happen if the alternator goes bad. Or if the battery is overfilled to start with, has a poor vent design, is on an angle, vibration etc etc.
I've had long term overcharging on a small motorbike battery, adding D-water and a gentle charge, it functioned, maybe not 100% but it started the bike for another year.
Heckler
Well-Known Member
The prob with adding acid is that the state of charge of the battery is not known, is it flat? so "full" of water, is it charged? what should the SG be? no good adding acid if the liquid inside is not "acid"
We know that if acid is lost that we should replace it BUT how do we know? In the VAST majority of cases it is water we put in. In all my 55 years of maintenance I have never had to put acid in a battery, water yes. The other guy is just doing a typical forum thing, taking a stance and not willing to budge. I base my stance on my years of experience working from the lowest level to the highest in the maintenance field.
Stu
Mrnotming
Well-Known Member
What if they read 12.7 in the skip?
My local marina has a recycling bin for batteries.
I espied 4 110 Amp Tudors in there one day and curiosity got the better of me!
A voltmeter revealed that three out of four read 12.7 V and one read 12.4 V
Curiously, a hydrometer test of each cell showed that they were at best verging on the flat to half charged area of the coloured gauge.
Was tempted after a week of trickle charging, to adjust the acid.
However as they held a full charge over weeks on end, I decided that somehow they performed on a lower specific gravity than intended, perhaps due to misadventure in their lifecycle.
We share an elderly Motorhome with family, so in they went, and have been powerering the devil and all for two year now without a whimper:that is, the three that read correctly.
I dumped the one with the 12.4V reading as the case was swollen at one end.
The other three had no case distortion.
Perhaps these will be more easily frost damaged if allowed to experience below zero C, but we have been careful to avoid this.
Returning to the boat last year all the batteries had swollen cases and were replaced under warranty as they had been maintained by solar panels and regulator.
Sometimes I win sometimes I lose!
My local marina has a recycling bin for batteries.
I espied 4 110 Amp Tudors in there one day and curiosity got the better of me!
A voltmeter revealed that three out of four read 12.7 V and one read 12.4 V
Curiously, a hydrometer test of each cell showed that they were at best verging on the flat to half charged area of the coloured gauge.
Was tempted after a week of trickle charging, to adjust the acid.
However as they held a full charge over weeks on end, I decided that somehow they performed on a lower specific gravity than intended, perhaps due to misadventure in their lifecycle.
We share an elderly Motorhome with family, so in they went, and have been powerering the devil and all for two year now without a whimper:that is, the three that read correctly.
I dumped the one with the 12.4V reading as the case was swollen at one end.
The other three had no case distortion.
Perhaps these will be more easily frost damaged if allowed to experience below zero C, but we have been careful to avoid this.
Returning to the boat last year all the batteries had swollen cases and were replaced under warranty as they had been maintained by solar panels and regulator.
Sometimes I win sometimes I lose!