Battery top-up

[BobnLesley]

We're currently in Panama and cannot source distilled/de-ionised water for our Trojan lead-acid batteries anywhere; many stores seem to sell steam-irons, but it appears that the locals just use tap water for those. If I'd realised earlier I could've caught all the rainwater I needed up to a month ago, but it's dry-season now.

What the auto-part stores all do sell is 'electolite fluid' which seems to be distilled water but with a 10-12% acd content; my concern is that if I use that for general top-ups then the acid levels will steadily increase, with the water evaporating and acid remaining; am I right to be worried by that?

 

[dom]

Do you have a dehumidifier, condensing clothes dryer, or anything like that? If not another boat is bound to have one.

Failing that, a pressure cooker to which a convenient tube could be connected, or even a Heath Robinson distiller using a flask/bottle/anything to which a tube can be connected, should be easy to set up. Then run the tube up, through something to cool it, back down to a bottle and you’re done!

Edit: re the electro lite fluid, I’d get exact spect and check with Trojan before using.

 

[RichardS]

Do you have a dehumidifier, condensing clothes dryer, or anything like that? If not another boat is bound to have one.

Failing that, a pressure cooker to which a convenient tube could be connected, or even a Heath Robinson distiller using a flask/bottle/anything to which a tube can be connected, should be easy to set up. Then run the tube up, through something to cool it, back down to a bottle and you’re done!

Edit: re the electro lite fluid, I’d get exact spect and check with Trojan before using.

Best not to use anything with an acid content unless the battery contents have been physically spilled or unless this battery is running dry and the situation is desperate.

If you can find a bar or restaurant with a freezer and ask them for some lumps of condensate ice from the inside that would be fine until it rains again. Or perhaps even water from a freshwater lake or a river or something which is essentially rain water.

Richard

 

[macd]

Or perhaps even water from a freshwater lake or a river or something which is essentially rain water.

Rather depends what it drained through on the way there.
As said, fridge ice distillate or dehumidifier distillate is fine. Must be tons of the stuff in Panama.

 

[Heckler]

We're currently in Panama and cannot source distilled/de-ionised water for our Trojan lead-acid batteries anywhere; many stores seem to sell steam-irons, but it appears that the locals just use tap water for those. If I'd realised earlier I could've caught all the rainwater I needed up to a month ago, but it's dry-season now.

What the auto-part stores all do sell is 'electolite fluid' which seems to be distilled water but with a 10-12% acd content; my concern is that if I use that for general top-ups then the acid levels will steadily increase, with the water evaporating and acid remaining; am I right to be whorried by that?

Under no circumstance use acid mix to top up! Sorry Dom. Use defrost water or similar although I find it difficult to believe you cant get agua destilada there.

 

[mikehibb]

Have you tried the local pharmacies? that is where I get from here in Georgia.

 

[dom]

Under no circumstance use acid mix to top up! Sorry Dom. Use defrost water or similar although I find it difficult to believe you cant get agua destilada there.

Freezer ice is great if one can ensure it’s absolutely clean.

 

[BobnLesley]

...Best not to use anything with an acid content unless the battery contents have been physically spilled...Richard

That's what I thought. Thank you gentlemen, I'll look for Agua Distilada on the Pacific side. Bob