Do I use distilled water or sulphuric acid?

[seanchan00]

Hi Guys,

I just received a used battery without battery fluid because the chap who sent it to me emptied it for fear of spilling acid in his new SUV. Without fluid in it I measured 11.8 V. Before I charge it, do I fill it with distilled water or battery acid? If battery acid then do I use full strenght battery acid or a diluted one?

SeanChan.

[Flux]

How long has it been empty, it will not survive very long in that state, if it is more than a day or so I think you will have lost it.

I would be tempted to add distilled water and fully charge it, then tip the water out and add acid at about 1.28 sg, charge again and adjust the sg to about 1.27 by extracting some acid and adding water until you get near what you want.

Good luck you will need it, batteries don't like that treatment.

Flux

[scottsAI]

Hello seanchan00,

People will do the strangest things sometimes.

I agree with Flux, I expect it is the best method.

I don't want to dump the acid...

If SOC is known, replace with sp of that SOC. Error on weaker solution.

Charge with finishing charge, monitor sg.

Discharge 10-20%

Adjust sp based on finishing charge results

Do another finishing charge.

If your way off, then do again, if close start using it and adjust over time and use.

Only add acid before a finishing charge. Water any time.

Have fun,

Scott.

[seanchan00]

Thanks Guys,

I added distilled water and charged. Now I see 13 V but SG is only 1012. Will discharge and cgarge svevral times then dump water as Flux sugested and add acid. It was delivered to me probably overnight.

Try my luck anyway. It was not dry when I opened it, just fluid level down to plates which were still wet and seemed to contain fluid below the plates and seperators. I only had to start adding water and the fluid level just rose right away. Added surprisingly less than I expected to need for an empty battery. Just over a litre for a 150 AH lorry battery.

SeanChan.

[Norm]

Yep that battery acid is nasty stuff...even when you think it is clean....

washed a battery off once dried it with some

paper towels....all over especially the bottom

put it in my old car and 6 months later had a nice bare patch in the trunk rug !

             ( :>) Norm

[jmk]

 yep and if your in a moist area you will get a hole in anyting or a rusted out spot in metal!

[nothing to lose]

When you wash a battery mix baking soda in the wash water, that will kill the acid on the case. Just don't let the baking soda water get into the battery filler holes!!!

I bought a brand new battery one night, on way home a deer ran out in front of me and I hit the brakes hard. Needless to say the next morning when I found the battery laying on it's side I had no carpet! WOW, that baking soda and battery acid makes some wicked fumes in volume!! Be sure to ventilate well or be outdoors if netraullizing much acid, in the van I had no choice but to do it inside since that's where it spilt. After all these years I still have a van and everything is fine other than bare floor where the spill was. I was a bit worried those fumes would eat the seats but they didn't. But they sure were nasty fumes to be around even with side door and both front doors open!

[nothing to lose]

After you add distilled water and charge well you may want to pulse charge to get rid of sulphates also. If you have a charger with a desulphate or pulse mode use it for awhile.