Battery Acid

[Tritium]

A quick question. Must a lead acid battery use dilute sulfuric acid or are there other acids that will work. It seems that it has now become difficult to get certain chemicals in rural America since the 911 attacks and the rash of drug labs in recent times. Sulfuric acid is one that is difficult for me. I have a lot of food grade citric acid (a much milder acid than sulfuric). Since I received a "dry battery" with a diesel gen set recently I have been wondering if the Citric would work. I don't remember enough of my high school and college chemistry classes to work it out.

Thurmond

[Flux]

It needs to be the correct sg sulphuric acid, nothing else will do. Try the people who supplied the battery, they should be able to help or should not have sold it to you.

In this country it is not easy to get except from specialist battery people. You could dilute laboratory grade acid from a chemical laboratory supplier, but that would not be easy to get and would be more difficult to deal with and would probably cost the earth.

Flux

[Tritium]

Thanks Flux. I guess it will take a trip to the nearest city to get some (80 miles). While I am there possibly I can find some RE batteries as well.

Thurmond

[pepa]

most auto parts stores carry it, pepa

[spinningmagnets]

Hello Tritium, (were you in the Navy?) Just for laughs, you might take an old lead/acid battery and drain the electrolyte (please use goggles and gloves) an fill with a dilute solution of citric and water. You may get a mild voltage reading, but I'm certain it will not be anywhere near the voltage per square inch of lead/lead dioxide plates with 30% sulfuric electrolyte.

There are a dozen effective combinations that have been developed over the years by people with chemical engineering degrees and fat R&D budgets. I have been reading recently about Edisons Nickel/Iron battery with alkaline electrolyte. It was a failure as an electric car battery, but I think it may get a second life with all the renewed interest in RE applications.

Volta's first demonstration battery was a stack of silver coins alternated with Zinc coin-shaped slugs, and in-between each metal disc was a round piece of cloth soaked in salt-water as the electrolyte, but as you can imagine the voltage per square inch of plate (coins) was very low. -Ron

[ghurd]

Advanced and Auto Zone carry it for sure. Here.

G-

[SteveCH]

I've purchased it from an auto parts store in our little town, though it's been at least ten yr. and I don't know if there are restrictions on it now. I doubt it. It comes in boxes of a quart or liter or so.

[lawrence722002]

I too have been doing alot of reading about this subject, anyways here is a site that may help a little on making sulfuric acid, many people bring up about lab grade but im not sure if you need lab grade, anyways hope this helps!

Cavemanchemistry.com/cavebook/chsaltpeter3.html

or just google cavemanchemistry,,,lol

[Capt Slog]

Although you may get some voltage from other acids, has to be sulphuric acid to get the correct voltage from a lead acid cell. The chemistry is quite complex, there are about 5 different reactions going on, each producing a share of the voltage to give you the full potential for each cell.

If you manage to get hold of concentrated sulphuric acid from anywhere, please take great care diluting it to the correct strength. It is important to add the acid to the water and NOT the other way around. The dilution geneates enough heat to boil the acid and spit it about.

So, measure out the correct amounts of water and acid, and very slowly add the acid to the water, some ice is also handy. Safety glasses are essential.

[DamonHD]

Yes, conc. sulphuric is very nasty.