If you add more water before the battery is fully charged, there will be no room left for the liquid to expand once it is heated. This runs the risk of electrolyte overflow and is dangerous for your battery's health. You may also dilute the electrolyte even further, thus causing irreparable damage to the battery.
Adding distilled water may help submerge the plates and enable more reaction to help give the engine a few more turns. This will help if the problem is due to low electrolyte levels. Using distilled water only as an electrolyte booster is an alternative if you don't have an Epsom salt or aspirin available.
The battery can get damaged since corrosion of internal components used in battery manufacturing is accelerated in the acidic electrolyte at elevated temperatures. A physical effect of reduction of water is heating up, especially during the last stages of charging or in the case of an undesired overcharging.
The electrolytes are a mixture of water and sulphuric acid. And the water protects the battery's active material while it generates power. Without water, the active material will oxidize and the battery will lose power. And that's why lead-acid batteries need water.
Some batteries have a clear battery indicator “eye” on the top that glows green if the water level is good and fully charged, and goes dark if the battery needs fluid or is discharged. If it's yellow, it usually means that the battery fluid level is low, or the battery is defective.
Dry-up conditions result in a “soft” cell, a defect that cannot be corrected. On charge, the voltage of a “dry” cell goes high because the battery has no clamping ability. It is no longer chemically active and does not draw current.
The chemicals in the dry cells get used over time and the reaction is irreversible. Therefore, dry cells are non-rechargeable batteries.
The electrolyte level in the battery lowers over time. If the electrolyte level is too low, the plates in the battery cells are exposed and will suffer damage. In addition, the sulphuric acid will be more concentrated. This means you need to replace the electrolyte.
Adding Acid to Battery Electrolyte
For instance, batteries are sometimes shipped dry, in which case sulfuric acid must be added to the cells before the battery is used.
In any case, you will have to plug in the battery and wait until it is 100% full. Then wait until it is almost empty, about 5%. Then, plug it in again and recharge it again. Repeat the procedure several times, until you get a reconditioned battery.
You can do this by applying an overcharge to a fully charged battery using a regulated current of around 200mA (milliAmps) for a period of roughly 24 hours. This allows the battery's terminal voltage to rise between 2.50 and 2.66 volts per cell, which helps to dissolve sulfate crystals.
If water was added before charging, the electrolyte levels will expand and cause the battery to overflow. These overflows will cause the battery to lose capacity, potentially cause injury and usually result in expensive clean-up operations.
Dry type batteries are sealed, maintenance free, stationnary typed, with 5 to 10 years of lifespan and under 2 or 3 years warranty cover.. Dry type batteries do not have any liquid form electrolyte inside.
Longer Lifespan: A wet-cell battery has a much longer life span than of dry cells, so it won't need to be replaced as often. They also don't contain lead-acid. Deeper Discharges: The discharge rate is also more forgiving with a wet-cell battery, meaning that it can be discharged to 100% without damaging the cells.
Whenever you have a completely dead battery, there is no way of reviving or fixing it. You must replace it.
Remove vent caps, fill each cell above the top of the splash guard (protection mat covering separators) with approved 1.265 specific gravity battery grade electrolyte. Keep sparks and flames away from battery at all times. Allow electrolyte to saturate plates and separators for 30 minutes.
An auto battery has a limited number of times it can start your vehicle before it needs to be replaced. Most car batteries will last between 500 and 1,000 charging cycles, which works out to a lifespan of between three and five years, depending on driving and weather conditions.
Fill the battery with the electrolyte supplied with the battery. Do not use water or any other liquid to activate a battery. Electrolyte should be between 60 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit before filling. If electrolyte is stored in a cold area, it should be warmed to room temperature before filling.
Attach a battery trickle charger or a computerized smart charger to your old lead acid battery, and allow charging continuously for about a week to 10 days. The extremely slow charging rates dissolve the de-sulphation that kills the battery, and revives it back to being able to hold a usable charge.
Mix four cups of distilled water and four ounces of Epsom salt, and stir until the water is clear. Then, use your funnel to refill each cell. Cover the battery and aggressively shake it for another full minute. Set the battery up in a safe area and remove the battery caps in case an overflow happens.
Important: The entire reconditioning process can take up to 24 hours. During this time, battery redundancy is lost for approximately 4 hours. Therefore, the following conditions are prerequisites for battery reconditioning: Two power supply units must be installed.
Dry out – or water loss – is cause where overcharging increases the acid concentration in the electrolyte. This also increases self- discharge and sulfation rates. As the battery gases, it loses water, leading to eventual dry- out, capacity loss, and ultimately separator (insulator) breakdown.
Typically, your car can sit about four weeks to two months without driving before the battery dies.