Putting Water in Battery – Distilled Water, Tap Water, and Salt Water

Batteries require some maintenance, and one of the primary maintenance practices is checking the electrolyte level. The electrolyte level in a battery drops after some time due to spillage and evaporation.

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However, you need to know that the contents of the electrolyte are sulfuric acid and water. These two contents make the battery function effectively, and their concentration is always essential. You should know the contents that need to be replaced.

For a lead-acid battery, the electrolyte consists of sulfuric acid and water. The content that needs to be topped is water. The acid level does not change because the plates have some content of acid in powder form that keeps its concentration optimally.

Therefore, which water should be added to a battery? There is tap water, distilled water, and saltwater. However, not all these waters are suitable for adding to a battery. Some of the waters might affect the reaction inside the battery. 

In this beautiful article, we shall look at the suitability of different water types available in your vicinity. Therefore, follow me through this entire writing so that you can get the information needed. This will help you avoid damaging your battery after a short period of use.

Putting Distilled Water in Battery

Adding water into a battery requires a lot of knowledge if you know some little chemistry. Distilled water is the ideal water that should be added to a battery. The other types of water have minerals that can affect the performance of the battery.

However, before adding water to a battery, you need to check the electrolyte level on your battery. You should avoid adding water to a battery with a normal electrolyte level. You should also understand that it is not recommended that you add acid into a battery unless all the electrolytes spilled out.

For you to check the electrolyte level, first, you need to disconnect the battery. You can easily see the level for transparent batteries when the battery is placed in a well-lit place. For black batteries, you need to have a torch. Open the battery's port covers, then turn on the torch and check each port.

Before topping up the electrolyte with distilled water, it is vital that you fully charge the battery. The good thing is that distilled water is readily available in major stores and supermarkets. Some people think that they can boil water and add it to their battery. That can be too risky because the distilled water undergoes some process that removes any impurities.

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The Process of Adding Distilled Water into a Battery is as Follows:

Before doing anything, it is important to have safety equipment at your disposal. Ensure that you have gloves, goggles, shoes, and an apron. Your safety when performing the procedure should be a priority because the acid can burn your skin or clothes. Also, ensure that you perform the procedure in a well-ventilated room.

Ensure that the battery is fully charged before starting the procedure.

Disconnect the battery from its position of service. You should never add distilled water to the battery before disconnecting it. Clean the surface of the battery before working on it.

Open the cell ports of the battery if visible, but for sealed batteries, you need to locate the ports first and open them with a screwdriver.

Using a clean funnel, pour the distilled water into each cell compartment of the battery. Ensure that the electrolyte level does not exceed the recommended level. Also, ensure that the electrolyte levels in all the ports are equal.

Ensure that you control the flow of the water into the ports. It is essential to keep all the cells clean; thus, always use clean equipment and monitor the cleaning agents to ensure it doesn’t contaminate the distilled water.

However, you should not fill the cells topping up the electrolyte level in an old and weak battery. Weak batteries need some extra space that the electrolyte will occupy during charging. 

Wipe up any spills and dirt from the battery before closing the ports. In case you overfill the battery, but there is no overflow, it is good to close the caps that way. Clean the entire surface of the batter after completing the assignment.

The last thing that you should do is disposing of all the dirty items. The items are acidic and can be dangerous if they touch your skin. Ensure that you clean your hands well before touching anything else.

Putting Tap Water in Car Battery

Most people always want to know if tap water is safe for a car battery. The answer is always a big NO. Tap water, especially from sanitation companies, has chlorine. The chlorine and other minerals available in the tap water are harmful to your battery.

Therefore, it is never recommended that we add tap water to a car battery. The minerals in the tap water have the effect of coating the lead plates or any metal used. It also fills the pores; hence the metals will not come in contact with the electrolyte.

This reduces the functionality of the battery and makes the battery overwork. The battery will work at a higher rate, making it hotter, thus wearing out faster. The batteries can stay with their original electrolyte for an extended period when they are sealed.

Therefore, if you think you cannot check your battery frequently, it is important to acquire a maintenance-free battery. This battery type has no spillage, and no vapor escape can cause a drop in the electrolyte level.

Putting a Battery in Salt Water

The effects of placing a battery in saltwater can be immense. Salt dissolves in water, and the result is sodium ions that are positively charged and chlorine ions that are negatively charged. When you put the battery into the saltwater, the positively charged sodium ions move to the negative tank, and the negatively charged chloride ions move to the positive tank.

The above reaction makes the battery discharge quickly. The current will break down the salt particles by a process known as electrolysis. The electrolysis process produces hydrogen and chlorine gas. Therefore, it is always advisable that you avoid exposing your battery to saltwater.

The maintenance practices in batteries are very few. However, you must be careful to avoid damaging your battery after a short period. Always check the electrolyte level and ensure that the battery is free from dirt and saltwater.