22 Years' Battery Customization
Oct 12, 2022 Pageview：563
Finding the right lead-acid battery for a specific purpose is never easy. You need to take time and go through what different manufacturers are offering. And once you get the right one, there is a need for proper maintenance.
Unfortunately, most car owners forget this after the purchase. Unless the battery is sealed and maintenance-free, you must check the water level at least several times every year. A flooded lead-acid battery must be maintained by ensuring proper levels of water and electrolyte solutions.
And so today, we will be talking about how much water your battery should have. Keep reading.
How Full Should Car Battery Cells Be?
This is one of the main questions we have faced regarding battery maintenance. Many users know that their batteries need water, but very few understand how much water is right. For some, as long as there is some fluid, everything should be great with their battery.
You will be shocked when a battery you bought just a few months ago starts misbehaving. And yet it's something you can avoid easily.
Generally, you need to ensure the plates are fully submerged in the water. But the water should not go beyond the maximum level to cause spillages.
It's recommended to have the water in the wet-cell battery at 1/8 to ? -inch under the fill tubes extending down from the battery's opening. Also, you can only use distilled water as it does not contain any impurities that could affect the battery's performance.
Here are three main levels you need to put in mind when servicing your car battery:
Low level. Exposed plates can recognize low-level battery water. When the plates are exposed in this manner, they could start to corrode, rendering your battery useless. We talk of low battery water when the electrolyte is only about ? inch below the top of the plates. You will need to add in more water until they are fully submerged. This condition could be a result of overcharging.
Normal level. When the fluid is about ? inch above the tops of the plates or 1/8 inch under the bottoms of the filler tubes stretching to the port openings, you have a normal level. You don't have to refill if your battery is at this level. Perhaps the only maintenance you will need is replacing the port covers.
Maximum level. If the fluid is just touching the filler tubes at the bottom, we say the battery has a maximum water level. Notice the pair of slots on the side of the filler tubes. They cause the meniscus that acts as an indication of maximum water level. There will be no meniscus where the fluid is below the filler tube's bottom.
When you see the eye-shaped meniscus, it's a sign that you need to stop filling. Sometimes this part is not very visible. But you can use a flashlight to see it properly.
Add Water to Battery Before or After Charging
While adding water to a wet battery is crucial, how you do it matters a lot. You cannot just take water and fill the battery, regardless of whether it's charged or not.
Adding Water to a Battery After Charging
It's recommended to add more water to your car battery when it's charged. This is because a charged battery allows for more expansion. Note also that you can only add the water when your battery has cooled.
Don't attempt adding water to the battery when directly connected to the load. Always disconnect it first after charging, and remove it from the car before filling.
The battery's water level is at its maximum after an expansion. It's crucial to allow for expansion as it helps avoid accidental overfilling.
In summary, here is how you add water to a charged wet battery:
Turn off the machine and disconnect the battery where possible.
Add distilled or de-ionized water to reach about 1/8 – inch below the fill tubes. Use a funnel to avoid spilling the water over to other parts of your vehicle.
Adding Water When a Battery is not Fully Charged
You may also add water when the battery needs to be recovered. The battery is not fully charged, so the steps to follow are slightly different from what we discussed above.
Follow these steps:
Turn off the vehicle. You can disconnect the battery and take it from the vehicle if you need a larger working area.
Add distilled water until all the plates are submerged. Be sure not to overfill and cause issues of spillage.
Charge the battery fully. After filling it with water, close the caps and then charge your battery until it's full.
Check water levels again once the charging is complete. Expansion happens when the battery is charged, which could pull down the water level. If need be, add more water to the battery until it reaches 1/8-inch under the fill well.
As you can see, filling your wet lead-acid battery is not just about taking distilled water and pouring it through the fill tubes. You need to know the right level and then check the charge status of your battery. Whether you do it with the battery charged or when it's not fully charged, ensure you take proper precautions to avoid accidental spillage.
What Happens if Battery Water is Low?
Lead acid batteries' positive and negative plates must be fully immersed inside an electrolyte of dilute sulphuric acid. Therefore, the electrolyte is part of the reaction when the battery charges and discharges, making it a crucial component. Its volume and concentration are crucial to how a battery is designed.
When the electrolyte level falls under the top part of the plates, exposing them, the exposed part is removed from the reaction. This creates a low-capacity situation for the battery. Also, it can lead to corrosion within a few days, which will render your battery completely useless.
No one wants to have such a battery. Thus, it is recommended never to let the battery water levels drop. You need to check the levels and top up regularly, ensuring the electrolyte is in perfect condition. Evaporation is the main cause of this reduction and can only be resolved by topping up.
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