Below are some important guidelines for watering and maintaining batteries:
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Never add battery acid; instead, use only demineralized or distilled water.
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Watering before charging may result in battery electrolytes overflowing, a chemical spill that further reduces battery capacity. Only water after charging is finished.
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Please do not charge battery plates that are not submerged in an electrolyte or that are uncovered. Rather, only fill batteries up to the point where liquid reaches the top of the battery plates. After that, they can be charged.
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Temperature, battery age, and operating conditions will all affect watering schedules. Consult your installer or manufacturer for advice, and don’t forget to schedule routine maintenance.
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Flat lead plates submerged in an electrolyte pool make up lead acid batteries. The electrolyte is made up of sulfuric acid and water. The number of hours that lead acid batteries can run on a charge depends on the size of the battery plates and the amount of electrolyte in them. The operation of a lead battery depends critically on water.
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Water must be periodically added to lead acid batteries because gassing results in water loss. The exception are low-maintenance batteries with the capacity to offset water loss, such as AGM batteries.
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A battery should only be filled after it has been fully charged, but you should make sure there is enough water to cover any exposed plates by checking the water level before charging. Once the cell is charged, add enough water to the vent until the level is at the bottom, about ¾ below the cell’s top.
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It’s crucial to remember that sulfuric acid should never be added to batteries by owners. Battery consumption when operating normally is limited to water, not sulfuric acid. If you notice that the electrolyte level in your battery is low, you can keep it safe to use by adding water to it.
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Steer clear of tap water. It won’t do to fill your battery with regular tap water. Even in trace amounts, minerals from tap water can damage batteries. This is especially true for water that has been chloride-infused water softened by water softeners. Distilled water is a much cheaper option than a new battery and is your best bet if you want to be safe.
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Keep your battery from becoming dehydrated! Water it every year and especially during the hot months.
Tap Water vs Distilled Water for Batteries
Let us examine whether tap or distilled water is better for batteries.
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Don’t use tap water; instead, use only distilled or demineralized water (never add battery acid). It won’t do to fill your battery with regular tap water.
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Distilled water is a much cheaper option than a new battery and is your best bet if you want to be safe.
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Even in tiny additions, minerals from ordinary tap water can be detrimental to batteries.
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Keep in mind that until the bubbling caused by charging mixes the acid solution in your battery, water will remain on top of it.
How to Add Distilled Water to a Battery
How to add distilled water to a battery is the next topic of discussion.
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Verify that the machine is off.
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Using a funnel to avoid spills, add distilled or de-ionized water until the water level is about 1/8" below the fill well.
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In situations where a battery needs to be recovered but is not completely charged, adding distilled or de-ionized water:
- Verify that the machine is off.
- Fill the tops of the battery plates with de-ionized or distilled water.
- Charge the batteries all the way through.
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After charging is finished, verify the water levels once more. Add more water as necessary to bring the water level down to about 1/8" below the fill well.