Lead Acid Batteries

[Deleted]

Questions. How often do you need to top off deep cycle batteries with distilled water? Should you do this then charge? What is the top off level?

My batteries have no line that marks full and I could not find anything on the net. I use the Deka Marine Master batteries.

[archenemy]

hi Yam,

First off make sure they are FULLY charged BEFORE you add distilled water. Never seen a battery that did NOT have a plastic piece an inch or so below the top of the battery in the throat of each cell. You can tell when the cell is full you will see a distinct change in the surface of the water - it will become concave as the water touches the sides of the plastic tube. Use the flashlight and you can see this much better.

I use the MK digital chargers / maintainers and keep mine plugged in 80% of the time and in the past 9 months have not had to add water.

[flyrod]

On this subject I have a question about keep batteries on a charger. I have an on board Guest charger that charges all 4 batteries on my boat ( two for my trolling motor and two boat batteries) as the weather gets colder is it okay keep the Guest system plugged in to shore power all the time my boat is on the lift?

[mwardncsu]

Flyrod - my charger has stayed plugged in 24/7/465 except when I'm on the water for the last almost 6 years. I have my charger connected via a GFCI for better or worse.

Maintenance free batteries here......

[flyrod]

Thanks for the input. I remember during a cold snap last winter someone on here suggested making sure your batteries were on a charger to protect them. My outlet at the dock is on a GFI but it is very finicky even a hard dew will trip the breaker in the house. Just one more thing to add to the daily check list!

[Deleted]

Nov 15, 2015 9:33:01 GMT -5 archenemy said:

hi Yam,

First off make sure they are FULLY charged BEFORE you add distilled water. Never seen a battery that did NOT have a plastic piece an inch or so below the top of the battery in the throat of each cell. You can tell when the cell is full you will see a distinct change in the surface of the water - it will become concave as the water touches the sides of the plastic tube. Use the flashlight and you can see this much better.

I use the MK digital chargers / maintainers and keep mine plugged in 80% of the time and in the past 9 months have not had to add water.

So to be clear. I should fully charge the batteries, then open up the caps and fill them with distilled water until the water reaches the bottom of the opening tube? 

If correct, should I then recharge the batteries or just run them down and recharge?

Thanks Arch!

[greg]

Yes, put them back on charge to make sure they are fully charged after you add the distilled water

[archenemy]

I would do as greg suggested yam but I don't believe adding the water after charge would require an additional charge.

Sent from my XT1080 using proboards

[striperjohn]

If your water level is exposing the plates fill it above the plates prior to the first charge. Then add water to the bottom of the fill tube or within 1/8 inch then charge again. If you leave your charger on your battery you risk a rapid depletion of the water level. (read below) The best practice the Trojan, Deka and Johnson Controls companies recommend is a monthly charging while in storage.

This from Trojanbattery.com one of the biggest manufacturers in the world.

Maintenance

When should I water my batteries?
Water is lost during charging. Therefore, the best time to water your batteries is always at the end of the charge cycle. However, if the electrolyte level is extremely low or the plates are exposed to air, add some water to cover the plates before starting the charge cycle.


How often should I water my batteries?
How often you use your batteries will determine the frequency of watering. For example, the weekend fisherman may find he only needs to water the batteries in his boat once a month. While a maintenance supervisor for a golf course might need to service the batteries in their golf cars every week. Also using batteries in a hot climate may require more frequent watering. It is best to check your new batteries regularly as this will give you a good feel for how often your application will require battery watering. WARNING: A brand new battery may have a low electrolyte level. Charge the battery first and then add water if needed. Adding water to a battery before charging may result in overflow of the electrolyte.


What is the proper electrolyte level?
Liquid levels should be 1/8 inch below the bottom of the vent well (the plastic tube that extends into the battery). The electrolyte level should not drop below the top of the plates.

Do you ever add acid to a battery? Under normal operating conditions, you never need to add acid. Only distilled, deionized or approved water should be added to achieve the recommended levels mentioned above. When a battery is shipped in a dry state or accidental spillage occurs, electrolyte should be added to the battery. Once filled, a battery should only need periodic water addition.

What is the proper torque value for my battery connections?

Flooded Automotive 50-70 in-lbs
Wingnut 95-105 in-lbs
LPT 95-105 in-lbs
Stud 120-180 in-lbs
LT 100-120 in-lbs>
VRLA Button 90 to 100 in-lbs
LT 100-120 in-lbs

WARNING: Do not overtighten terminals. Doing so can result in post breakage, post meltdown, and fire.


Can a battery freeze?
The only way that a battery can freeze is if it is left in a state of partial or complete discharged. As the state of charge in a battery decreases, the electrolyte becomes more like water and the freezing temperature increases. The freezing temperature of the electrolyte in a fully charged battery is -92.0oF. At a 40% state of charge, electrolyte will freeze if the temperature reaches approximately 16.0oF.
What is the specific gravity of a fully charged battery?
A hydrometer reading of 1.277 or greater indicates full charge for Trojan batteries. This value is based upon a specified temperature of 77 to 80oF. For temperature correction values, see the "Temperature" section of this FAQ.

What are common mistakes made by lead acid battery owners?
Undercharging: Generally caused by not allowing the charger to restore the battery to full state of charge after use. Continually operating the battery in a partial state of charge, or storing the battery in a discharged state results in the formation of lead sulfate compounds on the plates. This condition is known as sulfation. Both of these conditions reduce the battery's performance and may cause premature battery failure. Undercharging will also cause stratification.

Overcharging: Continuous charging causes accelerated corrosion of the positive plates, excessive water consumption, and in some cases, damaging temperatures within a lead acid battery. deep-cycle batteries should be charged after each discharge of more than 50% of the batteries rated capacity, and/or after prolonged storage of 30 days or more.

Under-watering: In deep-cycle, lead acid batteries water is lost during the charging process. If the electrolyte level drops below the tops of the plates, irreparable damage may occur. Water levels should be checked and maintained routinely.

Over-watering: Excessive watering of a battery results in additional dilution of the electrolyte, resulting in reduced battery performance. Additionally, watering the battery before charging may result in electrolyte overflow and unnecessary additional maintenance.


Can I reduce my maintenance by not gassing my batteries?
You will reduce the frequency of watering, but will cause a condition known as stratification where the specific gravity of the electrolyte is light at the top of the battery and heavy at the bottom. This condition results in poor performance and reduced battery life.

How can I tell if a battery is bad?
To determine if the battery system is experiencing a problem, fully charge the batteries then shut off the charger and remove all electrical loads. Allow each battery in the system to stand on open-circuit for about one hour. Measure the voltage of each battery. If the battery voltage spread exceeds .15 volts for a 6 volt battery, or .30 volts for a 12 volt battery, a problem is indicated. Battery voltage alone does not confirm a problem. When the voltage spread indicates a problem, confirmation is accomplished by taking electrolyte specific gravity readings using a hydrometer. If the specific gravity readings show a spread greater than .030 (30 points), give the batteries an equalization.

What is used to clean a battery and neutralize the electrolyte?
A solution of baking soda and water. Use 1 lb of baking soda for every gallon of water.







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[KB]

Striperjohn, great post