Water coming out of battey - Help

[tbebko]

I know nothing about batteries and there is water on top of the battery. It was kept in a dry warm place over the winter. What should I do? I wiped it off and there is more water. Please help.

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Water coming out of battey - Help

Do you have a charger hooked up?

Did you try to fill the cells recently?

What brand, and type, of battery are we talking about...?

 

[tbebko]

Re: Water coming out of battey - Help

No charger hooked up, I never opened the battery before, and its a EverStart from Walmart (I think), we got it with the boat last spring. Its looks like there are 2 compartments that I can open. The label says that there is acid inside??

 

[Splat]

Re: Water coming out of battey - Help

Some boil over when the battery has been on a charger for a long time is normal. However just sitting idle there not so much.

Its possiable this is electrolite left over from the last charging. Even tho you wiped off the electrolite off there could have brrn some left under the vent that is seeping out.

First off I would check the outside of the battery for any damage, or puffing of the sides. Next I would put a multimeter and check the standing voltage. A lower than normal voltage reading could indicate a bad cell that is shorting out and causing a short thus creating gas release and boil over.

Also I would remove the vent caps (if possiable) and check the electrolyte level.

Yes that is acid inside. Sulfuric acid reacting with the plates internally are whatproduce the electricity. Some care should be used when dealing with it, but its not nearly as extreme as some people think. Acid can easly be diluted and cleaned up with water and soap to get it off your hands.

Bill