Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.
Topping-up water in a sealed battery
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2022 12:38 am
Topping-up water in a sealed battery
Hey all ! Where I live (and probably everywhere now) the car batteries are all sealed up very tightly, it's very difficult to remove the cover to access the filling points without making a huge mess of the unit.
But I had a thought - is it feasible to fill all the cells with water, maybe even the right amount of water, through the breather port on the top/side part of the battery ? It stands to reason that the breather port will lead back to each cell.
If anyone has tried that then please advise. Otherwise I'll give it a go and post the (likely) amusing results ....
But I had a thought - is it feasible to fill all the cells with water, maybe even the right amount of water, through the breather port on the top/side part of the battery ? It stands to reason that the breather port will lead back to each cell.
If anyone has tried that then please advise. Otherwise I'll give it a go and post the (likely) amusing results ....
- B21
- Lifer
- Posts: 5647
- Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2021 7:15 pm
- Location: In my Banana Yellow Space Shuttle...somewhere over Southern Caledonia
Topping-up water in a sealed battery
No no no!
They are sealed for life…if it needs water it’s dead as in Monty Python..
Buy a new battery
They are sealed for life…if it needs water it’s dead as in Monty Python..
Buy a new battery
We choose to go to on with this endeavour at this time and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard…
A very modified Atacama Yellow 35is Previously a slightly less modified Atacama Yellow 20i MSport
A very modified Atacama Yellow 35is Previously a slightly less modified Atacama Yellow 20i MSport
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2022 12:38 am
Topping-up water in a sealed battery
Thanks but how is that the case though ?
Either the water balance is off, pH too low, so the battery doesn't charge >> top up water and it will work again.
Or.. the plates are actually sulphated from long term use >> In which case, drain off, rinse all the plates and clean with dilute alkali, then refill with acid of the right concentration.
Most of the time I'm guessing it's going to be the first one, especially if I never topped it up before ....
Either the water balance is off, pH too low, so the battery doesn't charge >> top up water and it will work again.
Or.. the plates are actually sulphated from long term use >> In which case, drain off, rinse all the plates and clean with dilute alkali, then refill with acid of the right concentration.
Most of the time I'm guessing it's going to be the first one, especially if I never topped it up before ....
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2022 12:38 am
Topping-up water in a sealed battery
I guess the question I have is ... is it OK to just fill with as much water as possible ? Because some videos show technicians doing that, but I was under the impression that too much water might cause problems.
- Chris_D
- Lifer
- Posts: 6615
- Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2016 11:41 pm
- Location: Mostly Holland. Sometimes UK.
Topping-up water in a sealed battery
You're asking for trouble if you go tw@tting about with a sealed battery and I doubt your insurance company would look favourably on the reason your car burned to the ground from a dodgy battery.
Try and rejuvenate it using a ctek and failing that put your hand in your pocket and buy a new battery you cheap bastid!
Try and rejuvenate it using a ctek and failing that put your hand in your pocket and buy a new battery you cheap bastid!
E85 3.0i roadie (03) 'Benny'. E93 320d M-Sport Cabrio (11) 'Bob'.
'Always different, always the same.' John Peel on The Fall.
'Always different, always the same.' John Peel on The Fall.
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2022 12:38 am
Topping-up water in a sealed battery
LOL I gots to assume you're trolling in max mode. it's practically impossible to burn your car to the ground , I smoked every day for 20 years , including in a v8 that smelled like petrol around the clock
-
- Lifer
- Posts: 8759
- Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:20 pm
- Location: Spaldingski
Topping-up water in a sealed battery
Yeah, do that.dreaming-of-driving wrote: ↑Mon Apr 17, 2023 9:30 am Otherwise I'll give it a go and post the (likely) amusing results ....
Chances are nothing will happen but could be interesting.
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2022 12:38 am
Topping-up water in a sealed battery
its fine if u guys wana criticise ideas , but the criticism needs to be based on scientific reasons
not just " buy a special thing " or " buy a new battery "
not just " buy a special thing " or " buy a new battery "
-
- Lifer
- Posts: 8759
- Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:20 pm
- Location: Spaldingski
Topping-up water in a sealed battery
Must have missed that bit in the rules section.dreaming-of-driving wrote: ↑Mon Apr 17, 2023 11:15 am its fine if u guys wana criticise ideas , but the criticism needs to be based on scientific reasons
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2022 12:38 am
Topping-up water in a sealed battery
ha, oks. its not a rule. anyone can be stupid if they like
- Chris_D
- Lifer
- Posts: 6615
- Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2016 11:41 pm
- Location: Mostly Holland. Sometimes UK.
Topping-up water in a sealed battery
and I would suggest you're the perfect candidate to verify that claim...dreaming-of-driving wrote: ↑Mon Apr 17, 2023 11:23 am ha, oks. its not a rule. anyone can be stupid if they like
Go on, do it.
E85 3.0i roadie (03) 'Benny'. E93 320d M-Sport Cabrio (11) 'Bob'.
'Always different, always the same.' John Peel on The Fall.
'Always different, always the same.' John Peel on The Fall.
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2022 12:38 am
Topping-up water in a sealed battery
I may have done things in the past that appeared stupid , but I was simply gathering empirical evidence
- smorris_12
- Member
- Posts: 912
- Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2022 2:14 pm
- Location: Somerset
Topping-up water in a sealed battery
AFAIK sealed batteries still have the filling ports; it's whether the plastics are welded together so well that getting in destroys everything in site.
IME a decent battery has a 10 year life span if kept charged so worrying about topping up is pointless. Eventually they die of plate sulphation (or distortion) and, at that point, it's a lot of faff to do anything about it so weigh it in and put the fiver towards a new one.
IME a decent battery has a 10 year life span if kept charged so worrying about topping up is pointless. Eventually they die of plate sulphation (or distortion) and, at that point, it's a lot of faff to do anything about it so weigh it in and put the fiver towards a new one.
------
Scott
Where are we going and why am I in this handbasket?
2006 Z4 2.5si Silbergrau und rot
Scott
Where are we going and why am I in this handbasket?
2006 Z4 2.5si Silbergrau und rot
-
- Lifer
- Posts: 8759
- Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:20 pm
- Location: Spaldingski
Topping-up water in a sealed battery
I gonna use that one on the wife next time she accuses me of doing something stupid.dreaming-of-driving wrote: ↑Mon Apr 17, 2023 11:37 am I may have done things in the past that appeared stupid , but I was simply gathering empirical evidence
"You call it stupid, I call it gathering empirical evidence, dearest". Like it.
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2022 12:38 am
Topping-up water in a sealed battery
goodo .. it sounds sufficiently scientific that most gals will just roll with it