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Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:16 pm

I have been reading around online. I took the vent caps off both batteries and both of them were amost completely dry, kinda sludgy so I filled them up to the bottom of the vent holes as per a few different instructions I found online then I put one of them on the charger and I will see what happens tomorrow. They both took just over a pint of clean
water.
I plan on buying a new battery either way, I just figure I would give this a try and see what happens.

:wink:

Fri Aug 14, 2009 10:05 pm

Nicksan wrote: I have been reading around online. I took the vent caps off both batteries and both of them were amost completely dry, kinda sludgy so I filled them up to the bottom of the vent holes as per a few different instructions I found online then I put one of them on the charger and I will see what happens tomorrow. They both took just over a pint of clean
water.
I plan on buying a new battery either way, I just figure I would give this a try and see what happens.

:wink:

Don't mess with that bulging battery. It has an internal short and is junk. You don't want to give a shorted battery a charge.

Sat Aug 15, 2009 4:56 pm

It looks like I wont have to. After filling the interstate with clean water and charging it overnight, I just installed it and the car fired right up, Although it misses really bad at least its starting now. :wink:

Sat Aug 15, 2009 9:26 pm

Nicksan wrote: It looks like I wont have to. After filling the interstate with clean water and charging it overnight, I just installed it and the car fired right up, Although it misses really bad at least its starting now. :wink:

I hope you used distilled water. Tap water will ruin the electrolyte. Depending on how long it sat dry and the current specific gravity of the electrolyte, I don't think it's gonna last long. If the plates were allowed to see air, then they began to sulfate. If the current specific gravity is below 1.225, sulfation will increase. If the battery voltage was below 12.4V, then sulfation is in full gear. I'd get a new battery just for the peace of mind. That one is gonna let you down.

Sun Aug 16, 2009 7:48 pm

I used bottled water and I did this just to see if the battery would take a charge after adding water to confirm that it was heat that damaged the batteries. I plan on buying a new battery sometime in the next month. I dont drive the car so its not a problem.

Sun Aug 16, 2009 8:36 pm

Lotrat wrote: Nicksan wrote: Anyone ever have heat ruin a battery?

A fairly new interstate and another battery (that was good) will not start my baja and neither will not take a charge. I have charged the non interstate battery several times with no problems.
I have had the windows up for painting and I have a feeling the batteries are dead because of the heat. I dont have the receipt for the interstate but they did say I can bring it in and they can test it to see what the problem is.

The only other thing I can think of is a wiring fault but I have drove the car around the block at least 3 times with no problem and I would think something would have shown up then.

I am looking at getting an optima.

Battery life is reduced at higher temperatures. For every 15* F over 77*, battery life is cut in half. How hot are we talking here? How old was the battery?

There are plenty of desert dwellers here. Maybe they can fill us in on how often they go through batteries.

I hate to say it, but I have seen batteries for solar powered (Deep cycle batteries, sealed gell cell) units out in the 115 degree Lucerne Sun for years that have held up well.

I have had batteries in my LUV truck last only a few months.

Why, you ask?

The road I traveled on was literally so bad the acid would leak out. I could put distilled water back in, but after while the battery was full of nothing but water.

But heat will kill a battery, I have seen it happen, especially while charging with a super high rate. I've seen 'em burst, too.

However a desulphator will usually bring them back to life.

Sun Aug 16, 2009 11:30 pm

If your splashing electrolyte out, you should fill it with electrolyte. If the level is low from evaporation, you should fill it with distilled water. You can pick up a hydrometer for under 10 bucks to check the specific gravity after it's been fully charged to see if you got the mix right.

Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:27 am

You are right. I always thought had to fill it with acid, or something. I thought "Where am I going to get acid?".

Mon Aug 17, 2009 10:30 am

tundrawolf wrote: You are right. I always thought had to fill it with acid, or something. I thought "Where am I going to get acid?".

Motorcycle batteries are shipped dry. Most are packaged with their acid, but I bet you can get it at any auto parts store. I bought a quart of acid once for a few bucks. Call around.

Mon Aug 17, 2009 11:31 am

[quote="Lotrat"] tundrawolf wrote: I bought a quart of acid once for a few bucks. Call around.

OH the 60's and 70's

Mon Aug 17, 2009 11:34 am

it was the early 90's...

Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:04 pm

Quote: it was the early 90's...

whoosh