Lost electrolyte

- N
- nickgorajski
  
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posted
17 years ago

Sun, Jan 28, 2007 3:26 PM

Having never replaced a battery before, I decided it was time to give it a shot. I bought a new battery while I was visiting my folks and put the battery in the trunk. On the drive back down to my place, the battery got turned onto its side, with the acid dripping out. After mopping up my trunk, I switched out the battery, which turned the engine a couple times, but now it's not working at all. I'm sure I need to add some distilled water, but will there still be enough sulfuric acid to make the battery work? I would guess that I lost about a cup of fluid, maybe more.

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- Nate Nagel
  
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posted
17 years ago

Sun, Jan 28, 2007 6:14 PM

First of all if you haven't already take everything out of your trunk and clean it up well with a solution of water and baking soda. That acid will eat up your carpet, paint, and anything else back there.

Secondly, if the battery doesn't work at all you probably need some more sulfuric acid. (you can get little containers of same at a good FLAPS for filling up batteries that are shipped dry) If that doesn't work, try to charge it. If *that* doesn't work, take it back for a replacement - falling over didn't kill it.

nate

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- <HLS
  
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posted
17 years ago

Sun, Jan 28, 2007 10:17 PM

Listen to Nate. My post would have been even more severe. You really screwed up.

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- Scott Dorsey
  
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posted
17 years ago

Mon, Jan 29, 2007 2:32 AM

If you've lost a whole cup of fluid, you're in trouble. Go to the place you bought the battery from and get a container of electrolyte and add it until it comes up to the proper level. See if it's okay then. You may have to charge the battery up first (and you should be careful about this because you now probably have a mix of charged and uncharged cells).

Note, by the way that anything that the spilled electrolyte touched is going to turn into a corroded horror. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday. Flush the whole area with baking soda and water, over and over again. You may not be able to get into every nook and cranny, but you can at least try. The sad part is that it may be several years before the problems really surface so keep a careful eye on the area.

--scott