Written By Michael Howard

To keep your battery in excellent working condition, it is important to perform certain maintenance tasks on a regular basis.  Many battery owners assume that their battery is self-sufficient and that not much needs to be done with it.  In reality, batteries are complex technical devices and must be treated as such.  In particular, it is important to carefully monitor the electrolyte levels of your battery, which, if they become low, will dictate whether you need to add water to the battery.

The electrolyte solution in your battery is comprised of battery acid and water.  Over time, as the battery is repeatedly charged, or in extremely hot climates, the water will begin to evaporate, leaving the battery acid behind.  In order to keep the solution in the correct balance, it is sometimes necessary to top it up to replace the water lost to evaporation.  Because water is lost in the charging process, and because charging can cause the electrolyte solution to heat up and expand, it is best to refill the battery after a charging cycle.  This provides optimum efficiency and will also prevent the electrolyte solution from overflowing during charging.

It is important to check your batteries regularly to get a clear idea of how often you’ll need to replace the water.  Depending on how often you use it, and in what climate, the water might only need to be replaced once a month, or even longer.  To check the electrolyte level in your battery, remove the vent cap and look into the battery.  Is the water covering the lead plates in the bottom of each cell?  If not, you’ll need to add some.  Water levels should not be more than 1/8 of an inch above the bottom of the vent well.

Since there is potential for battery acid to splash out of the battery, it is important to take all the necessary safety precautions.  Use goggles, wear long sleeves, and keep a solution of baking soda and water on hand to clean up any potential spills.  You may wish to remove the battery to prevent potential engine damage from any accidental spillage.  The water added to your battery must be extremely pure, so only use distilled water.  Tap and bottled water have too many additives to be used in a battery.  Do not add anything else to the water, as no additives have been proven to extend the life of a battery, and in fact some can be detrimental.  Carefully add the water being cautious not to overfill the battery.  Once refilled, you should routinely check the battery until you have a good idea of how often it requires water.

Never add battery acid to your lead-acid battery.  Battery acid can be extremely dangerous and should only be handled by professionals.  There are few situations where acid would need to be added to the battery, as typically only the water portion of the electrolyte solution evaporates, leaving the battery acid behind. 

Although it may seem somewhat intimidating to work on your battery, checking the electrolyte solution and adding water is actually very easy, and something that can be quickly handled on a routine basis.
 

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