Accurately adding water to batteries

kansas · January 2015

Does anyone have a tried and true method of accurately adding water to their batteries and also maintaining a uniform fluid level in each cell?

It is very difficult to see the level of electrolyte in each cell of my battery bank to determine how much water I need to add. Some cells are just more difficult to inspect than others. I added some water using one of the large squeeze droppers from the auto parts store, which was very difficult to regulate. I'm sure that there is now some difference in the fluid level of the individual cells in my batteries, which I think would skew the specific gravity readings to some extent. The difference is not a large amount, I think, but I can't really measure the fluid levels between. I'm confident, however, that none of the cells is overfilled.

I'm thinking of getting a glass pipette to use to add water. What about a way of measuring the current fluid levels. Does anyone use something like a dipstick? I assume that, like the pipette, the "dipstick" would need to be glass. Perhaps I could use the pipette for both functions if I could add a stop to the glass to index the top of each cell.

Your suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,

Bill in Kansas

Mountain Don · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

I use a battery water filler similar to this one on Amazon, only mine is about 40 years old dating from the times before all automotive batteries became maintenance free.

http://www.amazon.com/Plews-75-030-Capacity-Plastic-Battery/dp/B000RFUF12

Fill the container with distilled water, insert the spout into a cell and push down. Water flows in as air bubbles out. Keep it pressed down against the battery until it stops gurgling. Done!

91y3IcEaUgL._SX450_.jpg

gww1 · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

Bill
My batteries are in a garage and I don't worry about spillage too much. I usually fill after my monthly eq when my batteries are the warmest and charged the best as possible. I use a drink bottel untill I have about a quarter of the gallon gone and then use the gallon and try to hit the hole. I wear a head lamp and fill to when it just touches the bottom of the vent tube. I believe this is a tiny bit to much but have never had an overflow. Can't tell the water level if it doesn't touch the vent tube.
I miss a little with the gallon jug but not too bad if carefule. Couldn't do it without the head lamp.
Hope this helps
gww

PS want one of those fillers pictured.

softdown · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

That is one cool item. Thanks! Off grid solar expertise and competence is the most exciting thing I could ever imagine. Ten different subjects all rolled into one. So cool.

Mountain Don wrote: »

I use a battery water filler similar to this one on Amazon, only mine is about 40 years old dating from the times before all automotive batteries became maintenance free.

http://www.amazon.com/Plews-75-030-Capacity-Plastic-Battery/dp/B000RFUF12

Fill the container with distilled water, insert the spout into a cell and push down. Water flows in as air bubbles out. Keep it pressed down against the battery until it stops gurgling. Done!

Organic Farmer · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

Mountain Don wrote: »

I use a battery water filler similar to this one on Amazon, only mine is about 40 years old dating from the times before all automotive batteries became maintenance free.

http://www.amazon.com/Plews-75-030-Capacity-Plastic-Battery/dp/B000RFUF12

Fill the container with distilled water, insert the spout into a cell and push down. Water flows in as air bubbles out. Keep it pressed down against the battery until it stops gurgling. Done!

Thank you for sharing that

Anawa · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

Here's something you may want to look at for accurate watering. It's pricey, but seems to be a solution to this articular problem of proper battery maintainence. I've ordered one to find out. As expensive as a 800Ah battery bank is, this ain't much of an investment.

http://www.flowsystemsusa.com/battery-watering-gun.html

Anawa

BB. · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

Looks neat... Like that it has adjustable depth.

-Bill

ramloui · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

I like Water Rite but I'm wondering what kind of setup is needed to supply the DI water to the gun. Is it as simple as connecting the water bottle to the inlet and let gravity do the rest?

kansas · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

That was my question, too about the Water Rite. If you use DI or distilled water for your batteries, it looks like you might need to supply it to the water gun at 15 PSI. That would be tough for me. Thanks for all the thoughts and suggestions. I'm going to see what I can cobble together with a glass pipette to maintain my 6 cells.

biggerhammer · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

We are off grid, in a place with VERY hard water, so this 'water can' will be perfect. Thank you for sharing it!

Cariboocoot · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

biggerhammer wrote: »

We are off grid, in a place with VERY hard water, so this 'water can' will be perfect. Thank you for sharing it!

Do not add anything but distilled water to your batteries.

'Hard' water has minerals that will raise the pH and neutralize the acidity of the electrolyte, thus killing the battery sooner than it would ordinarily fail.

2twisty · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

I bought mine at my local O'Reilly Auto parts store. I think it was $10-$15.

CDN_VT · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sqRvUzqDCE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXpbOgjybMg

Ralph Day · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

As accurate as you need to be just get a 1`cup measuring cup. Fill for cell 1, fill to proper level, measure how much you used out of the cup and log it on your records. 150 or 140ml, eh,...I usually hit 50 ml increments. 250-200ml per cell per month in the summer, 100 ml in the winter (heavier cycling in the summer, float on utility a lot of the winter months).

But then mine are easily acessable and I can get over each cell to see the level of the electrolyte when adding.

Ralph

elesaver · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

On ebay: $10.99 with free shipping

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mighty-Max-Auto-Shut-Off-2-Quart-Capacity-Battery-Filler-/380990941436?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58b4d468fc

If the link doesn't work, just search for battery watering

Blackcherry04 · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

elesaver wrote: »

On ebay: $10.99 with free shipping

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mighty-Max-Auto-Shut-Off-2-Quart-Capacity-Battery-Filler-/380990941436?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58b4d468fc

If the link doesn't work, just search for battery watering

You'll find a couple issues with using this type water container.

1) They don't hold enough water and are hard to fill.

2) The spout is spring loaded and the flow is started and stopped by pushing it down on the well. There is no way to start or stop the flow unless the well depth happens to exactly the same as the spout length so you'll end up over or under filling the cell because you cannot see into it.

3) The spout length can be to long and when you push into the well and into the plates and bend them and create a short if your not careful.

waynefromnscanada · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

I've never stressed about getting electrolyte levels "perfect" when adding water. As long as it's in the rough area of where the level should be, that's it for me and I get along fine. In my opinion I have too many other things to stress over. What do I use to add water? A long spouted plant watering plastic thingy intended for watering African violets, along with a light shining down the holes so I can see when the level rises to the ring.
Like this: http://www.repotme.com/african-violets/watering-cans/Watering-Can-Violet.html

vtmaps · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

waynefromnscanada wrote: »

I've never stressed about getting electrolyte levels "perfect" when adding water. As long as it's in the rough area of where the level should be, that's it for me and I get along fine.

On the subject of not getting stressed about electrolyte levels:
I recently did a site visit to an off grid system, and the owner must surely win the award for low stress battery watering.

His 24 volt system has 8 L-16 batteries and he fills each of his cells to the top, and then uses a turkey baster to suck out about a half inch. The excess is sent down the drain (utility sink is next to the battery box). He has learned from experience to suck out just enough that the battery doesn't overflow when he charges it.

For any new folks reading this... Do NOT emulate this practice.

On the other hand his batteries are starting their eleventh year, have never been equalized, and now need to be replaced. Distilled water 'floats' on top of electrolyte, so the fluid that he sucks out is probably mostly water. To whatever extent he is sucking out sulfuric acid (and therefore reducing sulfuric acid concentration), he is reducing the capacity of the battery, but is also prolonging its life by reducing internal corrosion. Overfilling the battery also reduces the sulfuric acid concentration, and may also slow down death by corrosion.

Bottom line for this system: He could get by with just 4 L-16 batteries. By starting with a bank that is twice the size it needs to be, he can slowly ruin it for 11 years. He would be better off with 4 batteries every 7 years than with 8 batteries every 11 years.

--vtMaps

waynefromnscanada · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

vtmaps wrote: »

On the subject of not getting stressed about electrolyte levels:
I recently did a site visit to an off grid system, and the owner must surely win the award for low stress battery watering.

His 24 volt system has 8 L-16 batteries and he fills each of his cells to the top, and then uses a turkey baster to suck out about a half inch. The excess is sent down the drain (utility sink is next to the battery box). He has learned from experience to suck out just enough that the battery doesn't overflow when he charges it.
For any new folks reading this... Do NOT emulate this practice.

Good Grief!!! WOW!! It's stressing my brain to grasp the idea that anyone would actually do this. But on the other hand, I'll always remember a wonderful bit of wisdom an old lady once told me: "It takes all kinds to make up the world, I'm just glad I'm not one of them!" HUH????

mmag · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

it looks like flow systems has a water deionizer for that gun that says you can use straight tap water.

elesaver · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

On ebay: $10.99 with free shipping

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mighty-Max-A...item58b4d468fc

I bought this and received it two days ago. It is great! I first tested to see if it would hit any of the battery fins/plates and it would not. It just seemed a lot quicker and easier using this than my old method...basting bulb. I didn't spill anything and nothing was overfull. Just passing this experience on for those who may be interested.

BB. · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

The Ebay listing has gone away--I think it was:

Attachment not found.

Search for a Mighty Max Battery Filler Jug.

-Bill

Vic · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

elesaver wrote: »

I bought this and received it two days ago. It is great! I first tested to see if it would hit any of the battery fins/plates and it would not. It just seemed a lot quicker and easier using this than my old method...basting bulb. I didn't spill anything and nothing was overfull. Just passing this experience on for those who may be interested.

Hi elesaver,

Glad that you found a fill bottle that works with your batteries. It is good to be very careful, as Blackcherry04 mentioned where the space above the plates is small, and the tip may hit the plates or separators.

Two other things, in general, about these fill bottles;
1. On larger batteries with a large reserve volume and space above the plates, the fill shutoff will happen too late, and the batteries can be over-filled because the tip of the filler does not protrude into the Vent Well (the fill tube of the battery) far enough.

2. And, also on larger batteries the fill rate is SO PAINFULLY SLOW that it can take considerably more than one hour to fill 24 cells -- with about 2 - 2.5 gallons of distilled water.

These jugs are neat, clean, and usually only dribble a couple of drops here and there, they keep the water (inside) clean between uses, and so on, but are quite time-consuming to use on larger batteries.

I still use one of these with a modified tip to accommodate batteries that have a maximum fill level about one inch below the standard fill level of the stock bottle. And only use it on the rear row of cells that are farthest to reach and see into well. The other three rows of this single string of batteries are filled by pouring the water into them from a clean cup.

Also, it is a good idea to rinse the tip with distilled water before each use, to remove dust and possible contaminants..

FWIW. Vic

CDN_VT · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

http://www.plews-edelmann.com/products/funnels-fillers-and-measures/75-030/

Plews 75-030
Napa +
12.50 each

Adjust the level with the nozzle

we have used these since the 60's on trucks to boats who have tight access

VT

elesaver · January 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

I went back to my purchases and tracked the item through the seller's store. If you want to pursue, try this link. It is still the same price with free shipping:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mighty-Max-Golf-Cart-Deep-Cycle-Battery-Water-Filler-Bottle-w-Auto-Shut-Off-/191442456752?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c92dc10b0

softdown · February 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

I have the Plews unit. Which appears to be the same as the Ebay and Napa unit. It isn't near as slow as someone implied. Certainly not fast either. It overfills my 8D's by at least a couple tablespoons. With experience, one could likely find a time interval that worked pretty well. I think 10 seconds/cell would have been good.

Must be a good way to add ~1/2" to the nozzle length.

Mangas · February 2015

Re: Accurately adding water to batteries

I've been using these Plews battery fillers for years. Simple, easy to use and inexpensive.

With 64 batteries to top up every 4 months or so, they have been really durable.

softdown · July 2015

So far, it appears that the Plews type unit is what most people use. There is surely a better unit out there. The Plews type unit is not adjustable. So it will either underfill or overfill the majority of batteries. The Plews type unit is also a tad small for large solar banks and a tad slow.

Whatever you do....don't check battery levels with a cigarette type lighter. Odds of a battery explosion are very high.

vtmaps · July 2015

softdown wrote: »

Whatever you do....don't check battery levels with a cigarette type lighter. Odds of a battery explosion are very high.

Assuming there was no explosion risk, how would you use a cigarette lighter to check electrolyte level in a battery?

--vtMaps

softdown · July 2015

A friend of a friend did exactly this. Used the flame to illuminate the inside of the battery cap hole prior to adding water. Battery exploded. A friend was there and knew enough to use a LOT of water on the battery acid that landed on his body.. So...things were apparently ok.

We need a "battery fluid adder unit" that is adjustable. Getting tired of boiling out excess fluid. With the Plews type unit, you don't know where you are until it stops.

vtmaps wrote: »

Assuming there was no explosion risk, how would you use a cigarette lighter to check electrolyte level in a battery?

--vtMaps

Accurately adding water to batteries

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