PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-595
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 595
JUNE 2002
Lead-Acid Batteries…
Where Does It Go?
Normal charging causes some
water in the electrolyte to evapo-
rate. But
overcharging drives off
much more water. Add in the
evaporation caused by high tem-
peratures and your batteries can
go dry quickly.
Just adding water won’t always
be enough to save your batteries.
First off, the batteries need to be
checked by your mechanic using
the optical battery/antifreeze
tester, NSN 6630- 00-105-1418. A
fully-charged battery should give
specific gravity readings of 1.280.
Adding Just Enough
More is not better, though. If batteries
are filled to the rim, the electrolyte will
boil out through the vent caps when the
battery charges. Use the battery filler
syringe, NSN 6140-00-808-7325, to
remove any excess.
Make sure, too, that the vent caps are
open so that gases can escape. If the vents
are clogged, the battery can explode.
If you find a battery that needs water, let your mechanic know ASAP. The best
water is distilled water. NSN 6810-00-682-6867 gets a gallon and NSN 6810-00-
356-4936 gets a 5-gal jug.
Another good choice is battery water. It has no more than 100 parts per million of
impurities, and costs a little less than distilled water. Get a gallon with
NSN 6810-00-286-3783 and a 5-gal jug with NSN 6810-00-297-9540.
Use tester
to check
electrolyte
ELECTROLYTE
LEVEL LOW
THIS BIRD’S EYE VIEW SHOWS EYE-SHAPE
ELECTROLYTE
LEVEL OK
Full charge
will be 1.280
boy, without
water, this
heat would be
a
killer!
hey! don’t
forget
about me!
hey! I’m
dying
of
thirst down
here!
Then operators should eyeball the elec-
trolyte levels at least once a day if the
temperature stays above 90°F for a week.
The level should be at least
1
∕
2
inch above
the top of the battery plates. If the filler
hole has a lip or an indicator at the bot-
tom, it should be filled to that.
W
orking in the heat means drinking lots of water so your body stays hydrated.
So… you drink lots of water. Working in the heat also affects the water in lead-acid
batteries. So… you have to keep them hydrated, too.
Fill to
bottom…
not to top
PS 595
JUNE 02
2
If you’re
not
hydrating,
it ain’t the
heat that gets
ya… it’s the
stupidity.
595. 02-05 (C)
4/29/02
5:12 PM
Page 1
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