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Lead Acid Car Battery Questions

T

techie_alison

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hello,

Posting this on here to avoid the level of confrontation attributed to the
many car groups.

I've taken my battery off the car to give it it's low current top-up charge
as it's been standing for about 4-6 weeks with a parasitic drain from the
car electrictronics.

It's a Calcium battery where the 6 cells have screw plugs so any evaporated
water can be replenished with distilled. 60Ah, 590amps cranking. It's been
taken down to a good 20% of maximum charge. It's about a year old. This
will be it's first real deep drain discharge, with a lead acid being capable
of only about 15-20 deep drains in it's lifetime. It's never been 'abused'
up until now. All cells are good and reporting an equalised voltage level.

The various information on the net has been referenced, such that it's been
on charge at 4A for the previous 24hours. It's now reached about 13.7volts
on the charger (started at about 11v), and about 12.5volts off the charger
allowed to stand for 30 minutes. Roughly indicates a 75%+ capacity based on
a Calcium enriched LA battery.

Two questions;
Q1. The liquid levels have shot up, almost level with the top of the
battery???
Q2. No bubbling is apparent??? (as has traditionally been witnessed when
approaching full capacity)

There's no heat, nothing. What I will say is that when it was flat that the
electrolyte tasted not far off water (no I didn't drink it!!), and now it's
tasting more like acid. (yes I do stick 9volt batteries on my tongue to see
if they're good instead of faffing about for a tester).

I'm guessing that the chemical reaction converting the crystals back to
electrolyte has occured??

This liquid level having increased is pretty amazing?? Never ever witnessed
it before. That's the real question here, why?

Thanks kindly,

AC.
 
T

techie_alison

Jan 1, 1970
0
I'm guessing that the chemical reaction converting the crystals back to
electrolyte has occured??

This liquid level having increased is pretty amazing?? Never ever witnessed
it before. That's the real question here, why?

Erm, half tempted to suspect that I've given away the answer to my own
question;

Solids > Liquids > Gas

In that the crystals have been separated back into sulphric and H2O, a
liquid. Liquids taking up more cm2 than in solid form.

???

Thanks
 
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