Add water to the battery. If there is no distilled water for the battery, is it possible to pour boiled water How to add water to the battery

Owners of serviced car accumulators need to regularly monitor the electrolyte level in them and, if necessary, top up pure H2O free of minerals and organic additives. This water is called distilled water and is an important component of the internal storage fluid. Its task is to maintain the chemical composition of the electrolyte at an optimal level, thereby guaranteeing high-quality battery performance.

Before figuring out how to properly fill the purified liquid into the battery, it is important to remember that tap or boiled water should not be used for this purpose. They contain a lot of foreign impurities (iron, calcium, magnesium, chlorine), which, during the charging process, settle on the metal plates of the battery. This "scale" leads to a decrease in the capacity of the battery and the destruction of its plates. This changes the density of the electrolyte in the battery.

Car owners can buy deeply purified water in a five-liter bottle or other container in a hardware store, a supermarket (in the household appliances department), a pharmacy or at a gas station in the auto cosmetics department, these outlets are supplied by trusted suppliers. The largest manufacturer and supplier of distilled water is the company "SMOLY". You can order and buy distilled water at this page ... You can also get it at home using one of the popular methods of cleansing.

The first method is evaporation. For it, you will need a large saucepan that is tightly closed with a lid, a glass container and a metal grate. A grate is placed in the pot and then it is half filled with plain water. The glass container is installed on the grate in such a way that its neck rises above the water. The pan is tightly closed with a lid and put on gas. Ice is laid on top of it. The water boils, condenses on the chilled lid and collects in a glass container.

The second way is freezing. To do this, running water is poured into a plastic bottle and placed in the freezer. After half of the liquid turns into ice, unfrozen water is drained from the bottle, and the remaining ice is melted. This is the distillate.

And the easiest way is to collect rainwater, which is a natural distillate. True, in large cities, it has a too high percentage of acidic impurities, which makes it unsuitable for use in a rechargeable battery.

How correctly we pour the distillate into the car battery depends on its service life and the health of the car's electrical network. By maintaining a sequence of actions, we thereby extend the life of the battery.

1. Place the battery horizontally. Otherwise, you will either overflow the water or not add it due to the fact that there will be different levels of liquid in the cans.

2. Wipe the surface of the battery along the edges of the plugs to remove any dirt.

3. Soak a cloth in a soda solution and wipe the cans with it to neutralize the sulfuric acid that has accumulated there during the charging process.

4. Unscrew the caps, taking care not to get the electrolyte on your hands (it is better to wear gloves).

5. Fill a small rubber bulb with purified water and carefully pour it into each jar.

6. Inspect the electrolyte level in the cans - the battery liquid should be 1 cm higher than the upper edge of the plates.

7. Just take the excess liquid with a pear in the right volume.

8. Screw the covers back on.

9. Put the battery on charge not earlier than after 3-4 hours.

It is quite easy to add water to the batteries of the new models, made of translucent plastic. On their body there is a scale with the manufacturer's recommended liquid level, which must be adhered to. The situation is more complicated with the batteries of the old type. Here are some tips to help you get the job done. If your battery has a small tab below the neck of the cans (metal or plastic), then add water until the electrolyte level rises 5 mm above it. If there is no tongue, then you need to top up with distilled water until the electrolyte level rises 1 cm above the top of the plates.

And a few more important points: Do not add water to the vehicle autonomous power supply if you have just turned off the engine. The battery must stand for several hours before opening it. In the same way, it is impossible to turn on the internal combustion engine immediately after adding distilled water to the battery. The battery must be left standing for at least a few hours, otherwise it may boil.

An excellent alternative to distillate isdeionized water ... It is more pure than distilled, more precisely - 100 times, and can also be used for filling into a battery.

Very often I am asked a question about a car battery, namely, why does it need distilled water? Why is it generally poured, what is the benefit or harm from it? Why not pour the usual from the tap, what will happen? YES, and in general how much it needs to be poured. As you can see, despite the prostate, the design of the questions is just a lot, and they are all associated with this fluid. To be honest, people who understand a little about the composition of the electrochemical liquid of a battery will not ask such questions, but for beginners this information will be very useful, so read on ...

First, a little definition.

- this is an indispensable part of an electrochemical liquid, simply an electrolyte, which plays a very important role, namely, creates a composition of the required density and properties. If there was no water in the composition, then the battery did not work as it should.

What does it mean? YES everything is simple - the electrolyte consists of 35% and 65% distilled water. If you just pour in sulfuric acid, then its "crazy" concentration would simply melt everything (even if not immediately, but she would have done it for sure). Water lowers the concentration to the desired limit, then the acid begins to work in creation, and not destruction. Also, with this ratio, the processes of accumulation of electricity in the electrolyte begin to occur during charging. What then allows this charge to be spent.

What is distilled water?

And really, what is it? To be honest, this is the question of the 6th - 7th grade of a general education school, where they begin to delve deeply into physics and chemistry.

This is nothing more than just "H2O" - that is, the pure composition of water, only two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen. There are no impurities or salts - absolute purity.

If you answer the question - why it is impossible to fill the battery with ordinary water from the "tap", then the answer is very simple:

The composition that flows with you from the tap can hardly be called a "distiller" because it contains not only the notorious H2O, but also a bunch of all kinds of impurities, especially salts, lime (in low concentrations), chlorine, etc.

If it is poured into a battery, then these impurities will inevitably settle on the lead plates of the battery, which will lead to a decrease in the battery capacity. Thus, ordinary water will simply destroy your battery, so it cannot be poured.

Why exactly this ratio?

Now, many may ask the question - why exactly such a ratio of acid and distilled water? THEN there is one mass fraction of acid and two mass fractions of water.

This is done for several reasons:

• There should be enough acid, because when the battery is discharged, it is consumed, the density of the electrolyte drops - salts are released onto the plates. And when charging, on the contrary, water is consumed, the density of the acid increases. If there is not enough acid, then the process of charging and discharging will not be as efficient. Therefore, now the density of many batteries is approximately 1.27 g / cm3.
• If there is not enough acid, the electrolyte will simply freeze at sub-zero temperatures. A discharged battery can turn into ice already at - 3, - 5 degrees.
• If you pour in a lot of acid, much more (for example, 2 mass fractions, and one mass fraction of water), then it can negatively affect the plates. More salts will settle, and this concentration will destroy the plates faster.

This combination was derived empirically, through a fairly large number of tests.

Why is water being poured into the battery, and not electrolyte?

Everything is also simple - during operation, the battery heats up (it also heats up in the summer, in the heat), when charged, the banks can boil. At these moments, distilled water evaporates from the battery - after all, this is its normal state (evaporation when heated, simply turns into steam). But the acid remains, it is not "volatile" - accordingly, the concentration of the acid increases, and the concentration of water decreases. The density can grow up to 1.4 g / cm3. In order to bring the electrolyte inside the battery to a normal state, you need to replenish this evaporated water, so we add it, the acid is in the right proportion.

If you add electrolyte, then you just mix, say - 1.4 and 1.27 (which you purchased) and you get about 1.33 g / cm3 - which is already a lot! We remember about the precipitation of salts and the destruction of the plates.

So you need to add just distilled water, for the desired density, and not electrolyte! When mixed, it forms the density required for work.

Remember this rule! In fairness, water was added only to the serviced batteries, because the evaporation there is simply huge. But maintenance-free batteries do not require such careful attention, because there it is located in a closed sealed case - the liquid evaporates, rises and then precipitates again - the cycle is closed.

How much water to add to the battery?

As we have already figured out, if there is a maintenance-free battery, then practically not how much, you can ride for at least five years and never look into it - this is normal! But if your battery is serviced, that is, the plugs are unscrewed from above, you need to constantly monitor the level.

How much distilled water to add is a difficult question - after all, in each case, it will have its own value. It can fluctuate from, because the larger the battery, the more electrolyte it contains, which means you need to add more water.

I advise you to always have a liter bottle in your car (on my old cars it took me 1.5 - 2 months - in the summer, in the winter for 3 - 4 months) - remember if the electrolyte level dropped and your cans are bare, this is a critical condition, an urgent need to understand the level to close the platinum. Otherwise, they may heat up and crumble.

A short video of what level should be.

So that when the electrolyte boils off, its density does not increase significantly, it is necessary to top up distilled water in the battery in a timely manner. How to properly add distilled water to the battery? Let's take a closer look at this process.

Features of pouring distillate

Before starting the process of filling the distillate (electrolyte), the battery must be prepared. It must be turned off, removed, installed on a flat surface, cleaned of dust and dirt. Cleaning the battery is a must, since even the smallest particles of dirt, if ingested, can lead to its complete failure. The easiest way to clean the battery is with a solution of regular baking soda.

There are special marks inside the power supply indicating the minimum and maximum level for the distillate.

To prevent dirt from getting into the battery, use an ordinary syringe to fill with distilled water. It will allow you to pour liquid not only absolutely hygienically, but also as accurately as possible.

After filling, close the battery and reinstall it.

1. Never refill liquid immediately after you turn off the engine. He needs to settle for at least six to eight hours. Only after "resting" can the battery be opened and the filling process can be started.
2. After filling with water, it is also impossible to immediately start the device into operation. Wait at least until the next morning, otherwise it may boil, which will lead to fatal consequences.
3. Topping up with distillate will not make the device new, but will just slightly improve its performance. If the battery has already used up its resource, then it is better to replace it with a new one.
4. Before starting the battery, check the volume of liquid inside. You can start operating it only if the water level is within normal limits.
5. And in no case do not use ordinary water for refilling, but only special distilled water, purchased in special. stores in closed containers. When pouring plain water destruction of the plates and complete failure of the battery will occur.
6. Filling the battery with water should be done at room temperature in a closed room.

Sitting in a car and turning the ignition key, many do not even realize that at this moment complex chemical processes are taking place under the hood. For a long and efficient operation of the battery, the chemical purity of the internal components of the battery is important. Distilled water is the key to a long and trouble-free battery life. If you follow all the rules and do not add ordinary water to the battery, you can avoid many problems with the car.

Role of the electrolyte in the battery

The liquid electrolyte consists of sulfuric acid and pure distilled water. Pure sulfuric acid is capable of melting lead, so it must be diluted to a ratio of about 1.27 g / cm³. Over time, it evaporates and the percentage of acid increases. The battery starts to malfunction, and if this situation is not corrected, the battery will become unusable.

Define, how much water to add into the battery by checking the electrolyte level.

How to check the level at home:

• We turn off the corks
• With a transparent plastic or glass tube, we collect the electrolyte covering the plates. (The body of a simple ballpoint pen is ideal)
• The liquid level should be approximately 1.5 - 2 cm.
• Different control marks are provided depending on the battery manufacturer.

Important! You need to top up only if the level has dropped in at least one of the cans.

Reasons for low electrolyte levels:

• Evaporation of water overcharged and hot weather. It easily turns into steam, but acid does not. In this case, you need to top up with distilled purified water to bring the density to the desired parameter.
• Crack in the case. In this case, you will need to solder the case (if it is made of polypropylene) or dispose of the battery. After restoring the tightness, you will need to top up the ready-made electrolyte.
• Rollover. At the ends of the body there are special drainage holes intended for the escape of vapors and hydrogen during "boiling". If the battery is turned over, some electrolyte will leak out. You will have to raise the level by adding electrolyte.

Characteristics

A universal natural thinner - H2O, or water. Due to its universal properties, it is practically impossible to find pure water without impurities in nature. In any case, it naturally occurs in the form of solutions of salts or oxides.

You can clean the water different ways, the most popular is evaporation and subsequent condensation. In nature, this process occurs within the cycle of evaporation - precipitation. People have accelerated this process through distillation. The device of the distiller is known for its use in moonshine stills - a heating cube, intermediate tanks, a cooler.

Distilled water is an excellent dielectric. Most cleanliness instruments use the principle of measuring the resistance between electrodes immersed in a liquid. For relatively pure water, electrodes lowered by 1 cm at a distance of 2.5 cm between themselves have a resistance of 33 Ohm.

What to replace?

Usually, motorists do not have a question - where to get distilled water? - after all, it is sold in almost every household or auto chemistry store. Industrial purified water is the purest. The quality of the product is checked on a complex expensive equipment, the factory conditions are close to ideal.

What can be refilled if there is no distilled water?

Important! Lying snow is not good- melt water during thaws penetrates lower, carrying impurities in thickness.

Distillation. It is quite possible to carry out cleaning in any kitchen. You can buy a compact distiller, or build it yourself.

The simplest distiller can be prepared in the kitchen with your own hands, for this you will need:

1. Two glass bottles, one of which will have a curved neck.
2. Scotch.
3. Casserole with a volume of 20 liters.
4. Ice pack.

Do not fill the bottle with a straight neck to the end, so that there are thirteen centimeters left to the top. Tape the necks of both bottles with tape. The pot that the water bottle will drop into must be filled to completely cover the bottle. Ice should be on the empty bottle. The water will begin to evaporate and as soon as the second bottle is filled with distillate, the process can be completed.

It is impossible to achieve high quality, but relatively clean water can be obtained.

Useful video

Very interesting video with distillation and testing of water at home:

Why you can't fill in plain water

Diluting the electrolyte with plain water can significantly reduce the efficiency of the battery.

Natural water cannot be clean. The amount of impurities ranges from 0.01% to 0.1%. There is dirt and dust in rain and melt water, in ordinary and boiled water there are salts and minerals that will settle on the plates and destroy them. The resistance will increase, and the battery capacity in the meantime will decrease, the electrical conductivity will change.

Can boiled water be poured into the battery? - No you can not!

Doing this is strictly prohibited. Impurities will settle on the lead plates and interfere with their redox reactions. The contact area between lead and electrolyte is reduced, and the battery is damaged.

It is possible to "kill" the battery by charging it with water with a high content of impurities in one discharge-charge cycle.

Battery maintenance features

The battery on cars is a consumable item - it breaks down over time. The service life can be significantly extended by proper maintenance, which is carried out according to the following rules

• The battery must be charged before servicing.
• By charging and checking the density of honey, it should take 5-7 hours to stop the processes of sulfation of the plates.
• Before topping up, be sure to check the density with a calibrated hydrometer!
• After refilling, charge the battery again. This will mix the electrolyte faster.
• After use, check the electrolyte density and battery capacity again using the load plug.

If the battery capacity drops sharply and the electrolyte becomes cloudy, then it is out of order and it is time to change it.

Many drivers are interested in how to add distilled water to the battery. After all, sometimes this work is necessary to maintain the health of the battery. Most often, this is due to a decrease in the amount of electrolyte in the battery being serviced. Occasionally, this is also recommended for the maintenance-free starter battery. But, you need to do this very carefully, you can ruin such a battery very easily. Therefore, think a few times before adding water to a maintenance-free battery. If the battery is old, in some cases it is easier to purchase a new one.

When to fill?

How do I add distilled water to the battery? First you need to decide when to do this. Let's start with the structure of the battery. It consists of a series of plates that are immersed in a mixture of electrolyte and water. During the operation of the car, the liquid contained in the battery heats up and boils away. More precisely, water boils away, but the electrolyte remains.

Boil down reasons

There are several reasons for this phenomenon. Overcharge is the most common. This usually happens in summer, when the temperature is quite high, but energy consumption, on the contrary, is reduced. In this case, the generator generates current as usual. As a result, the electrolyte temperature rises even more. Result: The battery boils. Part of the water evaporates from it, the rest of the components remain. The same happens when the network is overloaded (short circuit).

The easiest way to top up distilled water is with a pear. The same hydrometer is suitable for this. We just fill it with liquid and transfer it to the battery jar. You can also use a large syringe or watering can. At the same time, do not forget to control the electrolyte level, do not pour water above the recommended level. After the end of the procedure, it is necessary to let the battery settle. Within a few hours, the electrolyte is sufficiently mixed with water. Then check the density, it should be slightly lower than the initial values. You should also recharge the battery a little.

Separately, it should be mentioned, topping up water by car. This can be done even with the engine running. In this case, the motor must work on idle... After that, it is advisable to leave the car running for 30-40 minutes. If necessary, then you can safely ride it will not harm, but the fluids will mix faster.

Conclusion... Every car owner sooner or later faces the need to maintain a starter battery. This is where the question arises, how to add distilled water to the battery. It's actually not difficult. The main thing is not to make a few mistakes. One of them is getting dirt into cans, the other is the use of ordinary water. Use only distilled water for this.