Battery Electrolyte?

[Scott R]

I purchased an OEM battery that was shipped to me "Dry Charged" Saying just add "electrolyte" Of course no other instructions were furnished. So does "dry charged" mean just add water?

[theFONZ]

I'm pretty sure water is the electrolyte.

[Bob's944]

Standard batteries use water, better use distilled water in case the water in your area is particularly dirty... no need to add chemicals not needed for the reactions happening inside your battery.

[Scott R]

Damn! Then why not just say "add water?" I think I am making this too complicated.

[cduke]

If you want to be technical about it... "add electrolyte" doesn't indicate anything about water. Electrolytes are ions in solution that can transfer an electronic charge through the solution. In the case of car batteries the electrolyte is sulphuric acid. Water is not an electrolyte. In fact, water is a very very good electrical insulator when pure. In my analytical chem lab some tests require very pure water and the purity is measured in megaohms as in how much resistance the water exhibits. The resistance is proportional to purity.

I don't think the battery manufacturer would expect the end user to have sulphuric acid sitting around though. I'd guess it has the sulphuric acid precipitated in a salt form in there and that it will be dissolved when you add water...weird. I'd look for a phone number on the battery and call the company just to be sure it's got the acid already in it instead of just a bunch of lead plates. I'm curious about the phrasing...please let me know what happens.

CD

[justin]

You can get electrolyte at any parts store, I sell it on a daily basis. Its not just water by the way.

[Bob's944]

Dry charged means the acid is already in there, the water has been removed to make it easier to ship. Water is the most common electrolyte in the world, it's only pure when us humans come along and distill it or process it in some way. Typical weight ratios are 35% sulfuric acid and 65% water for the best battery life. If you were to knock over a good battery, then the electrolyte you would need to refill it is sulfuric acid, which is actually a mixture of sulfuric acid and water . You can buy it at most parts stores like that. But when a battery is dry charged... good old water is all it needs to get the ions flowing for the lead acid battery to start working. Use distilled water because the other necessary ingredients are already in there, and typically tap water has alot of other things present in it that are not needed inside your battery, and can be detrimental for it.

[justin]

I need to learn to read better