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how to.....top up batteries?


lemontoes

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I have left and left the topping up of my batteries because I really didn't want to do it wrong! I know where to put the water, but because of the position of the leisure batteries (Numax m135), I can't get my head in to see directly down the holes, and if I could I'm not sure what it would mean. I have been told (over the phone by a friend) that I should just cover the plates, but not to put too much in there..... how much is too much? The starter battery I can actually see what I am doing and down each hole is a little oval reservoir filled with water...does this need some more? I can't see that they wouldn't want topping up as I have had the boat since September!

 

sorry to be such an idiot,

 

lemon :lol:

 

edited to say......... I have searched but couldn't find anything specific enough

Edited by lemontoes
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Use a torch and a mirror to see the levels. If they need topping up use one of the distilled water bottles that has a flexible tube and do it a little at a time. As you look in, if you can see the top of the battery plates above the water level then top up until just covered, you need to do this for each cell. If you can't see the plates above the water level then they should be OK. If in doubt ask someone to help you, most will.

 

PS You're not an idiot, you've proved that by asking first.

 

Edit to add, don't look directly/closely into the battery with the naked eye or light a match. :lol:

Edited by johnjo
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These are supposed to make the whole job a lot easier, provided you have enough clearance to get them in......

 

Link to Durite Topping Up Bottle

 

I'm however an old meanie, and still can't bring myself to spend over twenty quid on a plastic bolle, though ! :lol: (I'd rather sprac acid in my face, that make "unnecessary" expense! :lol: )

 

If you do buy one, as detailed in that ad, be aware that former forum contributer Chris W(yles) found a problem with the bottle that required a mod to make it work properly. Make sure you get a modified one!

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Your friend is correct, the battery plates only need to be just covered by the electrolyte (water and acid) Problem is being able to see what your doing! Some batteries are fitted with max/minimum level markers - usually the semi transparent cased batteries - but most are not. To do it properly you might need to disconnect the batteries.

 

Bsed on my experience of toppig up batteries I would say that covering the top of the plates 5mm would be about right.

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Use a torch and a mirror to see the levels. If they need topping up use one of the distilled water bottles that has a flexible tube and do it a little at a time. As you look in, if you can see the top of the battery plates above the water level then top up until just covered, you need to do this for each cell. If you can't see the plates above the water level then they should be OK. If in doubt ask someone to help you, most will.

 

PS You're not an idiot, you've proved that by asking first.

 

Edit to add, don't look directly/closely into the battery with the naked eye or light a match. :lol:

 

Thanks

 

I have been messing about all morning with a mirror and torch, but don't seem to be able to get a clear picture of what is down there, (not made any easier by the inch of water that I have discovered in the engine room bilge, that my glasses keep falling off into........ this afternoons problem!). I'll go back to the boat and have another go.

 

Re the starter battery.... are the plates the stripey bits I can see at the bottom of the oval reservoirs?

 

Alan.... that bottle thing looks just the job.........I am sorely tempted, though my boat fund has been emptied by my last fitting out project!

 

 

edited to try and make sense!

 

To do it properly you might need to disconnect the batteries.

 

 

I think if that were the case , I would have to get someone to come and do it.......I am learning to do some things, but slowly!

Edited by lemontoes
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snip

Re the starter battery.... are the plates the stripey bits I can see at the bottom of the oval reservoirs?

snip

I think if that were the case , I would have to get someone to come and do it.......I am learning to do some things, but slowly!

 

Yep stripy bits are the plates.

 

Removing the batteries is an easy job, although batteries are quite heavy so bear that in mind.

 

Most set ups are a row of batteries mounted on a steel tray sometimes locked into place with securing clip. Cables are attached by a nuts that require a 10mm spanner (typically).

 

Remove the negative cables (black) first to prevent sparking.

 

Take a picture first so you know how to reconnect them.

 

Good website here explaining how to do it. Ok not a boat, but doesn't make any diffrence really.

 

http://www.handymanlyness.com/archives/aut...y/cleaning.html

Edited by bag 'o' bones
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For hard to access batteries I use a hydrometer (a very usefull tool to have around batteries anyway), poke the floppy end in the hole and squeeze the bulb, if you can hear feel bubbles there is at least some electrolite in your cells if there are no gurgling noises, add distilled/deionised water using the hydrometer as a pipette until it does bubble. Works for me anyway :lol:

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Thanks for all the replies....I just made the decision to buy one of those bottles, and tidied everything away in order to get on with the next job......then I read the next post and think I may try and disconnect the batteries, and take them out. Actually I'll have to wait until my son gets home from school with his camera phone first...... meanwhile I'll have to sort out the bilge..... :lol:

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Thanks for all the replies....I just made the decision to buy one of those bottles, and tidied everything away in order to get on with the next job......then I read the next post and think I may try and disconnect the batteries, and take them out. Actually I'll have to wait until my son gets home from school with his camera phone first...... meanwhile I'll have to sort out the bilge..... :lol:

And thanks from me too - I have the job of installing new batteries this weekend. I had neglected to check the electrolyte regularly, and they've only lasted 2 years (not helped by a shoreline charger which I thought could be left permanently on - not so). I now have a proper charger!

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If in doubt take it out! Its as bad in the hit and miss solutions to overfill a battery as much as it is to allow the plates to be uncovered. Are you sure you have top up batteries? most modern batteries are maintenance free. I remember knackering a battery in a former life because it was gell filled but still had removable tops. Whilst the batteries are out take the opportunity to wire brush/descale the battery compartment and repaint with red lead or similar. Also descale all the leads and terminals as they tend to build up a coating over a period of time.

 

Just googled numax says they are maintenance free sealed for life.

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Hi

 

We did this job over the weekend. Have had the batteries for over a year and had not looked at them, mainly due to poor access, but they are not sealed jobbies, so we had to do it some time. Bought the filler bottle last year too, and had never taken it out of the packet until the weekend! But it was very simple to use (once we put the rubber seal on!).

 

We removed all batteries to do the job, but were not sure how much to put in, and probably overfilled them because of this.

 

The point of my contribution to this thread is to say that we have been told by our friendly boat engineer that if we have overfilled them, then no harm done, it will just "burn off".

 

Hope this helps

 

Jo.

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If in doubt take it out! Its as bad in the hit and miss solutions to overfill a battery as much as it is to allow the plates to be uncovered. Are you sure you have top up batteries? most modern batteries are maintenance free. I remember knackering a battery in a former life because it was gell filled but still had removable tops. Whilst the batteries are out take the opportunity to wire brush/descale the battery compartment and repaint with red lead or similar. Also descale all the leads and terminals as they tend to build up a coating over a period of time.

 

Just googled numax says they are maintenance free sealed for life.

 

'maintainance free' can be a bit misleading. I've seen normal wet acid batteries badged as such, but they still have removable covers if they require topping up. Problem is with batteries if they are overcharged they begin to gas and loose their water hence requiring topping up (and shopping for a 'clever' charger that automatically shuts down to avoid gassing when the battery is full)

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I don't know if I'm doing something unapproved, but I have the same access problem as you and I tend to check the level by poking a short length of clean stick into each hole till I feel the plate. If it comes out with a few mm of wet on it, I leave it be. Otherwise I squirt water in and measure again. I suspect I overfilled last time though

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Odana and your stick, and anyone using those bottles. If the bottle is the type I'm thinking of, with a little valve thing in the end that lets the water into the battery, the engineers at Lucas used to have kittens if I mentioned them*. Be careful not to damage the plates by poking about vigorously in the battery with a stick or in trying to top up.

 

Richard

 

*yes, I know that Lucas used to sell the battery top-up bottles. Ironic isn't it

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Just googled numax says they are maintenance free sealed for life.

That doesn't sound right to me....

 

The OP said they have Numax M135.

 

Surely that's just the "standard" 135 Ah, marine battery, and needs topping up ?

 

 

Be careful not to damage the plates by poking about vigorously in the battery with a stick or in trying to top up.

Don't most batteries have the separators sticking up further than the actual plates ?

 

I'd have thought the end of anything you put in, (including a hydrometer), rests on the separators, not the plates, doesn't it ?

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<snip>

 

Don't most batteries have the separators sticking up further than the actual plates ?

 

I'd have thought the end of anything you put in, (including a hydrometer), rests on the separators, not the plates, doesn't it ?

 

Possibly. My advice is about 30 years old.

 

Richard

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Odana and your stick, and anyone using those bottles. If the bottle is the type I'm thinking of, with a little valve thing in the end that lets the water into the battery, the engineers at Lucas used to have kittens if I mentioned them*. Be careful not to damage the plates by poking about vigorously in the battery with a stick or in trying to top up.

 

Richard

 

*yes, I know that Lucas used to sell the battery top-up bottles. Ironic isn't it

 

The bottle we have rests on the edge of the opening which opens the end valve so doesn't touch the plates or seperators.

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The bottles are good, visibilty on our batteries is impossible and removal is very difficult so that's what I always use. They don't touch the plates at all but instead they rest on the neck of the filler and shut off when the liquid reaches the bottom of their tube, however a little bit of water does come out of them every time even if the battery doesn't need any, so if you were to use it too often you could probably overfill the battery.

 

A friend of mine thought he'd use the "poke a stick in there" technique; it's a shame he used a metal screwdriver instead of a stick though!

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I deal with batteries most days at work, and what people have said above sounds right, poking with a stick is alright as long as it doesn't conduct and bits won't flake off it or anything and contaminate it. If you have access to water from a relatively soft water area (I was always told Sheffield was OK) then it's alright to use that instead of distilled....

 

Don't know anything about boat batteries, are they all generally wet cell type, or are valve regulated cells used....reason being I can pick up lots of those from work...

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You can't leave that hanging Allan... What happened?

A loud bang - and battery acid sprayed up through the filler hole. Actually surprisingly little damage, but it's a good thing he didn't have his face too close to the batteries.

 

In similar vein, a friend of mine who worked in a telephone exchange, was cleaning the inside of the windows, up a ladder. He put his galvanised bucket down on a handy-looking couple of metal bars. Bucket and contents were vaporised, the whole exchange was full of steam.

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I have good viz on the boat, but some of my old cars need a mirror to see the water level. If you get mirror, torch and eye in the correct alignment, you get a reflection from the water surface and its easy to see whether the plates are exposed or not. If you see a full bright disc, the water is over the plates, if you see a split disc, the plates are exposed. I use an old, small wash-up liquid bottle to add the dist water.

 

I use battery conditioners on my old cars and I find that while they do keep the charge up, they also "boil off" quite a bit of water, meaning regular checks and top-ups. So I don't leave the B-C active all the time, just a few days on and say a week off.

 

SWMBOs old car, which is in use every day and therefore never gets externally charged, never needs topping up.

Edited by jake_crew
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