removing the house batteries to charge them

[ClarkBowen]

Is there any problem with unhooking all the house batteries, taking them home and using a charger on them? The only way I can charge the batteries now is to run the generator and it looks like it might take quite some time to get them all up to the max charge that way.
Is this even a good idea?
Someday I want to remove them anyway as the autofill system was left open and the overfill ran onto the battery compartment floor - removing all the paint. I was considering having the compartment floor Line-Xed then.
Any thoughts about that?

Thanks,

Clark

[ClarkBowen]

Is there any problem with unhooking all the house batteries, taking them home and using a charger on them? The only way I can charge the batteries now is to run the generator and it looks like it might take quite some time to get them all up to the max charge that way.
Is this even a good idea?
Someday I want to remove them anyway as the autofill system was left open and the overfill ran onto the battery compartment floor - removing all the paint. I was considering having the compartment floor Line-Xed then.
Any thoughts about that?

Thanks,

Clark

[Algoma]

Removing the batteries and charging at home with a good charger is the absolute best thing to do.

I covered the bottom of my battery tray with Dri-Dek that I got from West Marine. I also use this in the bottom of my shower to help with draining.

[EngineerMike]

Good to wire brush the corroded batt floor to a clean, bright finish, hit it with Prep Solv (get it where you buy your automotive finish materials), then prime 2 coats & paint. I'm thinking the bed coat systems would trap acid and exacerbate future issues w/leaky batt's. Paint gives easily checkable surface.
Rubber matts would be nice under the batt's, especially if they drained.

[OldForester]

Another very good way to clean the battery compartment right after you remove the batteries is to use household ammonia. Brush it on, or apply it any way that works for you, let it set a minute or two and hose it off. Repeat if you really need to. This is what the maker of Lifeline Batteries uses to clean his battery shop. It leaves no residue, like baking soda. Then you could paint like E-Mike says. I've found the ammonia trick just cleans the battery compartment quickly, cheaply and leaves it ready for whatever you want to do with it.

[ClarkBowen]

Thanks very much for all your help.

And Merry Christmas too.

Clark

[Ted III]

Is ammonia & sulfuric acid a happy couple?

[OldForester]

Ted III,

I rinsed the compartment first. I know the Lifeline battery shop uses it all the time to clean their shop, and they must have a lot more sulfuric acid hanging around than we have in our battery compartments. It sure did a job on my compartment.