Ever heard of "Thermoil"?

[Ol'Joe]

Has anybody ever used "Thermoil" in their batteries? I continue to abuse my house and golfcart batteries by not checking the water levels often enough. When I do check them they are usually way down and I'm sure I'm killing them quickly.
I found some older posts here that were generally favorable to this additive but would feel better if there were some more recent information. Thanks.

[Hitchhiker]

I had a rig about 10 years ago that came with a battery with Thermoil. My only concern with it was to take a specific gravity reading I had to be careful to make certain the hydrometer was inserted past the layer of Thermoil. Too short and the oil would get into the hydrometer and goop it up.

Otherwise, no concerns .... the Thermoil seemed to do what was intended.

[Tincup]

In a previous life, I did maintenance on some of AT&T's remote microwave and repeater sites in New England. Each site had a generator, we would put vegetable oil in each cell of the starting batteries and that slowed down and at one site, eliminated evaporation and cook off of acid. As Hitchiker said though, we did have to make sure the hydrometer was below the oil and not sucked into it.

It worked fine for years, don't know anything about Thermoil.

[DonavonP]

This is a great thread. I tried to find the ingredients for Thermoil but they are not required to file it publicly so it must be harmless.

I just refilled my batteries the other day and they (2) took just short of a gallon of distilled water. I may have to tweak my maintenance schedule a bit.

I think I'll try vegeatable oil in a few months when the water level lowers back down. Looks like about 2 oz per cell is what Thermoil recommends. I never use a hydrometer anyway so that won't be a problem.

[Scratch & Goose]

Hello
I have been using oil in my battries for many years (15).
I use ordinary mineral oil, (local Safeway store).
Works great...
Scratch

[paz]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by DonavonP:
I tried to find the ingredients for Thermoil but they are not required to file it publicly so it must be harmless. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Have you tried asking them for a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)? Thermoil lists a number of industrial and commercial customers and those customers would require an MSDS, so the information should be available. The only question is if they would supply it to an individual.

The MSDS will list the ingredients (not the proportions), altgough it may list some things as proprietary. It will list safety information such as flammability, toxicity, etc. Industrial and commercial customers are required by OSHA to have this information on file and would expect their suppliers to provide it.

[W&D+3]

I currently work for a chemical processing company and will attempt to look up the info on Thermoil on Monday if you dont mind waiting a couple of days. We may have it on file as it rings a bell from production schedule.

[DonavonP]

Hi Paz, thanks for the suggestion. I do use the MSDS for research and find it very helpful. I'm looking forward to what W&D+3 finds out.

The companies that are selling snake oil have been getting real tricky about not publishing their ingredients. Fuel treatments are really bad.

[W&D+3]

Ok sorry took me a few days but the local chemist was out yesterday. From what I can find the product is manufactured by Henkel technologies. Henkel it seems sells it as a concentrate to Thermoil and it is Thermoil that adds the mineral oil. It contains the following.

Phosporic acid 8%
Soluble Manganese less than 10%
Soluble nickel salts less than 5%
soluble iron salts less than 1%
Hydroxylammonium sulphate less than 1%
Mineral Oil to total 100%

Please note that this is not a formula for mixing properties but a Formula for use in calculating risk factors. It is a corrosive liquid (acidic)


Info above is to the best of my knowledge and should not be used to formulate a product on your own.


Hope this helps

[W&D+3]

Ok just got the MSDS from file if anyone needs a look I can scan and upload to ya

[DonavonP]

Thank you W&D+3.

Is that MSDS site your using open to the public?

[W&D+3]

I actually had Henkel fax it to work but.... Now that i am home i did indeed find another msds on the web. Same Company slightly different name and It has water in it instead of mineral oil. Heres the site

http://www.telfordindustries.com.au/Uploads/Images/Ther...0Granodine%20112.pdf

[DonavonP]

Thank you.

[crumgj]

Scratch,
Just so I don't over do it, how much mineral oil do you put in? I've never heard of this being done before.