Community Forums

THenne1713 · 03-28-2021, 08:25 AM

If your batteries are using standard lead posts, BEST PRACTICE is to remove clean anytime you service the battery. WHY, you ask? Because a SLIGHT film of LEAD OXIDE corrosion (that you cannot see until the terminal is remove from the post) can STOP a battery from charging over about 70-75%... BRIGHT AND SHINY IS WHAT YOU WANT to get/ keep that 12.6-12.7vdc (100%) charge status

THenne1713 · 03-28-2021, 08:35 AM

Joyce, What you said about wires makes me suspect you may have (BLACK/ WHITE) where BLACK=POS (WHITE=NEG) vs RED/BLACK where RED=POS+ and (BLACK=NEG)??????? Never heard of a NEG going to a Start SWITCH? RECOMMEND you verify carefully before disconnecting anything?

egwilly · 03-28-2021, 08:35 AM

I bought a battery fill kit on Amazon that replaces the caps with a automatic filler. You just connect the pump tube to the line, place the other end in a jug of distilled water, and squeeze it until it stops. Easy, no mess.

But, are you sure your batteries are the lead acid refill type, and not AGM? It's not feasible the mfg company routed cables over the filler caps.

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O Lloyd · 05-30-2021, 10:47 AM

I searched out this thread because I've just spent a couple of hours on the 'net, looking for "proof" that regular, household, tap water will actually cause enough damage, with all its "mineral content" to actually shorten the life of any battery.

Can't find any proof.
Lot's of info and "claims", but no proof.

I've always used distilled water, because that's what I was told to do.
A buddy of mine has a total of 6 batteries in his RV set up and has always used tap water. And he grew up working in a service station with his Dad, and they always used tap water. He gets "normal" service life out of his batteries.

I need to replace the one 12 volt battery in my MH.
As I have faithfully used distilled water, it should have lasted longer than if I had used tap water. It didn't. This will be its 6th year (Costco, Kirkland, deep cycle). I've found lots of people who have used regular tap water, and got just as good results.

Has anyone ever taken a "tap water" battery apart and examined the plates for mineralization? I good test would be, take a brand new, "dry" battery, fill half the cells with "tap" and half with distilled, run for several years, keeping topped up with expected water, type and when "dead", take it apart and see if there's any difference. And if it was actually the tap water that caused it to die.

Don't mean to start a "battery-water" war.
Just my 2¢ (CDN).
O LLOYD

96 Wideglide · 05-30-2021, 10:55 AM

Keep in mind, not all 'tap' water is created equally!
The tap water at my home has a fraction of the mineral content as say South Arizona!

With that said, I use nothing but distilled water in my batteries, and cooling systems.

CRV2 · 05-30-2021, 10:57 AM

I suspect that the real reason to use distilled water is that there is no way for the battery manufacturers to know if someone's tap water is high in minerals, therefore the recommendation is made to assure that the water used in the battery doesn't have a lot of minerals in it. If you have good water with low mineral content then I wouldn't worry about using it in a battery. ~CA

O Lloyd · 05-30-2021, 11:43 AM

In all my research (extensive but not exhaustive), I only saw mention of one major battery manufacturer who voids the warranty if a "recommended water source" isn't used.
Don't see how they could prove it, nor enforce it, but it sort of covers them if someone has used a "battery additive" and then the battery failed after a year or two.

I'm beginning to wonder if the whole notion of having to use distilled water, came from bygone days when rural folks had no tap water, only "well water", pond water or some other source with questionable integrity. And battery makers didn't want all that sulfur-laden or iron-laden water in their nice new lead acid batteries.

O LLOYD

BigBillSD · 05-31-2021, 08:34 AM

If you must use flooded batteries then you WANT to buy Battery Watering Technologies watering system. It cost about $100 for 4 6v batteries. It has small white floats that you can see at a glance when you open the battery c compartment. If you cannot see them, hook up the water pipe and hand squeeze pump and give them a couple squeezes till you see the white floats again. They were vastly superior than the others that had nothing to indicate if you needed to hook it up or not. I checked mine each weekend, and only had to hook up maybe every 2 or 3 weeks. Although occasionally I had to add water every week.

I since moved on to LiFePo4 batteries 18 months ago and really wonder why I bought new Flooded batteries 5 years ago. Now I don't even need to open the compartment anymore. And they hold so much juice I usually turn off the charger when in a campground as its not needed for a week at a time. I turn it back on the night prior to heading out and they are back to 100% in the morning.

There are so many things to maintain on our RV's, not worrying about the batteries constantly is a pleasure that I wish I had invested in earlier. -Bill

THenne1713 · 06-01-2021, 10:19 AM

YOU SAY <<negative cables looks like there are 2. Which one should I remove first.
Looks like there are 2. One goes to inverter and the other goes to the switch to start the engine>>
Sounds like you have the typical CONFUSION of RV MFR using BLACK/ WHITE CABLES where (BLACK=POS+) and you were trained with RED/ BLACK where BLACK=NEG-)? (The clue was you said NEG went to Start Switch.) This causes MANY to install new batteries backwards and BLOW the REVERE CURRENT FUSES and then come here looking for help? PLease READ Battery Polarity LABELS on battery before removing, best= take pictures. LUCK

ArtJoyce · 06-03-2021, 09:28 PM

I use one of those squeezy water bottles with distilled water.

THenne1713 · 06-04-2021, 11:25 AM

re: Battery, Why risk w/ wrenches? Because if you are adding water, you very likely have UNSEEN CORROSION between terminal and battery; CLEANING TERMINALS and reinstalling is step 3-4 of "routine battery maintenance" BTW, adding too much water will likely give corrosion overnight, because overfill will cause acidic mist to vent from cell caps. EVEN that SLIGHTLY corroded terminals can STOP a battery from charging over about 70-75%, and routine terminal cleaning is mandatory for best battery performance and life. HOPE this helps. BTW, if you wait until terminal corrosion so bad that things stop working, expect 1-3yr battery life. My last batteries lasted 7yr (coach) and 10yr (chassis)