Community Forums

Scenicgreenr · 12-25-2011, 06:36 AM

Checked the battery water in our class c. One of the two house batteries needed water and something new to me ... The engine battery in our Ford V10 needed water. Is that normal? Never saw that when towing a trailer in our pickup

Full.Monte · 12-25-2011, 09:23 AM

Yes, it's normal for batteries to need water...especially when they are heavily used and recharged. Even when not used, water will evaporate from batteries. I am surprised that only one of your house batteries needed water. They should both need water at the same time if they were filled at the same time.

wa8yxm · 12-25-2011, 02:36 PM

Second.. If the battery is the kind where you can add distilled water, Then it is normal to have to add distilled water. Been doing it for what.....44 years (Since I got my first car) ,

Dunner · 12-25-2011, 03:28 PM

No rhyme or reason, but sometimes they can go for months without needing water and other times only weeks. During the summer heat in AZ, I check my batteries more often.

bdaball · 12-25-2011, 08:04 PM

All wet cell batteries will evaporate during normal operation.

Two suggestions to REDUCE but not eleminate water consumption:

1) add 1 oz of mineral oil to each cell. The oil will minimize the splattering and evaporation. (will also help in reducing battery compartment corrosion) Cost: less than $2.00 at Walmart.

2) add a sealed watering system. A inter-connected manifold than runs from cell to cell with a fill nozzle and a hand actuated pump to draw water into the system. Cost: A little more. Check on line for battery fill systems. Note: Mineral oil can still be used with a fill system.

NOTE: neither method will eliminate water consumption which is a normal maintenance item.