New battery anomaly

[1930]

Not that I buy new ones often but noticed this in past.

Go to store, pay 120 dollars for a 5 year warranty battery, bring it home only to find out there is no or very low water in it?

Can't even see water in it unless I give it a shake?

 

[ruffdog]

Some batteries are shipped to dealers dry, then the dealer adds the electrolyte (bulk container) and charges it. Did they over charge it and boiled out the "water"? Did they not fill the battery correctly? Who knows...........

 

[Industrial Toys]

That's the one I would have bought too, lol That's what happens when the break buzzer goes off on the line.

 

[Jaylegger]

I bought a digital battery analyzer and now use it to test batteries prior to buying.

 

[Industrial Toys]

That would be good to have. Also, check the date codes and buy the freshest.

 

[RjCorazza]

If a battery is charged with exposed plates, damage has occurred. May not be much, but I wouldn't buy a battery that was treated like that by the retailer.

 

[1930]

I've gone back to 2 different local Walmarts and the batteries are the same, low, some with no fluid showing unless tipped

 

[Industrial Toys]

Maybe the "People Of Walmart" are drinking the ACID. That would explain everything, if you look for the People Of Walmart, on Youtube.

I would have neve thought to check the level of a newly acquired battery.

 

[RjCorazza]

I've gone back to 2 different local Walmarts and the batteries are the same, low, some with no fluid showing unless tipped

Hopefully you are not concluding that low electrolyte is acceptable. Any battery manufacturer will state that charging or using a battery with the plates exposed causes almost immediate plate sulphation (sulfation?) and subsequent loss of capacity.
There is a great site on the web called Battery University that has really good information. They used to have a PDF titled Battery 101 or something similar.
I personally would not accept a battery that was partially filled then charged.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have a E-Gator with 8 new lead acid batteries. The prospect of exposed plates is like some kind of China Syndrome in my mind!

 

[jaydee325]

I no longer purchase flooded cell lead acid batteries that require routine replacement of water. I go with either sealed or absorbed glass mat.

If I were to need a flooded cell lead acid battery, I'd only purchase a dry, unactivated battery with a container of acid supplied. That way, i know it has been filled to the proper level by me and has had the all important initial charge done, again by me.

 

[Industrial Toys]

To me, having some twenty four batteries around here, wouldn't make sense fiancially to go with anything other than flooded. And if I only had a couple, well, I can easily maintain the water level in those. It's actually something I kind of enjoy doing. Beats greasing!