Frozen battery
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Topsfield, MA
Frozen battery
I have a brand new battery that is frozen or particially frozen. I havn't looked in all the cells but the first one was solid and the 2nd and 3rd were semi-frozen. At one point the battery was low and I made the mistake of putting well water (tap) in it instead of distilled. I duno if that makes much of a difference but I'm wondering if there is anything in particular I should do...
My plan is to bring the battery inside and let it thaw out and attempt to charge it and see if I can get it to work...
My plan is to bring the battery inside and let it thaw out and attempt to charge it and see if I can get it to work...
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From: Virginia
Originally Posted by MustangGT221
Yeah but I've heard that tap water isn't good to put in there...
It would freeze either way on a dead battery...
It would freeze either way on a dead battery...
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: New Jersey
Justin,
As long as the water doesn't crack the lead plates inside, or the plastic housing on the outside, you're probably okay once it thaws out. Most battery damage from freezing is due to water expanding as it becomes ice, breaking the lead plates off the mounts so you have less "cells" so to speak.
Just be careful where you place it indoors - just in case there is a hairline fracture in the case - you don't want to ruin your carpeting or hardwoods. If you have an old cookie pan (large pan with about a 1/2" high lip around the perimeter) you could place the battery on that to protect whatever you rest the battery on.
As long as the water doesn't crack the lead plates inside, or the plastic housing on the outside, you're probably okay once it thaws out. Most battery damage from freezing is due to water expanding as it becomes ice, breaking the lead plates off the mounts so you have less "cells" so to speak.
Just be careful where you place it indoors - just in case there is a hairline fracture in the case - you don't want to ruin your carpeting or hardwoods. If you have an old cookie pan (large pan with about a 1/2" high lip around the perimeter) you could place the battery on that to protect whatever you rest the battery on.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Topsfield, MA
The case isn't split, no bulging either. No signs of leakage. I'll try to see if I can tell whether or not the plates are damaged, but it's hard to see inside and check.
If one is damaged and I don't see it or arn't able to tell, can I still charge it anyway and I'll find out that the plates are bad if it doesn't take/hold a charge? Or is this a little too dangerous (don't need any explosions)?
If one is damaged and I don't see it or arn't able to tell, can I still charge it anyway and I'll find out that the plates are bad if it doesn't take/hold a charge? Or is this a little too dangerous (don't need any explosions)?
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
charging it will not hurt anything. you will know if it is ok when you put it in and ty to start up. good, you go. bad you sit there.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: New Jersey
Originally Posted by MustangGT221
The case isn't split, no bulging either. No signs of leakage. I'll try to see if I can tell whether or not the plates are damaged, but it's hard to see inside and check.
If you get nothing, or less than 13, then something inside broke due to the expanding ice.
Like TJTransport said, it doesn't hurt anything to charge the battery if a plate is broken. Chargers are current limited. Just don't put the charger on the "start" setting
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Topsfield, MA
Well I put my automatic charger on it. It's a small snowmobile battery. It was going at about 5-6 amps at first, not sure what the pattern was on the way down but when I went to check on it I found that it had stopped charging, charger said it was done, and some of the water/acid is leaking out of some of the caps. I screwed them down but they're still leaking. I don't have any baking soda in the house, how else can I neutralize the acid? It's not leaking down the battery to the floor, but if it keeps going it will (doesn't look likely). It's mainly just sitting around the top, but I put a piece of wood down and it's on a concrete floor. How should I handle this? It was putting out 12.18v.
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From: Virginia
The water is probably coming from the battery being overfilled a little bit. If it's fully charged, the leaking is probably over. I would wipe it off with a rag you didn't care about, and then try it.
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Post Fiend
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From: Topsfield, MA
I wiped up the mess, there was still some pressure when I unscrewed one of the caps.
It's now showing about 11.80 volts. I wonder if I should put a light or other load on it and then recharge it....cycle it....?
It's now showing about 11.80 volts. I wonder if I should put a light or other load on it and then recharge it....cycle it....?
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: New Jersey
Originally Posted by MustangGT221
It's now showing about 11.80 volts. I wonder if I should put a light or other load on it and then recharge it....cycle it....?
Originally Posted by tjc transport
or a paper towl.
