Editing Battery (section)

===Battery "Conditioning"===


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Like many things in life, the term “maintenance-free” is only partially true. Lead-acid batteries normally consume some of the water in their dilute sulphuric acid electrolyte during a normal charge-discharge cycle. It actually electrolyzes into hydrogen and oxygen and escapes as gas. So adding water periodically is necessary to keep the plates flooded. Maintenance-free batteries use a calcium alloy of lead instead of an antimony alloy, which reduces the amount of electrolysis. In addition, the amount of free-standing electrolyte above the plates is designed to be much higher in a new maintenance-free battery. This means that there’s enough electrolyte to keep the plates covered even after a few seasons of normal use. So, during the battery’s normal service life there should be no need to add water. Any abnormal electrical system condition or high ambient temperatures may boil off more than the normal amount of water, however. Adding water may extend the service life of these supposedly maintenance-free batteries, although one should be careful not to over dilute the electrolyte level.

The extended use of battery chargers or conditioners may also cause the electrolyte levels in the cells to be reduced. Indeed, some battery conditioners that are marketed as being suitable for permanent connection are not suited for this - they can also reduce the electrolyte level over time. This is because they deliver a constant, albeit very low, current to the battery which drains the cells dry of electrolyte.

A truly intelligent conditioner should not have this problem, as they monitor the charge in the battery, adjusting the charge given to the battery as necessary. The Accumate is one such charger, although there are others that should be suitable.



[[image:battery1.JPG|thumb|left|Battery filler caps may be concealed under a tab or even under a large vinyl label.]][[image:battery3.JPG|thumb|left|A built-in hydrometer eye is a good check, but won’t necessarily find a bad battery.]][[image:battery4.JPG|thumb|left|A Cut Away of a maintenance-free Battery.]]

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