I put my battery on a (non-trickle) charger, which failed to cut out when full charge was reached. The battery got the full output of the charger for about 48h, and nearly all the electrolyte evaporated. Is there a chance that the battery can be resurrected? If so, is it enough to fill the battery with water because the battery itself will reconstitute the sulfuric acid during the charging process, or do I need to fill it with fresh electrolyte? If so, where can I buy some?
You can try filling the battery with distilled water, put it on the slow charger for a few hours, and then have the battery load tested to see if it is still good.
Do NOT add electrolyte to the battery.
This question may make a good science project. I don’t think anyone can confidently predict the result. Too many unknowns. Try it and let us know. Be prepared to replace the battery.
You can try to fill the battery and charge it, but even it does pass a load test today there’s no telling how much life the battery may have left. I’d just buy a new battery and be done with it.
Thanks, Guys. I filled the battery with water and found that it appears to have a full charge (no surprise, in a way, as it would have reached full charge before being overcharged), and it cranks the engine apparently normally. The charger I think was supplying about one-half to one amp at the time I discovered the problem, and had been doing so ever since full charge was reached, probably over 36 hours earlier. It was quite hot. I recognize that even though it appears to function normally now, it probably has lost a significant portion of its service life.