Battery Drain

[Frank Castro]

I just purchased a new battery 12v in August. The battery acid has disappeared. I have 5 individuals that use the tractor. It is a IH 444 Gas. Could leaving the ignitions switch or extra fan (separate switch) on drain the battery acid? Could trying to start the tractor with the PTO engaged Drain the battery? Any help appreciated. Thanks

 

[Bob M]

Most likely the battery is being overcharged. Extended overcharging dissociates the battery acid ("boils" it out) causing it to disappear.

Use an accurate analog voltmeter - or a good quality DVM - and measure voltage across the battery terminals after the engine has been running several minutes. A reading higher than about 14.8 volts says the batttery's being overcharged. You should then be looking for a bad voltage regulator, a broken "voltage sense wire" (if it has an alternator), etc.

Incidentally the electric fan, starting with the PTO engaged, etc. will have no effect on the acid loss problem.

 

[mkirsch]

"Draining" the battery means depleting the electrical potential, not literally sucking the water out of it.

As Bob M suggests, it is probably being "boiled" out by overcharging.

What does your ammeter show while the tractor is running?

 

[Frank Castro]

Thanks. I will check battery after running to see the voltage.

 

[Frank Castro]

There is no ammeter on the tractor. I will check voltage later today or tomorrow and let you know. could be the voltage regulator. Thanks

 

[504-1]

Refill with distilled water, I get mine at Wally World for a buck a gal or so.

 

[SDE]

Overcharging will boil the acid out of the battery. Then it will explode. It will be like a shotgun going off in your face. IT HAPPENED TO ME.
SDE

 

[Owen Aaland]

(quoted from post at 10:51:14 10/09/13) Overcharging will boil the acid out of the battery. Then it will explode. It will be like a shotgun going off in your face. IT HAPPENED TO ME.
SDE

The part about a possible explosion is certainly correct however it is not the acid that is boiled out of the battery.

When a battery is overcharged the electrolysis process separates the Oxygen and Hydrogen atoms from water that is used to dilute the Sulfuric acid to get the proper concentration for battery acid. What you see bubbling out of the battery's cell is Hydrogen and Oxygen gasses in just the perfect ratio to burn explosively. All it needs is any source of ignition.

This also means that when the battery acid is boiled in a battery the acid is still there, just in a more concentrated form. That is why you only add water to a low battery and not more battery acid.