Leaking battery ???

[Eric_5128196]

I have noticed in the recent spell of hot weather that the tray my 12v battery sits in has a small deposit of liquid in it. Is this ok, is the battery leaking(although it seems sound enough)or what is it

 

[rob_jax]

Eric,

It probably is battery acid caused by the fluid in an over-filled cell expanding and dripping out onto the floor.

If you have a gardening pH (soil acidity) kit - then you should be able to confirm it is acid by dipping a test strip into the liquid. It should go a very strong red colour (if red is the colour of the strongest acid soil).

If you don't see any colour change - then it may just be water condensation from a hot battery cell.

Wash away the spill with plenty of water, and then check the battery levels.

Robert

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

Eric; me too exactly the same. I don't have any gardening pH testers (silly me !) but that's useful feedback (once again from Robert!)

John

 

[rob_jax]

Hi John,

It was quite hard to think of a safe pH (acidity) test that most people would have handy - like a soil test kit.

I did think about suggesting you boil up a red cabbage in an aluminium pan and see if the blue cooking liquid turned red when tested on the spilt battery liquid, but you'd think I was taking the p!ss

Robert

 

[Val & Frank]

Hi John,

It was quite hard to think of a safe pH (acidity) test that most people would have handy - like a soil test kit.

I did think about suggesting you boil up a red cabbage in an aluminium pan and see if the blue cooking liquid turned red when tested on the spilt battery liquid, but you'd think I was taking the p!ss

Robert

Hey Rob

I bet you go across to Holland once a week for a meeting at the coven. You must do knowing how to boil cabbage etc.

Val & Frank

 

[Eric_5128196]

Thanks to you all for your help...

Eric

 

[rob_jax]

Hi John,

It was quite hard to think of a safe pH (acidity) test that most people would have handy - like a soil test kit.

I did think about suggesting you boil up a red cabbage in an aluminium pan and see if the blue cooking liquid turned red when tested on the spilt battery liquid, but you'd think I was taking the p!ss

Robert

Frank - Nope

Learning to boil cabbage was all I got from six years of very expensive university education in the sciences.

Robert