the battery on m diesel van ran out of water and went flat, i topped it back up today but my mechanic said it would be no good after being dry and that i need to buy a new battery, is this true or is he just trying to make money out of me? would the old one hold a charge or will it be damaged now?
2007-02-05 03:33:55 · 11 answers · asked by vixen599 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
try it and see you ll have your own opinion then
2007-02-05 03:37:38 · answer #1 · answered by stuartalan w 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Typically what the mechanic is telling you is true. It really depends on how low you let your water run.
The water in the battery is acting as a "solvent" for acid. If you let it run completely dry, the acid will be gone and you battery will no longer work.
Cheapest thing is to try adding water and charging the battery with a battery charger.
They sell "acid" tablets that can possible "revive" a battery, but my experience with these have not been great. Better to get a new battery than left stranded.
2007-02-05 03:38:15 · answer #2 · answered by hsueh010 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All the other answers are right, so jumping it with cables should work fine...but be careful to put the right cable on the right terminal. Have someone help you obviously, since you need another car to do it. An alternative would be to buy a small battery charger at a parts store, and charge it that way. You put the two clips on the right terminal (red to red terminal, black to black terminal), plug it into a regular 120 outlet with an extension cord, turn it on. After 30 minutes to an hour, it will have enough charge to start. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that radios are not wired directly to the battery (or should NOT be), so you had the ignition key either in the "on" or "acc" position to play the radio. Get in the habit of making sure the key is "off/lock" in the future, when you get out of the car. Must have left your keys in the ignition too, huh?
2016-05-24 18:15:56 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When a batteries electrolyte level becomes low and exposes the plates to air they become sulphated (dry out). Sometimes topping up with water and giving the battery a long slow (trickle) charge might help but usually the battery is ruined and needs replacing, especially if it is a few years old.
2007-02-05 03:45:22 · answer #4 · answered by Amtak 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you ran a battery completely out of water, it's toast. Replace it, and check the new one occasionally so it doesn't happen again.
Unless of course you get a maintenance free one that you can't check. In that case, watch the eye on it.
I'd also look at the charging system to make sure it isn't over charging, which could cause battery acid to boil off.
2007-02-05 03:42:47 · answer #5 · answered by oklatom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the battery got dry for one reason.
the battery cells neg. and pos has brdged due to a hole in the separator wall,subsecuentily the electrolitic heat and boil to the point of evaporation
now, the battery is not froging good
buy a new one.if You decide to keep that battery You gonna spoil the alternator
2007-02-05 03:40:32 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you need a new battery. THe plates get covered with sulphate from the acid. If your battery has lasted four or five years then it has doe it's job.
2007-02-05 03:42:16 · answer #7 · answered by Eso_ uk 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the plates inside the battery would have buckled and once thay touch the battery is knackered.if its the original battery m being 94 you have not done bad!
2007-02-08 08:05:34 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
wow
i think that you are in need for a new one anyway
but before you do that , fill it up with water and recharge it
sometime it works , give it a shot
maybe it will work and no need to buy a new one
2007-02-05 03:37:37 · answer #9 · answered by The rocket 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i own a repair shop,and i have seen them go dry before and survive id try and charge it and see if it charges back up real good ,he told you right on it,but sometimes they do come back to life it all depends on how old it is and if it was actually bone dry on water, id try and charge it,you don't have nothing to loose from trying this,goods luck,i hope this help,s.
2007-02-05 03:40:18 · answer #10 · answered by dodge man 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Try putting bat aid tablets in and recharge.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-Bat-Aid-Car-Battery-Addative-Revitalise-A-Battery_W0QQitemZ280078747385QQihZ018QQcategoryZ9895QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
2007-02-05 03:39:31 · answer #11 · answered by Sir Sidney Snot 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋