Battery issue

[DreKat]

So the other day I went and grabbed the battery for the Kat, and put it on the volt meter. It showed 12V so I was quit happy witht that sence it was sitting in the basement all winter. I then decided to check how much acid it may need, so I opened it up and the battery was bone dry. I tipped the battery upside down and still nothing came out. I again checked the volts agai and still reading 12V.

Can anyone explain that to me?

[Black_peter]

First I'm moving this to Wiring and Electrics..

Second. Hang with me.. I think this is worth it..
A battery produces electricity based on the reaction between the plates and the Acid. While the battery might be dry there is still some acid in there. Digital volt meters are able to measure voltage at incredibly low amperages.

Think of voltage like water. (ignore some physics for a moment)
You can see steam, you can see liquid water, you can see ice.
Steam is water but without the ability to support a boat. Water can support a boat but not you. (not completely) Ice is water but can not only support you but could support the Kat.

Follow?
The second aspect of electricity is amperage. Amperage is like the electricity's ability to do work. Like waters ability to support weight.
You can see it (on a meter) but without amperage it can't do much (or any) work.
You could take a nine volt battery and two AA batteries and hook them together and get 12 volts. But it won't start the Kat.. Not enough amperage. A static electricity spark is thousands of volts but almost no amperage.

Now about the water. Auto batteries are really cool in that they are really simple batteries. They use the same basic technology since the invention of batteries (1850s). Acid (chemicals added to water to produce sulfuric acid)
wash around the plates (Lead and Lead oxide) to produce electricity. Now the reaction depletes the chemicals. However if a voltage (higher than the battery's) is placed on it, it's able to reverses the reaction and recharges. Since no action is perfect there are losses so eventually the plates break down so that even if you added new chemicals the battery would just not work right. Another issue is if the battery cell gets low the lead plates can oxidize and bridge with neighboring plates to "short out" that cell. The cells are related to the voltage but they are also related to the amperage and storage capacity. So the battery will drain faster and lose "cranking power".
Also the lead plates could oxidize to the point that adding water and charging it will just not allow them to react correctly.

Now back to your battery. Refill it and hope for the best. It might be fine, it might be fine for this year and crap out. It might crap out any time.

[stratocastor80]

Nice write up BP, you ever thought of being a high school physics teacher??

[Zepp]

First I'm moving this to Wiring and Electrics..

Second. Hang with me.. I think this is worth it..
A battery produces electricity based on the reaction between the plates and the Acid. While the battery might be dry there is still some acid in there. Digital volt meters are able to measure voltage at incredibly low amperages.

Think of voltage like water. (ignore some physics for a moment)
You can see steam, you can see liquid water, you can see ice.
Steam is water but without the ability to support a boat. Water can support a boat but not you. (not completely) Ice is water but can not only support you but could support the Kat.

Follow?
The second aspect of electricity is amperage. Amperage is like the electricity's ability to do work. Like waters ability to support weight.
You can see it (on a meter) but without amperage it can't do much (or any) work.
You could take a nine volt battery and two AA batteries and hook them together and get 12 volts. But it won't start the Kat.. Not enough amperage. A static electricity spark is thousands of volts but almost no amperage.

Now about the water. Auto batteries are really cool in that they are really simple batteries. They use the same basic technology since the invention of batteries (1850s). Acid (chemicals added to water to produce sulfuric acid)
wash around the plates (Lead and Lead oxide) to produce electricity. Now the reaction depletes the chemicals. However if a voltage (higher than the battery's) is placed on it, it's able to reverses the reaction and recharges. Since no action is perfect there are losses so eventually the plates break down so that even if you added new chemicals the battery would just not work right. Another issue is if the battery cell gets low the lead plates can oxidize and bridge with neighboring plates to "short out" that cell. The cells are related to the voltage but they are also related to the amperage and storage capacity. So the battery will drain faster and lose "cranking power".
Also the lead plates could oxidize to the point that adding water and charging it will just not allow them to react correctly.

Now back to your battery. Refill it and hope for the best. It might be fine, it might be fine for this year and crap out. It might crap out any time.

Good job BP!!!

[DreKat]

Wow thanks man, I'll be buying a new battery this year

[Black_peter]

Nice write up BP, you ever thought of being a high school physics teacher??

I'd love to teach 5th grade science (or around that age) I do teach my son science. (he's home schooled) One problem with getting to your 40's is you finally realize what you really want to do with your life..
But then realize you would have to live on 1/2 the money you make now..

[Astro4x4]

I'd love to teach 5th grade science (or around that age) I do teach my son science. (he's home schooled) One problem with getting to your 40's is you finally realize what you really want to do with your life..
But then realize you would have to live on 1/2 the money you make now..

Oh man you hit the nail on the head there.