Battery water chemical questions..2 of 'em

[DaveTM]

Ok guys, I have two separate questions related to battery water. I know some of you here are engineers and perhaps chemical engineers.....and some of you here are just avid readers and scour the Al Gore inter web and know everything.....'cause if it's on the inter web.....it's gotta be true!!

So...#1-- Distilled water: Is water that is collected from a dehumidifier the same as distilled water?

#2--What would be the water pollution effects if one or two of my flooded batteries were to "somehow" (I get this "crap" from fish wardens all the time) have a magic stick poke a hole in the bottom of 'em and leak into a stream that supports trout?

Thanks.

[Sir Nuke]

#1. NO....its not the SAME....and how "clean" it would be, would depend on the quality of the source if the air it was obtained from. Distilling water is actually the process involving the boiling of water and then condensing the steam into a clean container to remove impurities.

#2. would it be bad for the environment? YES, but the over all effects of your packs leaking some or ALL of the contents of a few batteries into a stream/river/lake, etc....have a real effect on the total body of water? no..... as the acid would become diluted as soon as it hits the water and is dispersed.

[DaveTM]

Interesting that you state "the source of the air" as a dehumidifier simply condenses the moisture from the surrounding air and it "drips" into a container. The air source I am referring to is from my home basement area. In the summer when my A\C is running....and my house has zoned heating\cooling, the basement\gameroom area just never gets the A\C to "kick on." Cold air (as we all know) naturally drops or moves to the lowest point. So, in my home, the cold air will filter down to the lowest floor...and along with it, the moisture that usually is condensed by the A\C unit just doesn't get done in the game room area because that air doesn't get "moved." So, the dehumidifiers do the job of removing the humidity. And hey.....it's a clean environment....no smoke, no pets, no kids...and the water is collected in a plastic tub. So....I got to thinking......

As for the "leaky battery" question....I get that "what if" scenario from fish wardens all the time. I roll my eyes and think to myself.....I think you need to worry about the russians attacking more than the remote possibility of anything leaking from my electric cart. I mean....really. All we got here is a disabled guy who is trying to fish. Get freaking real!!!!

[cgtech]

the epa approved method for battery recyclers to dispose of the electrolyte from the batteries is to dilute it heavily with water & pour it down the drain.. if the jerks at the epa say its ok, well they "know whats best for us" (director of the epa should be a "voter elected position"). not like they ever polluted the whole colorado river or anything....

[Sir Nuke]

Originally Posted by DaveTM

Interesting that you state "the source of the air" as a dehumidifier simply condenses the moisture from the surrounding air and it "drips" into a container. The air source I am referring to is from my home basement area. In the summer when my A\C is running....and my house has zoned heating\cooling, the basement\gameroom area just never gets the A\C to "kick on." Cold air (as we all know) naturally drops or moves to the lowest point. So, in my home, the cold air will filter down to the lowest floor...and along with it, the moisture that usually is condensed by the A\C unit just doesn't get done in the game room area because that air doesn't get "moved." So, the dehumidifiers do the job of removing the humidity. And hey.....it's a clean environment....no smoke, no pets, no kids...and the water is collected in a plastic tub. So....I got to thinking......

As for the "leaky battery" question....I get that "what if" scenario from fish wardens all the time. I roll my eyes and think to myself.....I think you need to worry about the russians attacking more than the remote possibility of anything leaking from my electric cart. I mean....really. All we got here is a disabled guy who is trying to fish. Get freaking real!!!!

Dave, I knew you were talking about, or figured you were talking about your dehumidifier at home.... but I try to NEVER assume anything! LOL it tends to get people in trouble when they do.....especially ME!! and if it were me....I wouldn't hesitate to use it.....certainly a LOT cleaner then what comes out of the tap, which has TONS of stuff in it.

[tag50]

The vapor from a moonshine still is pretty pure but how in is condensed and collected is what causes medical issues.


.

[rabbitreborn]

ok, I know I am going to get blasted for this but..........

I have owned many golf carts over the last 20 years of working on carts. Some I have kept only a short period of time (3-4 years) and some I have owned for longer periods (7-10 years).... oh and 1 I have owned the entire time.......

In 20 years of working on carts, I have always advised my customer that the battery manufacturer specifically states that you MUST use Distilled water.

That being said........ in 20 years of working on and owning golf carts, I have never bought a bottle of distilled water for use on my personal carts....... All of my carts have been filled using water from my well via a garden hose. I average 5-6 years on my batteries and my carts are used pretty much daily..... I have never had a battery of mine explode, and in 20 years I have had maybe 6 premature battery failures all of which were user caused, not water/electrolyte issues (nuts not tight enough, accidental hole in the side case, battery flipped upside down...... you know, normal stuff lmao)......


Blast away, but I am talking from personal experience, and remember, just like raising a child, it's ........

Do as I say, not as I do........ lmao

[DaveTM]

HA!!!! All true life experiences!! Gotta love it!! The only time I've had issues with moonshine is when it's the really good stuff......and I just kept sipping it, and sipping it, and sipping it. The medical issue occurred the next day. It's called "hangover".

[Volt_Ampere]

Water in a dehumidifier would be clean if it was not for all of the dust and other junk that gets into it. It is the same as distilled until junk gets in it.

[Sir Nuke]

Originally Posted by rabbitreborn

ok, I know I am going to get blasted for this but..........

I have owned many golf carts over the last 20 years of working on carts. Some I have kept only a short period of time (3-4 years) and some I have owned for longer periods (7-10 years).... oh and 1 I have owned the entire time.......

In 20 years of working on carts, I have always advised my customer that the battery manufacturer specifically states that you MUST use Distilled water.

That being said........ in 20 years of working on and owning golf carts, I have never bought a bottle of distilled water for use on my personal carts....... All of my carts have been filled using water from my well via a garden hose. I average 5-6 years on my batteries and my carts are used pretty much daily..... I have never had a battery of mine explode, and in 20 years I have had maybe 6 premature battery failures all of which were user caused, not water/electrolyte issues (nuts not tight enough, accidental hole in the side case, battery flipped upside down...... you know, normal stuff lmao)......


Blast away, but I am talking from personal experience, and remember, just like raising a child, it's ........

Do as I say, not as I do........ lmao

obviously your well is pretty clean, mineral wise......as long as your water is "soft", people will most likely never have an issue. I'm not that lucky....the water in my area is harder than heck.....