I've been using tap water in batteries for 40 years and haven't killed
one yet. I can't offer any scientific proof but I think that somewhere
along the line, if tap water was bad for a battery, I would have
realized it by now.
Ron Engelhardt
58 MGA
Barney Gaylord wrote:
> I have a feeling this is going to start an avalanche of vaguely related
> response, and maybe even a religious war or two, but that is not my
> intention. I have only one very specific question.
>
> When discussing what type of water to use for topping off a car battery,
> the common response is usually "distilled water", and this is sometimes
> (fairly often) followed by "anything else will ruin the battery". The
> simple form of my question is, "Why?". Now before you jump into this with
> both feet, please stick to the facts and try to surpress traditional rumor
> and personal opinion (however difficult that may be), and also consider the
> following.
>
> I have done some web searching and read what is offered by several of the
> major battery manufacturers. Some say to use distilled water, with no
> further explanation. Some say to use "good quality drinking water" with no
> mention of distilled water, and no other explanation. At least one says to
> use distilled water, followed by "If you don't have distilled water use
> drinking water as better than nothing", (but of course distilled water is
> also better than nothing). In most cases there is little or no distinction
> made between distilled water or drinking water.
>
> The curious part is that in no case did I find any battery manufacture
> making any statement to the effect that any type of water (at least
> "drinking quality" water) would actually harm a battery. This strikes me
> as being quite "significant" in light of the fact that they have to cover
> warrantee returns. It seems to me that if there was any significant chance
> that "drinking water" would harm a battery, the battery manufacturers would
> be all over this fact and might even go so far as to viod the battery
> warrantee if you use anything other than distilled water. But as much as I
> search I have found no such statement from any battery manufacturer.
>
> So here's the challenge, and please stick to the facts, not
> speculation. Can anyone come up with documented proof that drinking water
> might actually harm a car battery, and if so, what exactly would be the
> mode of failure of the battery as caused by the water? Best submission
> with factual proof will get a full page writeup with credit and name
> attached in the tech section of my web site (and maybe some print
> publications as well), and maybe some additional prize for furthering the
> education of mankind (but probably not the Nobel peace prize).
>
> I need real cause and effect here. A casual relationship is
> insufficient. "My battery died after adding tap water" doesn't cut
> it. Lots of batteries die (like all of them eventually) for various
> reasons. We have to know why it died, which may require an autopsy with
> photos and chemistry test results. Otherwise I would like to see some
> results of controlled parallel lab tests on batteries using distilled water
> and "other" water. I am looking specifically for any DOCUMENTED reason why
> "drinking water" would actually harm a car battery.
>
> Gloves off,
>
> Barney Gaylord
> 1958 MGA with an attitude
> http://MGAguru.com
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