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| Matt- Here's the skinny from an engineer who's worked with thousands of batteries- Before charging a wet-cell battery you should always check the electrolyte and top it off- just fill the cells w/ distilled water to the bottom of the cell filler tubes. Don't use tap water! The most predominant cause of water loss is overcharging. The filler tubes usually have a slot running up the sides. Don't fill any higher than the bottom of the tube. Then charge the battery- this mixes the water wth the electrolyte. If the battery has lost liquid, it has lost H2O component of the electrolyte mix- When you charge the battry, the new water(H2O) is mixed with the electrolyte to get a even mix and correct specific gravity (ratio of water to sulphuric acid). If you top the cells off after charging you just have useless water sitting on the top of the electrolyte. Make sure you follow the battery manufacturer's recommendations for charging. Either undercharging or overcharging your batteries will result in permanent damage & possible destruction of the battery. If you have wet-cells, get a battery hydrometer and learn how to use it.
There are also some pretty smart chargers on the market, i.e., they can save you from accidentally destroying your batteries. But they usually cost a bit more than the standard hardware store type automotive chargers.
With respect to battery additives, they're kind of like a sugar pill. If they were so great for the battery chemistry they'd already be in there! They may give you a short apparent reprieve but compared to the cost- you may be better off investing in a new battery.
Good Luck-
Al
www.icantplayfindmyfoot.com
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