Posts: 2754
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Either will work, its just a matter of preference. How low is very low? In all the cells or just one, etc? If any significant portion of the plates were exposed, the battery is probably already damaged. You should check your battery electrolyte level periodically, minimum of weekly for seasonal use.
The culprit, is overcharging. Cheap chargers typically can cook (overcharge) the battery because they don't typically have good control of the voltage level. That's probably why the electrolyte levels were low. I recommend that anyone with wet-cell get a charger w/electronic regulation and dual charging modes (float & equalize). If you add distilled water, the only kind you should put into a battery, always put it through an equalize cycle ~ 8-24hrs. Follow the battery manufacturer's recommendation.
BTW: You can cook a VRLA too. Most folks are penny wise & pound foolish when it comes to chargers, where cheap is quite frequently the wrong choice.
Good luck!
Al |
