My Battery has the flush cell caps that unscrew...I did a little cleaning around on top of the battery and checked the electrolyte level..I found it was a bit Low, but not down to the cell plates..So I topped up each cell with distilled water to the point to where it is at the level of the bottom of the cell holes, about 1" from the top of the battery..hard to explain, but you can tell when the cell is full..(Acid doesn't evaporate, only the water does due to the process of electrolysis)

Just wondering how many people take the time to look into their battery every now and then, to make sure there is enough electrolyte..This battery arrangement probably requires less maintenance compared to the ones in the Engine area, because there is no extra heat to dehydrate the battery, being as it is in the Boot..But they still need to be cleaned and checked.

But Since our cars are so fussy about having a properly charged battery..it wouldn't hurt to take a peak at them once in a while.

That is all

 

Great tip!

 

Very good points. I had just checked my battery fluid levels last week on my less than 9 months old XJL and noted that with the approach of summer I will need to fill the cells soon. Reading some of the battery issues with Jags I too have been wondering if the lack of battery maintenance could be a contributing issue. When filling the cells I usually fill them up to about half the length of the vertical "breathing" slot in each cell.

Our batteries are hidden in the back of the car and most people will miss a regular routine checkup. Now that the maintenance intervals are calling for 15K or 1 year maintenance cycles, such long period without checking might allow for fluid levels to drop significantly, particularly under hot climates. Like DPK mentioned, it is the water that evaporates, leaving a solution behind that is far higher concentrated in sulfuric acid. That high concentration will eat away the plates of the battery and shorten/effect life and battery performance.

I know that with my previous Jags I added distilled water a number of times to the battery and never had any batt. related issues. With the XJL we seem to have low battery warnings but, that apparently have not much to do with battery maintenance but with very high current consumption of the car.

Albert

 

What you also should do is get a hygrometer from most any auto supply store. It checks the "strength" of each cell. With summer coming on, it's a good idea not only to check the fluid level, but also the strength.

 

The hydrometer checks the "specific gravity" or the "state of charge" of a battery cell. It basically tells you if the battery cell is charged or discharged (or in between). It checks the "weight" of the battery fluid (electrolyte), as compared to the weight of water. The heavier the battery fluid, the more acid it contains, the higher the charge in the cell. For example a normal read of 1.25 on the hydrometer means that the battery fluid is 1.25 times heavier than water. What makes it heavier is the presence of the sulfuric acid. The higher the cell charge the higher the percentage of acid, thus the heavier weight of the fluid.

Since we are talking battery, the reason you are told never to OVER-charge your battery is because overcharging will boil and evaporate the water from the cells and the acid contents go up and damage the lead plates inside.

Generally speaking a voltmeter check across the full 12 v battery is a good and easy way to check the state of charge. Normal, good battery voltage with no electrical loads connected and with the engine NOT running is about 12.5V. With the engine running it should go up to around 14V. That difference in voltage is a good and simple way to tell if the alternator is charging.

But, if the battery is suspected to have a bad cell the voltage check will not be able to isolate the damaged cell, simply because there is no way on an automobile battery to check individual cell voltages (6 cells in a 12V battery). Then the hydrometer check could determine with cells contains normal charges and which one is not.

Albert

 

Just BTW, modern low maintenance batteries do not require topping up with water.

You can do so if you wish but battery life isn't likely to be affected.

Do make sure you use only distilled water if you elect to open up a "sealed" battery to replenish water. I never do anymore although I used to in the past being familiar with the older batteries which benefitted from regular servicing. I detect no improvement of battery life by adding water.

 

Wet-cell low maintenance or maintenance-free lead-acid batteries still loose water, just less. Thus, if you find water levels low, do fill it by all means. If you run them low, they will suffer shorter life spans. It is unfortunate, actually, that manufacturers advertise them as "maintenance free" batteries.

See Paragraphs 7.3 in the link below

Pacific Power Batteries - About Automotive Batteries

or this:

Basic Battery Care - Popular Mechanics


Albert

 

You are hilarious Jagular..Thanks for a good laugh once in a while..


My battery I was talking about..Perhaps not like what you get in Canada..which BTW, the world does not revolve around...

Mine is not a Maintenance Free type..In fact it is designed to be checked and have water add to once in while as needed to EXTEND the life of the battery..Most cases, that is what will be accomplished, because a dry battery is soon doomed to a SHORT LIFE..however some batteries are just duds and will have a short life reguardless of care and Maintenance...Having said that..Most batteries that are SO-CALLED maintenance free..are of a VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead Acid)..that recirculate some of the gassing H2O during charging, therfore you lose less water..but some is STILL LOST..

 

Well, ok, but my maintenance free batteries have lasted as long as 11 years of hard use before failure. Frankly, I have not noticed any difference in service life between maintenance free batteries and older technology batteries which did require constant attention.

Sealed for life bearings, ball joints and even transmissions have all come in for their share of antique criticism. I do not look back fondly on their predecessors.

Modern batteries do not require maintenance. They wear out from cycling long before they lose enough water to be relevant to current driving conditions.

Also, others read these posts and your post, although quaintly interesting, fails to caution the non-expert reader adequately. For example, batteries are actually extreme dangerous. Sulfuric acid is very dangerous. Working around especially an opened battery involves a small risk of explosion with serious risk of injury. Many sealed batteries are very difficult to open and for good reason. I was particularly amused by the link to pop mech who still advocate the use of a hygrometer. Use of a hygrometer is a good way to get an introduction to the power of sulfuric acid. The best way to check a battery now is to load test it. Less than five minutes and often free of charge at an automotive battery retailer.

And just BTW, the Earth (World if you prefer) rotates around the North Pole (or South Pole if you prefer) and revolves but once per year around the Sun.

Hobbies are great but I wouldn't say the Jaguar XF qualifies as a hobby car.

 

My '04 XJ8 was 9 years old when I sold it and it had the original battery in it. Never touched the battery.

 

Yes Lew, you aready told us how you get by for so long..