EricP wrote:
On 22 Apr 2005 11:28:29 -0700, babbled like a
waterfall and said:

4. Make some new batteries, using either the scrap lead from the
old,
or roofing lead sheet. Its not hard.

Yeah, right. Come on Nige, I normally agree with you, but on this,
no!

Yep. Done it. The downside is they look completely unprofessional
and
arent all solidly held together like commercial batts. Lead acid
technology is very basic. Any book on lead acids I've ever read has
complicated the sh1t out of it, and coincidentally, has been
sponsored
by a battery manufacturer, ie its purpose is basically to dissuade
people from making their own for peanuts.


NT

Before the modern plastic battery weren't they sealed by pouring
bitumen into the top and this could be removed to repair the battery?
Hence the reason for sealed plastic things at large cost.

If you sealed them they would burst. The water content in the
electrolyte generates H2 and O2. In more modern times there is the gel
cell, catalytic balls and so on, but if you make your own you must not
seal them.

Any lead acid cell can be opened to work on it: how convenient it is is
another matter, varies depending on construction.


NT