Battery repair -- epoxy or silcone caulking

[jas67]

The battery hold down is missing on my Kubota G1800 garden tractor (came that way from the PO). It was held in with a rubber tarp strap that seamed to be doing the job, so I never bothered to get the proper hold down.

The battery on this tractor sits right in front of the PTO pulley on the back of the engine (engine in backwards with "Front" and radiator toward operator).

To make a long story short, the battery got chewed up by the pulley, and has two small holes in it. It isn't damaged down to the level of the acid, but acid could slosh out on rough ground.

This battery is only a year old, so I want to fix it.

What does everyone here think would be better to repair it with, epoxy, or silicone caulking?

Thanks,
Jay

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Epoxy would be the first choice if you are bound to do it that way. Although you might want to cover the holes so with saran wrap or something so that the epoxy doesn't mix with the acid. If you have fiberglass resin that might work. rough up the battery case a little to get the stuff to stick. Maybe plexiglass to cover the holes and then a bungee cord?
You are going to fix it so the battery doesn't re-injure itself aren't you?

 

[BrentD]

My gut instinct would have been to say Epoxy but a quick google shows that epoxy is only resistant to Sulfuric acid to about 75 degrees Fahrenheit Epoxy - Chemical Resistance

I didn't find any similar data on silicone caulk, but did see a couple of articles stating that it is resistant to hydrochloric acid in pickling tanks used for removing firescale from cast metals.

Also, a quick idea for your battery hold-down: On both my Tracker and Aztek the battery hold-downs were broke from the previous owners. I replaced them with a piece of aluminum or steel flat stock with a piece of angle riveted at each end at the width of the battery and used bent pieces of all-thread with wing nuts on the straight end to hook into some holes in the area and tighten the aluminum flat down.

 

[Soundguy]

they make epoxy sticks specifically for applications like lead acid batteries, and gas tanks.. etc.

I'd get one and salvage the battery AND tie it down correctly.

soundguy

 

[jas67]

You are going to fix it so the battery doesn't re-injure itself aren't you?

Absolutely.

 

[ToadHill]

Years ago when I worked in a repair shop, if we had a "weeper" we'd repair it with roofing tar. If the other options don't work give that a tay.

 

[woodchuckie]

I used epoxy on the one in my truck and it lasted till it fell into the radiator fan again. Worked great. I turned it on its side to keep the acid off of it while I made the repair.

 

[PILOON]

I slit a brand new battery case and asked the battery shop what they would suggest for a repair.
Was told nothing would repair the plastic case and that I would need to purchase a new one.
Determined, I eliminated epoxies as they don't adhere to PVC.
Recalling that auto windshields are mostly glued to the steel frame on most autos and that the adhesive is urathane I tried some urathane household caulking (FLEXTRA tm.) and glued a patch over the hole after thoroughly cleaning the site.

That was 2 years ago and as of a couple of days ago it is still holding just fine.

Polyuratane adheres to just about anything and being a plastic base is acid proof.

Auto parts carry the window adhesive in tubes for about the $10.00 range.
Flextra is less than $5.00/tube (I had the flextra on hand)

 

[Soundguy]

Determined, I eliminated epoxies as they don't adhere to PVC.

Some do.. they make an epoxy stick -specifically- for lead acid battery repair.

soundguy

 

[Eagleview]

Do as i have done many times , cut a piece from a lug or a non important protrusion on the battery . Clean the tip of a soldering iron so it is clean Copper and melt the piece into the hole . Melt the surrounding area a little with the tip and then add the filler , just as you would with Oxy welding . It will bond perfectly and never leak .