Filling Batteries.

[Darren]

Periodically we get batteries in to fill with acid. Typically they come packed 18 per pallet with the battery and the associated 2 gal jug of acid boxed separately but wrapped in cardboard as a unit.

Yesterday we had 44 batteries to fill. Needless to say it takes awhile to pour 2 gals of acid into a battery. My usual routine is to setup a plank on two 55 gal, drums with two of the acid containers stacked at one end. I have a nozzle that looks like a lawn hose sprayer except it's for acid. Each box of acid includes a preassembled hose and cap to replace the regular cap. The idea is to invert the acid jug after cutting off the crimped tubing end and inserting the hose into each cell until all are filled. The nozzle just means I don't have to pinch the hose off by hand to stop the flow of acid. Placing the jug on the two stacked containers provides a bit more pressure to speed up filling the battery on the plank.

As the acid jug empties, the flow slows. What I'd like to do is come up with a tank that would hold maybe 10 gal of acid that I could pressurize to get a faster flow. I don't think I'd need more than 5 psi, if that, to get enough flow to speed the process up.

The key here is finding an acid proof container that I can install bulkhead fittings into and also have a removable lid that when fastened will allow me to slightly pressurize the tank.

Any ideas?

 

[Treemonkey1000]

I would think that maybe one of those clear blueish 5 gallon water jugs that you can buy at the store or on water fountains would work. Install a clear neoprene hose in the base of that with a plastic petcock to turn on and off the flow. If you use a larger diameter hose you would get more volume. Just use gravity and you don't have to worry about pressurizing the jug.

 

[Darren]

I originally thought of buying a 100 gal plastic tank and mounting it on a stand. Since the acid is heavier than water, the manufacturers got a little edgy when I've described the application. The other issue is with a larger tube I can't check the acid level as easily.

Keep in mind, I'm usually working with anywhere from 40 to 88 gals of acid each time. I don't want to refill whatever I'm working with after only a few batteries. Nor do I want something big enough to hold all the acid since that means I have to unpack everything in one shot. For whatever reason, the palletized batteries are unreal. They have multiple layers of cardboard sheet along with die cut card board wrapped around everything. If I do one layer at a time, I only have to deal with 12 gals of acid and six batteries which is probably optimum.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Wow that is a lot of acid. I have a 55 gallon white plastic drum that is my emergency water supply for when we have a major earthquake here. It is visible enough that you can see the fluid level in it. It was used for vegatable oil or something. You can search for food grade plastic barrels. It would be thick enough if you wanted to pressurize it. I still think that a large enough hose will give you plenty of volume if you can get some height to the barrel

 

[CurlyDave]

I would rather play poker with Atilla the Hun than pressurize any kind of an acid container. What happens when it bursts in your face? What happens when the hose assembly fails for some reason.

I would find a faster way to pour unpressurized acid into each cell. Maybe a plastic measuring cup and a large funnel.

I have B.S. and Ph.D degrees in Chemical Engineering. Do not try a home-made pressurized acid dispenser.

 

[Egon]

Also check with the authorities on the handling of acid and what rules may apply.

 

[jinman]

I would rather play poker with Atilla the Hun than pressurize any kind of an acid container. What happens when it bursts in your face? What happens when the hose assembly fails for some reason.

I would find a faster way to pour unpressurized acid into each cell. Maybe a plastic measuring cup and a large funnel.

I have B.S. and Ph.D degrees in Chemical Engineering. Do not try a home-made pressurized acid dispenser.

I don't have a Chemical Engineering degree, but I agree completely. Many years ago I worked with a geochemist and handled his tripple-distilled reagent grade acids. There was nothing that scared me more, especially when he showed me the scarred back of his hand where he spilled a tiny amount of perchloric acid. Also, always keep acids far away from organic solvents.

If I wanted to speed up a battery filling process, I would look at using a larger hose with a multiple tap adapter that would allow me to fill all the cells at the same time. That would be much safer in my opinion, but would also present a few of its own challenges.

 

[Wayne County Hose]

I would rather play poker with Atilla the Hun than pressurize any kind of an acid container. What happens when it bursts in your face? What happens when the hose assembly fails for some reason.

I would find a faster way to pour unpressurized acid into each cell. Maybe a plastic measuring cup and a large funnel.

I have B.S. and Ph.D degrees in Chemical Engineering. Do not try a home-made pressurized acid dispenser.

I agree with CurlyDave with one exception. I would throw Gengis Khan in there too. Maybe even the grim reaper.

I used to fill batteries the same way for work. I also worked with forklift batteries in excess of 3,000 lbs. A battery acid spill of the proportions you speak would make the nightly news with you in the back of an EPA vehicle handcuffed. Contact the company you get the acid from for a reccomendation.

 

[Bird]

Yep, you can count me among those who agree with CurlyDave, too. I remember when, in the service station and auto parts store, all the auto batteries came dry and we had to add the acid when we sold them. Fortunately, it was only one battery at a time.

 

[alchemysa]

Pressurising the system sounds very dangerous. A little split or a leak somewhere and you'll have an almost uncontrollable spray going everywhere -maybe into your eyes.

Perhaps what you need is a 'set it and leave it' system. Something you can set up so it fills the cells automatically up to a certain level. Then you just have come back later and top them up. Perhaps something like a half dozen 1 pint containers with tubes running into the cells. Pour a pre-measured amount into each container then go and do something else for a while. You could perhaps make a little jig that holds the tubes in the battery, like a block of wood with six holes. I can understand that what you are currently doing is a pain, but whatever alternative you come up with needs to be done right or you'll be in more mess that its worth. .