Increasing the concentration of 30% Sulfuric Acid

[w0lvez]

Is it possible to make a pure sulfuric acid by distilling the one used in the battery? What type of distillation is needed for this?

 

[Harold_V]

Is it possible to make a pure sulfuric acid by distilling the one used in the battery? What type of distillation is needed for this?

Lazersteve has discussed this topic endlessly. One evaporates sulfuric acid to concentrate---no distillation is required.

Harold

 

[w0lvez]

Lazersteve has discussed this topic endlessly. One evaporates sulfuric acid to concentrate---no distillation is required.

Yes, I already done that but the it seems like nothing happened. Is there any other liquid used in 12v battery? I'm not sure if it's even sulfuric acid because there is no marking on the bottle. I bought it from a store that sells battery. They call it battery acid but there are few others call it as distilled. I live in a country with too many idiots. After going to few all stores that sells battery, they all don't know what sulfuric acid is.

 

[Claudie]

What is the PH level of the liquid you have purchased?

 

[w0lvez]

What is the PH level of the liquid you have purchased?

The pH is lower than 6. The test kit I have can only measure minimum pH 6 and 8.8 is the max.

 

[butcher]

distilled water is used in battery's
32% sulfuric acid density 1.25-1.28 has very acidic PH, closer to PH 1.
to get 98% you would need to evaporate about 2/3 of solution off as mostly H2O, when white fumes of SO2 gas form it is as concentrated as possible.
you can also test specific gravity, sulfuric acid is heavier than water, conentration of sulfuric to water content can be determined by specific gravity.
did you get distilled water?

 

[Claudie]

I wondered if he may have distilled water is why I asked about the PH level. He also stated that the container had no markings, I would think Sulfuric acid would be labeled as such.
Distilled water could be around 6 while Sulfuric acid would be lower.

 

[w0lvez]

I bought another from a different store who said it's distilled. The pH level is 7 so it is really distilled. Is car battery a Sulfuric Acid generator? From distilled water it turns sulfuric? :?: :?:

The first one I bought is sulfuric acid after all but a very weak one. More or less 5% because 5 ml weights 6 grams. :mrgreen:

 

[eeTHr]

w0lvez---

By "distilled," they are referring to distilled water. Distilled water is used in batteries to avoid fouling the battery with impurities.

In other words, they sold you water.

 

[butcher]

battery acid will not be much less than 30% sulfuric acid usually 32-35% H2SO4.
the first one I suspect is also just water not acid, take a small portion and drop some baking soda on it no reaction just water but if foaming reaction acid.

depending where you are they may sell concentrated sulfuric acid as pipe sink drain cleaner, caustic soda (lye) (sodium hydroxide is also a drain cleaner (the opposite of an acid, a very strong base.

 

[w0lvez]

the first one I suspect is also just water not acid, take a small portion and drop some baking soda on it no reaction just water but if foaming reaction acid.

depending where you are they may sell concentrated sulfuric acid as pipe sink drain cleaner, caustic soda (lye) (sodium hydroxide is also a drain cleaner (the opposite of an acid, a very strong base.

All drain cleaner here is Caustic Soda.

I collected the liquid in the battery and replace it with distilled. The liquid collected was acid. I first charge the battery before testing it. Yes, it's working. I first doubt using pure distilled will not work because there is no electrolyte. By charging the battery electrolyte is being produced. If the battery is discharged the concentration goes down. If I'm not mistaken by removing the weak acid in the battery adding sulfuric acid brings the power back without charging. :roll: :roll:

I'll try to make pure sulfuric acid by overcharging it. Without the cap I don't think explosion is possible. For safety reasons I will do it outside and 500m away from it :twisted: :twisted: :evil:
Car Battery generates sulfuric acid. Myth Confirmed

 

[qst42know]

If you only added water, my guess is you just ruined your battery, you just don't know it yet.

There is enough porous material in a battery to retain some acid and act as a weak electrolyte. You didn't create additional acid you converted it with electricity from existing sulfur compounds.

You may be able to save this battery if you replace the fluid with electrolyte of the proper strength.

 

[w0lvez]

If you only added water, my guess is you just ruined your battery, you just don't know it yet.

You may be able to save this battery if you replace the fluid with electrolyte of the proper strength.

Wrong guess, I already did it and it's working fine. According to a lot of sites using pure distilled water is the right way. :shock:

 

[Claudie]

By stating "Car Battery generates sulfuric acid. Myth Confirmed" you have confirmed that it is a myth, and I think you're right. :|

 

[Barren Realms 007]

If you only added water, my guess is you just ruined your battery, you just don't know it yet.

You may be able to save this battery if you replace the fluid with electrolyte of the proper strength.

Wrong guess, I already did it and it's working fine. According to a lot of sites using pure distilled water is the right way. :shock:

If you will go back and look at your sites again you might find that when replacing the water in a battery that has lost some of it electrolyte you are supposed to use distilled water to replenish the fluid. If you have a brand new battery that you are just putting into service you use diluted sulfuric acid and not just distilled water. The use of distilled water is because or impurities in regular tap water.

 

[qst42know]

If you only added water, my guess is you just ruined your battery, you just don't know it yet.

You may be able to save this battery if you replace the fluid with electrolyte of the proper strength.

Wrong guess, I already did it and it's working fine. According to a lot of sites using pure distilled water is the right way. :shock:

You lose water to evaporation it must be replaced. If you removed fluid to replace with only water you screwed up.

 

[Barren Realms 007]

He will find out the hard way if he is in the cold weather and the battery freezes and busts.

 

[eeTHr]

w0lvez---

I'm sorry if it seems like I mislead you about the distilled water. I assumed that you had a basic knowledge of the lead-acid type of batteries that regular cars use.

The liquid inside is supposed to be about 33% sulfuric acid, and the rest is distilled water.

During normal use of the car, the water will evaporate over time, and needs to be added back in, to maintain the correct percent of dilution, and to keep the battery plates covered in the electrolyte solution.

The sulfuric acid has such a high boiling point that it does not normally evaporate over the life span of the battery, and should never need replenishing.

For to replace the evaporated water, though, distilled water should be used. It seems that this is what the people at the battery store thought you wanted.

In the U.S., it is fairly common to buy car batteries without any liquid inside, and you put the 33% sulfuric into it before installing it in your car or motorcycle.

Also, after long use, the lead plates dissolve somewhat, and that can develop sediment on the bottom which can build up until it shorts out the lead plates. I have heard that some people empty the electrolyte out of the battery and flush it out, then put in fresh electrolyte, and that sometimes works to extend the life of the battery, if there is enough surface area left of the lead plates.

So auto parts stores here sell the 33% sulfuric electrolyte solution for car batteries.

I hope that gives you a better picture of what we are all talking about.

P.S. If you would put a real place in the "Location" field of your personal information, maybe someone from your area could tell you where to get the things you need.

 

[butcher]

In your battery with low sulfuric content, all you will do by overcharging it is boil off the water you put in as hydrogen gas, the over charging will split the water to hydrogen, hydrogen will vapor off at the cathode plates.

w0lvez, if you do not want to have to buy another battery, you need to replace the sulfuric acid in the water.

sulfuric acid is very common byproduct of inceneration of pyritic ore, or burning coal, I do not know what country you are in but I would think most all countrys it should be fairly easy to get, company's who generated sulfuric from their scrubbers were looking hard for way's to get rid of this acid byproduct.

sulfur is also very common, a person could make their own sulfuric acid from that, I would go to all that trouble before I destroyed the battery I needed for transportation (it is 30 miles to town were I work, and I sure would hate to be walkin to work).

 

[Harold_V]

Wrong guess, I already did it and it's working fine. According to a lot of sites using pure distilled water is the right way. :shock:

Wrong! It's the right way to top off a battery that has lost electrolyte to evaporation or electrolysys---but not when the sulfuric acid has been removed. Batteries must have a given specific gravity in order to function as they are intended. If the electrolyte in your battery isn't correct, it won't be long until you understand that perfectly well. If you live where it freezes, you're going to get baptism by fire. Batteries that are low on charge or deficient in acid tend to freeze. Once that happens, it's toast.

Harold