Torque Shop: What is battery water?

Observe the marked level when topping up a battery. PHOTO: PIXABAY

What is battery water? Is it acidic? Will it damage other parts of the engine compartment if spilt? Can I use plain water to top up the car battery?

Water used for topping up lead-acid batteries is either distilled or deionised water. Distilled water is the purest form of water, while deionised water contains no dissolved solids.

Neither will damage your vehicle if spilt. However, if you overfill the battery and there is spillage, that may be a problem in the long term. That is because the battery's original solution contains sulphuric acid. Observe the marked level when topping up a battery.

You should not use tap water to refill your vehicle battery. Tap water contains impurities, which will impede the performance of a battery and damage it in the long run.

You can buy battery top-up water, which is inexpensive, from most petrol stations. But not all vehicle batteries require topping up. Many are sealed and maintenance-free.

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