Hey Fellas, long time reader and this is my 2543th post

Search function is down and I was hoping for answer - with the Century batteries that you can top up with distilled water, how far do you top it up?

I checked the Century website and read the instructions label on the battery cover, but both not clear to me. Do you top up the water so that it just reaches the bottom bit of plastic as you look into the holes or do you top it up so that it is flush with the hole opening (is that over-filling it ) ?

Anyway, reason I'm asking is that my battery went flat this morning - probably a combination of low electrolyte levels and very cold weather. Top up the water a bit (guessed what would be sufficient) and jump started it and it was fine.

Anyway if anyone can offer up some advice on this

Just go to the bottom of the plastic bit you can see through the refil hole. a little bit over wont hurt!

Put a "propper" Battrey charger on it over night to give it a good charge. I have one if you need it!

if it still goes flat your up for a new battrey!

D

After charging recheck the water level as well. Also you could check the acid level and correct that if wrong.

Or

Get a new sealed battery.

I would go like a 1/4 to 1/2 inch above the plates when refilling , im surprised you can even get an unsealed battery , you could also goto your local battery place and buy fresh acid its better to top up with fresh acid then just distilled water.

Ive found if you want to try and extend the batterys life topping up with distilled water thins down the acid inside, if you find you need to add alot of distilled water the batterys probably stuffed, filling it with acid definatley works though if its down alot.

Hope this helps mate

Edited 23/06/12 01:37 AM23/06/12 01:37 AM by spinr33

Also take the caps off while charging

fellas. So far okay - ummm said I had to go for a drive to charge up the batteries and won't be back for 2 hrs All good advice - hopefully acid will be fine as I've had the battery for only about 2 years but I'll check the water levels in about a week. Cant believe the water levels dropped so much since my last service but then don't remember exactly when the battery water was last topped up.

Tried several KMart sealed batteries before the Century and they didn't even crank over the engine. Think it needs something like 470Ahr charge rating or something - I'll have to recheck the manual. So can't really fault the Century cept ths minor lapse in maintenance. Century is Ausie made as well which influenced me to buy it as well. Also saw a lot of engine bay pics on here with members using them

You need to check your charge rate also, have seen lot's of people replace batteries only to have the new one flat a week later due to not being charged from faulty altenator or wiring etc.

An overcharging altenator can also cause the fluid to boil and drop it's level.

Batteries are normally checked on every service.

at the low end of the scale as long as the battery has a decent cca 450 minimum ull be right, the differance between the repco special and the centuary is jack chit and nil. but if it helps u sleep at night u got a "good battery" cause it cost u 50 bucks more all good lol

Also note its that time of the year for battery's to go dead, there has been that mould around the terminals which doesn't help at all so keep it clean.

Mick and Nick