[brad-sylvester]

I just purchased a 2008 GEM Car E2. It came with Deka EV31 Flooded Cell Batteries that have screw on fill caps. This means 36 fill caps to be unscrewed once a month to check water levels. In addition some of the caps are covered by battery cables so that the cable have to be removed to check water level.

I found that there are battering systems available for golf carts that use fill caps connected to plastic tubing that connects to a pump to fill all cells simultanionsly. The problem is none of these fill cap valves fit the Deka EV31. Apparently a german company Rover & Rover makes a fill cap product brand name AquaPro that will work. They are sending me a test fill cap valve to try out.

Has anyone had experience with the single point battery watering systems? Has anyone had experience with the EV31 battery? Any insights into this method for filling GEM Car Batteries would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Brad

 

[Zemmo]

I had the Flow-Rite system on my battery pack. I have 20 batteries in my Fiero so thats 60 cells to check. It was nice to be able to fill the batteries in only 15 seconds. But and this is a big but, it has its own problems. I had really really bad corrosion on my batteries all the time (not exaggerating here). It worked the paint off the metal and was deteriorating the metal racks. I had to clean my racks once a week to try and keep the corrosion in check. I used a putty knife to get the big stuff and then used Windex to clean the batteries and racks. Three months ago I tore apart my battery racks and did a big cleanup job. I wire brushed my racks clean, ground off sharp edges and repainted it with truck bed liner. Since everything was cleaned, I put on the factory caps back onto the batteries to test if the batteries would stay cleaner. Since taking off the watering system, I haven't cleaned my batteries in the 3 months and they only look dusty. You can see before and after pictures on my website. For some reason the fluid is able to escape from the battery some how. I think the quick top off systems are better designed for stationary PV systems than automotive systems. But thats just my 2 cents. Anyone want to buy the auto top off system?

 

[TX_Dj]

I can second the fact that Zemmo isn't exaggerating his claims of overly-corroded battery tops due to his central watering system.

I helped him clean up the battery racks when he switched back to the "old way" of watering.

I was surprised, actually, that we didn't have to weld in new metal in some spots because of the bad rust scale and corrosion on the racks. If he'd waited another year to do it, he would have been beyond the limits of structural integrity for the battery racks.

There are some watering systems that claim to have a check ball in each of the caps to prevent overwatering and back-flow. However, these are all pretty much designed for stationary and low-vibration environments such as PV systems, UPSes, Forklifts and other such items that don't go travelling down a bumpy road at top speeds.

I had thought about using a central watering system on my S-10 until I saw what his did to his car. I've scrapped that idea, and will instead go one-cell-at-a-time, which keeps me from being too lazy and not checking and measuring each cell's specific gravity as well.

Measuring SG is another thing you can do to ensure the longevity of your pack. It just requires sticking a tube into the cell, using a ball to draw a vacuum and raise some of the electrolyte into a measuring chamber with a pointer that indicates the SG of the electrolyte. You really should be doing this any time you check the water, because you can determine weak cells before they cause you problems. If you were to do this with a central watering system, guess what? You'd still have to pull the cap off each cell and check it. So... what's the point?

 

[Zemmo]

Thats another good point. If you check/fill them manually, you know which batteries are using more water and you will know which batteries might have a problem. When you use the automatic water fill system, you don't know which battery is getting the water. Also god for bid one of the floats seize up on you and stops filling the cell. So actually looking into each cell has its own usefulness.

I have a SG guage but I don't know how to fix a problem if it shows something. I understand how to check it (charge the battery and you check it). But you should be able to see how it is doing just by doing a open voltage check, right? You don't add acid back into the battery, so what do you do with the measurement?

 

[brad-sylvester]

Thanks Zemmo and TX Dj for your replies. That is very good advice. The valves I am looking at are AquaPro, made in Germany, that claim to have the check valves you refer to. When I expressed concern about leakage they said they would provide oversize o-rings for a good seal.

Has anyone had experience with the Aqua Pro fill caps?

Thanks

Brad

 

[Zemmo]

Sure, no problem I am glad that my experience could help!

My fill system also had the round gasket and check valve but it still leaked some how. I never did try to track it down so I don't know where it would leak at. No one else in our EAA group has had the battery watering system so I don't know about other brands.

All of my batteries are easy to get to, but I don't think fill time isn't that bad on my car. Our president gave me a container with a fill nozzle which makes checking batteries pretty easy. Just a water container with a rubber flexi hose on it. I put the container on top of the car and just go around from battery to battery with the hose. I just pinch the hose when I want to shut off the flow. Simple low tech method but works well.

 

[brad-sylvester]

Thanks again Zemmo

Your experience is very valuable. My batteries are not easy to get to (I have to remove the trunk to get to 2) and I have to remove battery cables to get to some fill holes. If I can find a watering system that works I would be very happy. But getting one that leaks would be worse.
I am hoping to hear from someone that has actually used the AquaPro valves.

 

[dtbaker]

I have a SG gauge but I don't know how to fix a problem if it shows something.

I'll second this question.... what do you DO when you find a cell that has slightly lower SG?

Why CAN'T you add a little fresh acid?

d

 

[brad-sylvester]

I believe I found the soluton to the problem of fitting a single point water system to the Deka EV31 batteries that came with my 2008 E2 GEM Car.
The problem was that the standard single point watering systems are not compatable with the Deka batteries. The solution was a German made valve, brand name Aqua Pro that makes a valve for generic 12V batteries that use an o-ring for the seal vice the normal twist lock. They make the valves with several size floats to accomadate various brand batteries. After extensive research by Tom of RV Power Supply, he found that using this valve with the #166 float work work in the Deca Batteries.
I purchased a set a month ago for trial. I installed them on the rear two batteries. Installation was easy. Filling the batteries is a breeze. I was worried about leakage of battery acid but to date I have observed none. I purchased the valves for the additional four batteries and installed them.
I can now fill the batteries in about 5 minutes vice the two hours that it took before. The cells are all filled to the same level.
I appreciate the extensive research that Tom of RV Power Supply did to come up with a solution to the single point battery watering system for the Deka EV31 battery in my 2008 GEM car. Contact information for him can be found at rvpowersupply.com.

 

[dtbaker]

hhhmmmm, Now that I have checked and filled my batteries a couple times (takes about an hour), I am thinking it may be well worth it to install a watering system as I could completely avoid the time for removal/reinstall of my rear-seat box cover, and it would be great to not have to peer into battery holes while filling. US Battery sells something called a 'flow-rite' system that looks pretty good, but its not cheap!

Anybody have any comments pro/con before I spring for this system?

D

 

[brad-sylvester]

If you have Trojan batteries the flow rite system will work, but if you have the Deka batteries it won't. If you decide to install a single point watering system for the Deka batteries I recomment RV Power Supply because you need to size the float and the o-rings for the Deka Battery.

 

[brad-sylvester]

I have upgraded to GEL batteries. The single point watering system is now available for sale. Have valves for 6 12V batteries. If interested email me at [email protected].

 

[skobb]

I use a Flow-Rite system on my S-10.

Absolutely love it. Had no problems whatsoever. Batteries stay clean and properly watered.

Steve
www.myelectrictruck.com

 

[brad-sylvester]

I have upgraded to GEL batteries. The single point watering system is now available for sale. Have valves for 6 12V batteries. If interested email me at [email protected].

I have sold the batteries. Love the AGM batteries I am using now.

 

[dtbaker]

If you have Trojan batteries the flow rite system will work, but if you have the Deka batteries it won't. If you decide to install a single point watering system for the Deka batteries I recomment RV Power Supply because you need to size the float and the o-rings for the Deka Battery.

I think Flow-rite makes various caps for various OEM batteries. The Trojan and USBattery are the same cap type... Also, I would recommend getting individual swivel connectors, one per cell, rather than the pre-fab manifolds with a single swivel on top. I tried those first and they are a little taller and would not fit under my rear rack cover. The individual swivels are JUST as tall as the terminal posts, so do not interfere.