Yes, you can add electrolytes to a battery, but ONLY if it's a non-sealed wet cell battery. Checking the levels in a wet cell battery is standard maintenance that should be done regularly.
The water itself isn't the electrolyte, but the liquid solution of sulfuric acid and water inside the battery is. When a lead acid battery is fully charged, the electrolyte is composed of a solution that consists of up to 40 percent sulfuric acid, with the remainder consisting of regular water.
What does low electrolyte mean on a car battery?
When your mechanic tells you your battery's electrolyte level is low, it means the fluid level in one or more of the battery cells has dropped below the top of the lead plates. What does that mean? Car batteries are composed of a series of lead plates submerged in a bath of water and sulfuric acid.
What is battery electrolyte?
Battery electrolyte is the liquid substance found in most car batteries. It's sometimes referred to as battery acid because it's highly acidic. In fact, the battery electrolyte is made from a mixture of water and sulfuric acid.
How to maintain battery electrolyte level?
To maintain the electrolyte level in a lead acid battery, you need to top up with distilled or demineralized water regularly. Evaporation of the water component of the battery electrolyte has to be compensated by topping up with water at defined intervals.
Does battery electrolyte need to be topped off?
Battery electrolyte has to be topped off from time to time in most car batteries, but water, and not acid, is almost always called for.
Can I use distilled water for battery electrolyte?
If the available tap water has an especially high level of dissolved solids, or the water is hard, then it may be necessary to use distilled water. However, processing the available tap water with an appropriate filter will often be enough to render the water suitable for use in battery electrolyte.