Can a battery be refilled???

[abcxyz]

Hi, someone told me that a bmw battery can be refilled after it dies...is that true?

If so, how much does it cost to do something like that?

 

[Big Daddy]

If it is dead why would you refill it? Most newer batteries are sealed and unless they are overcharged (boiled) they do not need water added.

 

[Kirby]

I think you got some questionable advice from your source. As Dan said, they are sealed. If the battery has failed due to excessive discharge or is near the end of it's useful life, there is only one way to try to rejuvenate it. That's with a battery charger that has a reconditioner/desulfator feature. This can save a new battery that has been abused, or squeeze a few months out of an old battery.

The one thing you can't do is add more acid to a battery. This actually will kill the battery quickly!

 

[abcxyz]

I just replaced my battery this morning...however I did ask the guy at the parts store about refilling with water, and he said yes, with DISTILLED water, but it probably won't last. It also says it in the manual actually. Anyway, the battery was the original from 1998, so got 9 years out of it...pretty good.

 

[Big Daddy]

unless they are overcharged (boiled) they do not need water added.

I did not bother going into detail, but since you mentioned the "parts guy" said you can refill them...once boiled a battery is trash and like Kirby said all your going to do is postpone it's death. I actually added distilled water to an old battery and got three more days out of it, I had to add the water daily and put it on a charger. Anyway his response, yes but it won't last, than what's the point?

 

[abcxyz]

yeah, there's no point...i said that in my last post that the parts guy said it won't last anyway. I already replaced the battery. I was just curious about it, that's all because I had never heard of that before. I'd rather have a new battery anyway, 9 years is getting toooooo old...

 

[gpiron]

Distilled water

The distilled water recommendation is correct though, old trick used on the old type of batteries, the ones with the caps you could unscrew, see the water level and verify coverage of the elements.

As Kirby and BD said, though, I do not beleive this type of batteries are still in circulation.

Happy driving