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View Full Version : ASAP - How Serious is Battery Acid????

The Fixer
02-21-2009, 06:05 AM
OK, here's the scoop. I had to swap my wife's battery in 20* weather at 6AM this morning and accidentally dropped the old one onto my concrete walkway. Of course, the battery case cracked and the acid started leaking out!! I put baking soda on it to neutralize it, but I got some of the acid on my jeans, and the battery is still leaking outside.

How bad is this acid? How long will it last? How poisonous (if at all) is it? :help: :help:
LTb1ow
02-21-2009, 06:38 AM
Its not bad, just make sure not to rub your eyes with your hands until you wash them thoroughly. As for the acid, try to soak it up with baking soda and then disttilled or regular water.
BonzoHansen
02-21-2009, 07:25 AM
Don't drink it.
EchoMirage
02-21-2009, 07:29 AM
youll get some holes eaten through your jeans. flush everything you can with water
Iroc-z86
02-21-2009, 08:54 AM
Don't drink it.

oh but wouldnt it go nice with breakfast? :lol:

Its not that bad...after while it might burn if you dont wash it off but nothing serious. When i worked at sears my friend and i had to take out a battery that was being over charged to about 18 volts, it was bubbling and all that good stuff..fun day.
GP99GT
02-21-2009, 09:33 AM
yeah....your jeans will have holes most likely. poisonous...probably. baking soda was a good idea
The Fixer
02-21-2009, 11:00 AM
Well, I tossed the jeans already. Fortunately it didn't penetrate through to my skin, and I was wearing heavy leather gloves, so none got on my hands. I was able to clean the concrete with the baking soda, but have contractors here all day and my wife is working so I can't get out there to finish cleaning it up, or seal up the battery. It's leaking on the abandoned house's grass next door. :)
LTb1ow
02-21-2009, 11:01 AM
Drain the battery into a 5 gallon bucket and dump baking soda in it until it stops fizzing. Then just dump it.
deadtrend1
02-21-2009, 11:22 AM
Real acid?

http://i445.photobucket.com/albums/qq179/EatingSteak/GogglesDoNothing.jpg
LTb1ow
02-21-2009, 11:27 AM
Its bad enough to seriously hurt your eyes.
sweetbmxrider
02-21-2009, 12:53 PM
you may notice a little irritation on your skin where it was on your jeans. baking soda was the way to go. just drain the battery, throw some baking soda on it, and bring it to the parts store as a core :D
NJ Torque
02-21-2009, 12:54 PM
Steve just leave it be out there.
SamhainZ28
02-21-2009, 12:59 PM
drain it and take the lead inside to the scrap yard, its worth like 5 bucks, KACHING!
NastyEllEssWon
02-21-2009, 08:07 PM
core charge is like 9 bucks KACHING :nod:
SamhainZ28
02-21-2009, 08:15 PM
core charge is like 9 bucks KACHING :nod:

lol whatevs
Saitin
02-21-2009, 09:12 PM
we charge 10 at sears
The Fixer
02-22-2009, 06:38 AM
My local auto parts guy gave me $15 for the core. Got a new 700CCA Interstate battery for about $80 and installed it when she got home from work, then put the Optima back in my truck. Nice to have two moving vehicles again!!
Tsar
02-22-2009, 08:50 AM
Speaking of batteries, I think my parents just got ripped off by the dealer. They needed a new battery and they were told that no one makes that kind so they had to buy from the dealer, 170 bucks later they had a battery. They got hosed right? It seems like a bunch of BS that there would be no other source.... Car is Cadillac SRX.
The Fixer
02-22-2009, 10:30 AM
Speaking of batteries, I think my parents just got ripped off by the dealer. They needed a new battery and they were told that no one makes that kind so they had to buy from the dealer, 170 bucks later they had a battery. They got hosed right? It seems like a bunch of BS that there would be no other source.... Car is Cadillac SRX.

If it's a trunk-mounted battery, it probably needs to be a acid-free battery (acid-batteries vent gases, and that's no good inside the car), hence the higher price tag. Optimas are around the same price-point though, so maybe they didn't get ripped.
TheBandit
02-22-2009, 10:41 AM
Speaking of batteries, I think my parents just got ripped off by the dealer. They needed a new battery and they were told that no one makes that kind so they had to buy from the dealer, 170 bucks later they had a battery. They got hosed right? It seems like a bunch of BS that there would be no other source.... Car is Cadillac SRX.

BS. I can get a Delco battery for that car. It's still about $130 though
BonzoHansen
02-22-2009, 10:43 AM
BS. I can get a Delco battery for that car. It's still about $130 though

Then taking a car to a dealer and getting the install and troubleshooting for $170 does not seem out of line.
TheBandit
02-22-2009, 11:06 AM
Then taking a car to a dealer and getting the install and troubleshooting for $170 does not seem out of line.

No not at all.. i was just calling bs on the fact that they couldnt get it anywhere else.
Tsar
02-22-2009, 11:48 AM
If it's a trunk-mounted battery, it probably needs to be a acid-free battery (acid-batteries vent gases, and that's no good inside the car), hence the higher price tag. Optimas are around the same price-point though, so maybe they didn't get ripped.No its normal inside the engine bay battery.

Then taking a car to a dealer and getting the install and troubleshooting for $170 does not seem out of line.
There was no install, no troubleshooting. There was only "hi can I have the battery for a srx?" "yes, 170 bucks". Install was done at the house.
BigAls87Z28
02-22-2009, 11:56 AM
Correct. The CTS and SRX and probably the STS all have an odd job GM Group size 100 battery that no one in the aftermarket seems to make.
The 100 group is as wide and long as a group 75 which is a standard battery for GM cars, but the 100 is shorter so it fits in the space under the cowl. 75 is about 1/2 an inch too tall.
Duh Delco makes one, thats the battery thats coming out of the car. And most likely with the neg terminal coming out of the battery as per usual of all side terminal Delco overpriced garbage.

Trunk or in car mounted batteries have vent tubes to move the gases to the outside.

A lot of the new GM cars have switched to top mounted terminals. Other GM cars that no one makes batteries for would include the Cobalt/Ion/HHR, last gen Grand Prix with top terminal, new GM trucks and SUV's...pretty much every GM car from about 05-06 foward.
BonzoHansen
02-22-2009, 11:58 AM
No its normal inside the engine bay battery.


There was no install, no troubleshooting. There was only "hi can I have the battery for a srx?" "yes, 170 bucks". Install was done at the house.

Was $170 with tax? Even if no, for a dealer part, given we all know the stupid markup, that still seems in line.
sweetbmxrider
02-22-2009, 01:31 PM
If it's a trunk-mounted battery, it probably needs to be a acid-free battery (acid-batteries vent gases, and that's no good inside the car), hence the higher price tag. Optimas are around the same price-point though, so maybe they didn't get ripped.

like al said, they use vent tubes. a good amount of cars have this kind of setup. i'm sure everyone who relocates their battery does this too :-?
Tsar
02-22-2009, 04:32 PM
Was $170 with tax? Even if no, for a dealer part, given we all know the stupid markup, that still seems in line.

I don't know if it was with tax, but if i had to take a guess I would imagine that it did include taxes in it. It just seemed like a lot to me, because both times I changed my battery it was 90 bucks I believe. I guess F-bodies batteries are sold everywhere :lol:

Thanks for the edumacation Al.