I've kept a bottle of hydrochloric acid in the garage for almost twenty years. I've used it sparingly with dilution for wet-cell motorcycle battery maintenance. I ran out the other day.
The hardware store and the druggist no longer carry it. Walking in and asking for the stuff earned me a lot of untrusting glances and questions. I wound up at a swimming pool supply to purchase muriatic acid. I still had to fill out a "I swear I'm not a terrorist" sheet to buy the damn stuff. Muriatic will probably work for what I use it for but is slightly diluted and contains some additives that may not be good for wet cell batteries.
Other than screwing yourself up with acid burns, what in the world can HCl be used for that would make it so difficult to purchase?
Probably just a supply and demand thing where not many people need or want the full strength stuff for a local shop to keep it on hand.
I found ready to use battery acid available online from several auto parts stores in 5 gallon containers for 30-40 dollars or here's a link to Grainger where you can order the full strength stuff.
Edit: I mentioned one source for battery acid (Sulfuric Acid) and one for HCL without engaging my brain. Do you really use HCL in your batteries?
Maybe somebody used it on their monther-in-law!
🙂
N
Just make sure you dont buy a shovel, hammer, gloves, and trash bags at the same time.
Various acids are used to cook designer drugs. I used to clean motorcycle tanks with muratic acid and got a few Q and A sessions with Texas DPS over it...
> Just make sure you dont buy a shovel, hammer, gloves, and trash bags at the same time.
Don't forget the saw. Or in Fargo they use wood chippers...ewwwww :-S
Do they even make wet batteries any more? I thought they were all "maintenance free", so you'd have to buy another one in a few years.
> Other than screwing yourself up with acid burns, what in the world can HCl be used for that would make it so difficult to purchase?
It's just extremely dangerous...to store, to handle, and to dispose of.
Furthermore, if you mix it with bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite), or Potassium Permanganate (Often used for water treatment), it will make Chlorine Gas...something you do NOT want to be anywhere close to. That could be an added dis-incentive to sell it. Lab Supply places certainly still do though.
I'd consider buying new, maintenance free motorcycle batteries.+o(
Most people that add acid to batteries are doing so unnecessarily. Usually you just add water and it will pull the acid back out of the lead walls.
> Do you really use HCL in your batteries?
Yes. Diluted in a 2% solution. I know there are lots of people that will tell you HCl will destroy the lead in the batteries. I've never had a problem.
What I believe can happen is a build up of oxide on the plates rendering the battery useless. I've never had this problem with my solution. I picked this up years ago from working at a scooter shop. Motorcycle batteries apparently run hotter than auto batteries, probably due to their size. The electrolyte level is a constant maintenance issue with wet cell scooter batteries. A sulfuric acid solution seems to boil away a lot quicker than a hydrochloric solution.
One of the older mechanics used this trick. He always cautioned against a strong mixture. I started using it and it works. I only own two motorcycles now that have wet-cell batteries, the rest have sealed batteries. Out of the two, one battery is five years old and the other is over ten.
