Hydrocap Replacement Battery Cap/Vent

[AzRoute66]

Just stumbled into this product, Hydrocap, at hydrocapcorp.com

Blurb from their website, "A HYDROCAP VENT replaces a battery's regular cell cap. When the cell is gassing, the hydrogen and oxygen gasses are vented into the HYDROCAP. Inside a HYDROCAP, hydrogen and oxygen gases are catalytically recombined into pure water which is returned to the battery cell - eliminating explosive hydrogen gas concentrations, and washing acid fumes and vapors back into the battery cell. This combination greatly reduces watering maintenance, makes metal corrosion virtually non-existent, and creates safer operating conditions. Electrolyte returned to the cell also increases the useful power available and lengthens battery life."

It seems battery manufacturers would already do this so I'm skeptical, but perhaps they have a bulletproof patent or something. Does anybody have experience or knowledge of these?

[sensij]

https://www.solarpaneltalk.com/forum...630#post205630

https://www.solarpaneltalk.com/forum...986#post298986

[Mike90250]

They exist, are real, and work. For a couple years. Forget to remove them at EQ, and they overheat, and I've heard they only last as long as the batteries, and the catalyst eventually fails.
There are also some simpler do-dads - water mizers. They are a cap, full of plastic beads or something like that, and they capture much of the acid mist and return it to the cell, reducing the mess on the top of the battery. I used them and liked them.

[Sunking]

It seems battery manufacturers would already do this so I'm skeptical, but perhaps they have a bulletproof patent or something. Does anybody have experience or knowledge of these?

It is a gimmick. Trojan, Rolls. US Battery all offer models with watering systems. Example Trojan has HydroLink.

[AzRoute66]

Thanks guys. I think an automatic watering system is a bit more prone to failure than a catalytic cap. Just a gut instinct, nothing to back that up.

[Sunking]

Thanks guys. I think an automatic watering system is a bit more prone to failure than a catalytic cap. Just a gut instinct, nothing to back that up.

Well a Catalytic Recombination Cap uses a rare earth material that reacts to Hydrogen and heats it up to the point it burns, and the Hydrogen Ashes are dropped back into the battery. When charging your battery those caps can get quite warm.

But they are not the only game in town. Water Miser is another one. It does not use a catalytic converter. It uses plastic beads to collect water vapor and acid mist, then condense the vapor back to water and deposited back in the battery along with the acid. You might look into it.

Bottom line both types are designed to minimize water use, and return acid mist back to the battery.