Okay so yesterday I thought I’d finally tackle that weird power problem in my kid’s old ride-on car. You know the one – sits in the garage for months, then when you finally wanna use it, dead as a doornail. Did the usual – plugged the charger in overnight. Next morning? Still nothing. Nada. Zip. What the hell?
Checked the charger light – green. So, not the charger. Opened up the battery compartment. Pulled out the little sealed lead-acid battery, the type that looks like a tiny car battery. Now, normally these things feel solid. But this one? Felt heavier than usual. Gave it a gentle shake. Heard liquid sloshing around inside! Oh boy. That can’t be good. That’s when “flooded battery” popped into my head. Meant it wasn’t sealed proper anymore, I guessed, and the watery stuff inside was moving freely.
The Messy Discovery
Took it to the workbench. My wife’s gonna kill me if I mess this up. Put on some old gloves – safety first, right? Carefully pried off the top cover thingy. Didn’t wanna damage it more. Underneath? Little rubber caps covering holes where you’re supposed to add water eventually. Peeked under one cap.
- Saw the fluid level was WAY higher than it should be – practically drowning the tops of the plates inside.
- Some of the tiny vents? Jammed shut with crusty white powder – probably dried acid or something nasty.
- Just sniffing near it, got a weird sour chemical smell. Yep. Bad sign.
Realized the charger probably kept trying to push power in, but with the vents clogged and water levels screwy, gases built up inside. Pressure must’ve warped the case a bit, letting the watery stuff slosh around freely. Full-on flooded battery situation. Waterlogged, overcharged mess.
Winging a Fix (Sort Of)
Alright. Needed to bail this thing out. Found my old plastic syringe. Sucked out some of the extra water through the fill hole. Didn’t wanna take too much, just get it down to below the plates. Wiped away that crusty white stuff from the vents with a wet Q-tip. Careful, careful.
Stuck the battery back in the charger – holding my breath. This time? Charger light stayed red. Good! Seemed to be taking juice again. Let it charge for about two hours, checking constantly. Felt the sides – not getting hot. Smell faded. Left it overnight.
Next morning: Charger light green! Tested it with a little 12V bulb I had – lit right up! Put it back in the car. Kid hopped in, pushed the pedal. Wheels turned! Success! Well, kinda. I know this battery’s probably on borrowed time now, definitely weakened. But hey, bought me some time to find a proper replacement without little man crying about his broken car. Win in my book.
Lesson learned? If a battery feels heavy and sounds like a little water balloon inside when you shake it? Yeah, it’s flooded. Messy problem. Proceed carefully, expect possible overcharging, and maybe just start shopping for a new battery anyway. But hey, sometimes a bailing wire and a syringe can save the day.
