hohenwald48 wrote:
So if the sulphur is on the plates why do you need to fill the battery with electrolyte in the first place? Just fill it with water and the plates will magically instill the sulphur needed to transform the water into electrolyte. :h
You add acid, initially, as it is the source of sulfur/acid for the electrolyte. When a battery is tipped over, has gassed causing the plates to be exposed, or is habitually undercharged, there is sulphate on the plates. Sometimes, that sulfate can be recombined off the plates and back into solution.
Of course, everyone is free to do what they wish with their over-turned batteries. I think I've posted enough here.