How to unseal cells on a NOS Y55 Delco Battery
 

I recently acquired a NOS Y55 Delco Battery from early 70's. It has never been used. The top of the cells have a Wax material, that I thought was sealing the cells. But I removed the wax from one cell, and under that the top of the cell is still sealed off with the Bakelite material. I'm puzzled. How are you supposed to open the cells to acid ? Do you punch in the material ? It will drop into the battery which does not seem right.

Also I need a set of Yellow push in Caps (5 regular, one Delco Eye) as it did not come with the caps. You would think for the amount I paid for it, it would come with caps.

Can you post a picture?

you punch out the plugs with the DELCO EYE put the delco eye in there and hit it with your clenched fist I worked at a Chevrolet dealer in the sixties that is how we did it. that is why the eye is pointed on the end to punch out the plug and the pieces fall into the battery and stay there.

Thanks Ralph. Since the battery is made of Bakelite, then having the material fall into the cells should not be a problem. I'm still not sure why they put wax on top of the cells over the caps. The top cell I removed the wax. Oh well. Here are some pictures.

I have a NOS Y55 that had been professionally charged. Holds a perfect charge if anyone is looking for one.

That's interesting, Ralph. I never realized that was the reason for the pointed portion of the "Delco Eye".

Pointed tip on Delco eye cap

Never knew that either, funny, most of the toppers come w/ a red eye.

That was one of my jobs at the dealer putting new batteries in the new cars that had them stolen (no inside hood releases in those days) Filling them with acid with no eye protection

I drill out the topper cap to add a short piece of the original transparent "eye" so it appears a little more realistic. A little piece of green masking tape on the bottom side helps the color.

The Delco "EYE" Optic member is 'Pointed' for the purpose of Level Indication.


The tip is pointed to create an angle of incidence, promoting ambient light entering to produce retuned light via specular reflection, resulting in a useful function i.e. ,,,,,
is how you observe the Fluid 'filled Level'.

The Fact it is a Sharp pointed Tool was just a Great *& Smart use of what is on hand.
Car Co. are Lazy and I doubt they would add a manufacturing feature at cost just for a Tool purpose when the "Physics" of Light would not produce the desired effect with a Flat optic. a Pointed TIP is a "180 degree deflection" (Reflecting Prism) so as to, return to the Source & is the most effective & cheap design to reflect (i.e. Piping the MOST light back to observer).

That got me to Thinking well, Why does this thing - GLOW at Proper Fluid Level and appear Dark when fluid level is LOW (i.e. Not touching the Pointed optic Tip?)

This gets into Total internal Reflection and Lensing:

Well When:

The Eye Optic is Dry;[Boundry of AIR] Insufficient critical angle to reflect Light back to observer = DARK

The Eye Optic is Wet; [Boundary of Electrolyte] Sufficient critical angle to reflect Light back to observer = GLOW

Reason for Edge "GLOWING" is the Point is a Poor Lens at best. Manufacturing a proper lens was much more costly and therefore not constructed as such resulting in a "EYE" glow vs proper concentration of light return for a indicator, so they captured the 'Eye' appearance and marketed it as such- brilliant use of a short coming feature. Hey is does the Job.




all in good fun and info.

submitted respectfully,

I used to "Play" with Naval Submarine Periscopes if you catch my drift.



REF: Modern TECHNICAL PHYSICS
BEISER
ISBN 0-8053-0682-X
CH25 Light