Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] What do Hydro-caps do?

["D. Blake" <dblake@bright.net>]

Ray:
Well, the problem occurs primarily during overcharging.  So when an over
abundence of free electrons are introduced into the system it must
dissociate the water molecules(H2O).  Intuitively, I believe the process
free's the H2, and at the same time creates ozone(O3).  This would also
explain the loss of water during overcharging.  But how in the heck does the
leaking hydrogen recombine or associate with ambient oxygen without a free
electron source?  Has to be the platinum in the caps reacting to the
presence of hydrogen then releasing free electrons to create the H2O
molecular bond.
Of course this would mean the caps have an effective lifetime dependent on
the exposure to hydrogen.  So the caps will last longer the less you
overcharge the batteries, duh.
So my answer I guess would be that oxygen is lost through the creation of
ozone which vents away.  While the hydrogen is returned after reacting with
the platinum and ambient oxygen in the form of water.  Of course I might be
wrong, but it makes sense to me.
TTYL,
Big Dave