Narrative:

When removing the main batteries from aircraft for an overheat condition I had a small amount of electrolyte leak from the battery vent tube that ties the 2 batteries together. The amount was about a tablespoon and landed in the right battery composite tray. I cleaned the tray and area between the left and right trays per amm and flushed the vent tubes and cleaned around their exits. After I left for the day it struck me that there could be a conditional inspection for electrolyte spills. As my luck would have it there is one; amm supplement. (I also see that this same reference in the amm is for a main landing gear vibration conditional inspection.) at any rate I reviewed the electrolyte spill conditional inspection and other than not vacuuming up the water in the tray area (I soaked it up instead and dried the area) and not spraying the composite trays and their mounting channel with lps-3 I believe I met the requirements of the conditional inspection. I don't believe that the metal tray holding the composite battery trays was coated with lps-3 to begin with as it is above the bilge area (which did not get any electrolyte spilled into it) so it may need that step done. No areas other than as noted above had any electrolyte contact them and I doubt that any made it as far as the nose or main landing gear.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 TECHNICIAN RPTS WHEN REPLACING THE MAIN SHIP'S BATTERIES A SMALL AMOUNT OF ELECTROLYTE WAS SPILLED IN THE L AND R BATTERY TRAYS. CLEANED TRAYS PER MAINT MANUAL PROC. FAILED TO MAKE CONDITIONAL CHK.

Narrative: WHEN REMOVING THE MAIN BATTERIES FROM ACFT FOR AN OVERHEAT CONDITION I HAD A SMALL AMOUNT OF ELECTROLYTE LEAK FROM THE BATTERY VENT TUBE THAT TIES THE 2 BATTERIES TOGETHER. THE AMOUNT WAS ABOUT A TABLESPOON AND LANDED IN THE R BATTERY COMPOSITE TRAY. I CLEANED THE TRAY AND AREA BTWN THE L AND R TRAYS PER AMM AND FLUSHED THE VENT TUBES AND CLEANED AROUND THEIR EXITS. AFTER I LEFT FOR THE DAY IT STRUCK ME THAT THERE COULD BE A CONDITIONAL INSPECTION FOR ELECTROLYTE SPILLS. AS MY LUCK WOULD HAVE IT THERE IS ONE; AMM SUPPLEMENT. (I ALSO SEE THAT THIS SAME REF IN THE AMM IS FOR A MAIN LNDG GEAR VIBRATION CONDITIONAL INSPECTION.) AT ANY RATE I REVIEWED THE ELECTROLYTE SPILL CONDITIONAL INSPECTION AND OTHER THAN NOT VACUUMING UP THE WATER IN THE TRAY AREA (I SOAKED IT UP INSTEAD AND DRIED THE AREA) AND NOT SPRAYING THE COMPOSITE TRAYS AND THEIR MOUNTING CHANNEL WITH LPS-3 I BELIEVE I MET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CONDITIONAL INSPECTION. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE METAL TRAY HOLDING THE COMPOSITE BATTERY TRAYS WAS COATED WITH LPS-3 TO BEGIN WITH AS IT IS ABOVE THE BILGE AREA (WHICH DID NOT GET ANY ELECTROLYTE SPILLED INTO IT) SO IT MAY NEED THAT STEP DONE. NO AREAS OTHER THAN AS NOTED ABOVE HAD ANY ELECTROLYTE CONTACT THEM AND I DOUBT THAT ANY MADE IT AS FAR AS THE NOSE OR MAIN LNDG GEAR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.