Is there really a way to do this? I seen on Ebay, a guy was selling a method for $9.99 to you that would enable you to recharge a dead battery for $3 dollars of equipment at Walmart, He gives you the plans and how to do it, claims it takes 5 minutes and works everytime. I know batteries are getting worse, my ATV batteries last about a year, Iam sure its the Florida heat that kills them, but they used to last three years, my wifes car is only 5 years old and on its second, Did anyone ever try this or hear of it? It sounds like it would pay for itself, if it wasnt a gimic.
Refurbishing dead batteries?
- Thread starter Panzerman
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What quality batteries do you use?
lol! You'll get limited success in reviving an already sulphated lead-acid battery.
I did a study on batteries and came up with the following:
1. Start out by buying a quality battery. There are sites similar to this one that all they talk about is batteries and which ones are the best. I personally bought a Sears Die Hard Gold in 02 for my truck and it's still going strong. Better than I can say for the Interstates I used to buy.
2. Look into desulfating a battery. There are a couple of ways to accomplish this. One is offered by Shumacher battery chargers, the other is by Pulsatech. Both come with good recommendations.
3. I have heard of the additive you can put in the battery, but not much more. If you come across something more than add hype, I'm interested to know what and where.
Steve
1. Start out by buying a quality battery. There are sites similar to this one that all they talk about is batteries and which ones are the best. I personally bought a Sears Die Hard Gold in 02 for my truck and it's still going strong. Better than I can say for the Interstates I used to buy.
2. Look into desulfating a battery. There are a couple of ways to accomplish this. One is offered by Shumacher battery chargers, the other is by Pulsatech. Both come with good recommendations.
3. I have heard of the additive you can put in the battery, but not much more. If you come across something more than add hype, I'm interested to know what and where.
Steve
Panzerman,
there was a guy in town who would sell rejuvinated batteries. He'd shake them, invert them, and let all the acid and junk run out (down the drain), refill them with sulfuric acid, and they'd work...for a while, but he didn't charge much.
hi-miler,
I think that you may be refrring to one of the Cadmium sulf(ide/ate???) products. They work, as I usually use them when I get my first couple of poor starts coming into winter on an old battery. I get another year out of them.
Inox offers double the battery manufacturer's warranty if used immediately on new battery purchase.
there was a guy in town who would sell rejuvinated batteries. He'd shake them, invert them, and let all the acid and junk run out (down the drain), refill them with sulfuric acid, and they'd work...for a while, but he didn't charge much.
hi-miler,
I think that you may be refrring to one of the Cadmium sulf(ide/ate???) products. They work, as I usually use them when I get my first couple of poor starts coming into winter on an old battery. I get another year out of them.
Inox offers double the battery manufacturer's warranty if used immediately on new battery purchase.
Just put an Alka-seltzer in each cell......I've nursed an additional summer from marginal garden tractor batteries this way.
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I researched desulphation for several years, including building several pulse desulphation units of various designs. Some were of my own design and used a very high-amperage, yet extremely short-duration short-circuit. (Some call this de-mossing.)
You can buy these commercially - search around. Wiz-bang makes one that works, Courtiestown (a UK company) makes them, etc... I have a charger by Power-On-Board (Vector Products) that has a desulphation mode too, but I can't vouch for its effectiveness as I never tested it.
Bottom line, my research showed that some batteries can be desulphated and returned to service, where they will live reasonably long lives. Others, especially those with shorted cells, will never recover.
You can try putting EDTA in the cells and sometimes this will work too. Dissolve the EDTA in water and add the solution to the cells. Again, if the cells are shorted, this won't help.
The best way to cure sulphation is to NOT let them get sulphated in the first place! Automatic trickle chargers are your friend.
thanks,
ben
You can buy these commercially - search around. Wiz-bang makes one that works, Courtiestown (a UK company) makes them, etc... I have a charger by Power-On-Board (Vector Products) that has a desulphation mode too, but I can't vouch for its effectiveness as I never tested it.
Bottom line, my research showed that some batteries can be desulphated and returned to service, where they will live reasonably long lives. Others, especially those with shorted cells, will never recover.
You can try putting EDTA in the cells and sometimes this will work too. Dissolve the EDTA in water and add the solution to the cells. Again, if the cells are shorted, this won't help.
The best way to cure sulphation is to NOT let them get sulphated in the first place! Automatic trickle chargers are your friend.
thanks,
ben
The best way to prevent a dead battery is to use a Batter Tender recharger whenever the battery is not in continued service.
But, I did rejuvinate a dead (and I mean DEAD) mower battery.
I dumped out the old acid. I flushed out sediment by partially refilling with water, shake vigorously, and dump. Repeated several times.
I then poured a baking soda and water mix in the cells. Dump/refill/soak/repeat until the plates looked clean. Rinse well.
Refilled with clean battery acid. Charged with a Battery Tender. Placed back in service.
A small amount of sulfate can be removed from and extremely low trickle charge, but it's only a marginal amount. It won't work on a really abused battery.
But, I did rejuvinate a dead (and I mean DEAD) mower battery.
I dumped out the old acid. I flushed out sediment by partially refilling with water, shake vigorously, and dump. Repeated several times.
I then poured a baking soda and water mix in the cells. Dump/refill/soak/repeat until the plates looked clean. Rinse well.
Refilled with clean battery acid. Charged with a Battery Tender. Placed back in service.
A small amount of sulfate can be removed from and extremely low trickle charge, but it's only a marginal amount. It won't work on a really abused battery.
I need to get new batteries for the atvs, Iam going to get a energizer at Sams club, a Magna power at Autozone and Diehard at Sears and see if they last any longer. I cant put a trickle charger on them because I keep them in a barn with no power away from the house and would have to run a long cord, Ive tried removing them and unhooking them, I think its the Polaris charging system, because in my Kawasaki KLR batteries last like 4 years. Iam going to try higher quality and see if it makes a difference, Florida heat doesnt help much and probably 80%+ the problem.
btw the "sulf defense" in yuasa batteries is edta.
it does help but its best to not let them sit around discharged even partly.
for the bikes stored where no power is availible use maintainers powered by solar panels.
a panel that does about 100 ma in full sun will stop self discharge of the battery in a old ford pu that is used only for parades.
i mounted it on the south roof of the polebarn the truck is stored in. 1/2 amp fuse and a diode in the + lead at the battery protect against shorts and isolate the panel at night.
this truck always needed a new battery every spring.
the battery in it now is 4 years old.
it got swiped several times for the owners tractor when it refused to start.
it does help but its best to not let them sit around discharged even partly.
for the bikes stored where no power is availible use maintainers powered by solar panels.
a panel that does about 100 ma in full sun will stop self discharge of the battery in a old ford pu that is used only for parades.
i mounted it on the south roof of the polebarn the truck is stored in. 1/2 amp fuse and a diode in the + lead at the battery protect against shorts and isolate the panel at night.
this truck always needed a new battery every spring.
the battery in it now is 4 years old.
it got swiped several times for the owners tractor when it refused to start.
Dear Ben;
I would like to know what your mixture with the EDTA was for removing sulfation in a lead acid battery. So that I might see if it works for me or not.
Thank you,
Clyde Baugh
I would like to know what your mixture with the EDTA was for removing sulfation in a lead acid battery. So that I might see if it works for me or not.
Thank you,
Clyde Baugh
Originally Posted By: Shannow
there was a guy in town who would sell rejuvinated batteries. He'd shake them, invert them, and let all the acid and junk run out (down the drain), refill them with sulfuric acid, and they'd work...for a while, but he didn't charge much.
Now, this was very smart to run lead sulfate down the drain. Let the people down the river have some lead in drinking water.
there was a guy in town who would sell rejuvinated batteries. He'd shake them, invert them, and let all the acid and junk run out (down the drain), refill them with sulfuric acid, and they'd work...for a while, but he didn't charge much.
Now, this was very smart to run lead sulfate down the drain. Let the people down the river have some lead in drinking water.
I don't do anything but replace batteries early before they die. Especially on my boat. Who like walking home with the car on the side of the road or worse...trying to row a 16,000lb boat.
New betteries ar epart of my PM program for everything. Those battery re-juvinators are NG IMO.
New betteries ar epart of my PM program for everything. Those battery re-juvinators are NG IMO.
Add a mixture of Epsom salts of 1 cup Epsom salts and one cup of distilled water. add heat to pan but don't boil. about 150 degrees until all of Epsom salt is dissolved and water is clear again. Take 1 1/4 ounces of out of each battery cell and replace with 1 1/4 ounces in each cell of the battery. This will help keep the battery from sulfa-cation in the Florida heat. Then to keep charged you will have to bring a battery up to the house once a month and recharge at a rate of 2 to 5 amps per battery. This will bring all back to a well conditioned battery.
Clyde
Clyde
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I've had decent luck bringing deadish batteries back to life by hitting them with 50A from a battery charger. It takes about 20-30 minutes. I don't really like running the charger that high for so long but it works. If you heard fizzy sounds or feel the battery getting hot then unplug the charger.
Not really. You can add EDTA to remove some of the compounds that plate to the grids that you do not want their but that is just a start. You can add fresh electrolytes too! Some will dish charge and reverse polarize then discharge and recharge properly but all of them have the same basic flaw. It does not addmaterial back to the screens/grids and it can not undo any damage from breakage inthe materials from vibration. I am guessing at $9 he is selling EDTA and you can buy it by the Kilogram fairly cheap. It is used in as a food additive and in tub and shower cleaners. It is also used to remove heavy metals from your body like lead and cadium if you get poisined!!!
Originally Posted By: Mr_Incredible
The best way to prevent a dead battery is to use a Batter Tender recharger whenever the battery is not in continued service.
Agree 100%.
Keep the battery from going dead in the first place then you won't have a "rejuvenation" issue.
MC batteries are too expensive not to take care of them. Keep a battery tender on each one and they'll last for years.
The best way to prevent a dead battery is to use a Batter Tender recharger whenever the battery is not in continued service.
Agree 100%.
Keep the battery from going dead in the first place then you won't have a "rejuvenation" issue.
MC batteries are too expensive not to take care of them. Keep a battery tender on each one and they'll last for years.
Originally Posted By: robbobster
Keep a battery tender on each one and they'll last for years.
Which battery tenders do you recommend?
Keep a battery tender on each one and they'll last for years.
Which battery tenders do you recommend?
Originally Posted By: Gradient
Originally Posted By: robbobster
Keep a battery tender on each one and they'll last for years.
Which battery tenders do you recommend?
I bought mine at Sears. It wasn't much $$$$ wise. I've used it for 3 years now and it's worked great. I don't use my car in the winter and keep it in the garage with the battery minder hooked up from December through March usually. Remember to take the bulb out of the underhood light if you have one
.
Whimsey
Originally Posted By: robbobster
Keep a battery tender on each one and they'll last for years.
Which battery tenders do you recommend?
I bought mine at Sears. It wasn't much $$$$ wise. I've used it for 3 years now and it's worked great. I don't use my car in the winter and keep it in the garage with the battery minder hooked up from December through March usually. Remember to take the bulb out of the underhood light if you have one
Whimsey
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