carilchasens
New Member
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- Sep 17, 2020
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Have any of you folks tried using epsom salts to extend the life of flooded lead acid batteries? Results?
Epsom salts?
- Thread starter carilchasens
- Start date
Yes. This has been around for decades. This is the most accurate representation of what it can do for you:
"Extending the service life of an aging battery can be useful as additives are cheap, readily available and worth the experiment for a handyman. These salts may reduce the internal resistance to give a sulfated battery a few extra months of life. Suitable additives are magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt), caustic soda and EDTA (EDTA is a crystalline acid used in industry). "
"Batteries have improved, and additive treatments may be most effective with older battery models, expanding their life by a few months until a replacement is on hand. Modern batteries already include additives that reduce sulfation and corrosion. Industrial users seldom rely on remedial additives to prolong battery life as the system becomes maintenance prone."
Generally speaking, if you can afford to replace them, that's the solution. If you need to try and get a little more life out of old aging batteries trying to put off their replacement for a few months, then sure. Give it a shot.
IMHO, batteries made in the last 10 years benefit little to none from this process.
Lastly, I have yet to see a youtube video or other reference that demonstrates that anything except voltage is improved. Can a crapped out starter battery be recovered to allow starting an engine for a few months. Probably. Can it restore meaningful capacity in a solar power system? Almost certainly not.
A properly maintained FLA battery that is periodically subjected to an equalization charge when the specific gravity signals a need for it will NEVER need nor benefit from additives.
Before EVER trying an additive, SG of all cells should be recorded, and an equalization charge should be attempted.
BU-805: Additives to Boost Flooded Lead Acid – Battery University
Know how to extend the life of a lead acid battery and what the limits are
batteryuniversity.com
"Extending the service life of an aging battery can be useful as additives are cheap, readily available and worth the experiment for a handyman. These salts may reduce the internal resistance to give a sulfated battery a few extra months of life. Suitable additives are magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt), caustic soda and EDTA (EDTA is a crystalline acid used in industry). "
"Batteries have improved, and additive treatments may be most effective with older battery models, expanding their life by a few months until a replacement is on hand. Modern batteries already include additives that reduce sulfation and corrosion. Industrial users seldom rely on remedial additives to prolong battery life as the system becomes maintenance prone."
Generally speaking, if you can afford to replace them, that's the solution. If you need to try and get a little more life out of old aging batteries trying to put off their replacement for a few months, then sure. Give it a shot.
IMHO, batteries made in the last 10 years benefit little to none from this process.
Lastly, I have yet to see a youtube video or other reference that demonstrates that anything except voltage is improved. Can a crapped out starter battery be recovered to allow starting an engine for a few months. Probably. Can it restore meaningful capacity in a solar power system? Almost certainly not.
A properly maintained FLA battery that is periodically subjected to an equalization charge when the specific gravity signals a need for it will NEVER need nor benefit from additives.
Before EVER trying an additive, SG of all cells should be recorded, and an equalization charge should be attempted.
Huh? Adding a base to an acid generally results in a salt and water. A "pinch" of NaOH will result water and dissolved Na2SO4 salt. It will be amazingly uneventful. It's not like you're adding pure sodium to water.
The idea is that the NaOH somehow assists in desulfation, and it's a "pinch."
chrisski
Solar Boondocker
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- Aug 14, 2020
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I wonder how this would work on a PV Battery. All the videos I’ve seen were for starter batteries. The videos I saw, there was a lot more than a pinch of epsom salts added. The chemistry totally changed.
Looking at some pictures of some spent lead in a battery, I don’t think Epsom salts could help those, but if attempted would probably need to be done well before the lead got to that point, but then there would be no need for this.
I’ve read a couple of things about new sulphuric acid to the batteries, which to me seems it keeps the chemistry as intended, but not yet at the point I feel the need to do either Epsom salts or new sulphuric acid in my backyard.
Looking at some pictures of some spent lead in a battery, I don’t think Epsom salts could help those, but if attempted would probably need to be done well before the lead got to that point, but then there would be no need for this.
I’ve read a couple of things about new sulphuric acid to the batteries, which to me seems it keeps the chemistry as intended, but not yet at the point I feel the need to do either Epsom salts or new sulphuric acid in my backyard.
To summarize thus far: All additive measures are a temporary improvement at best.
Fresh acid MUST follow a thorough cleaning, and you still have sulfation on the plates, so even if you restore usable function, it's substantially inferior to a new battery.
If you're desperate to get SOME function before replacement - use additives.
If you don't care about significantly reduced capacity but need something that will work cheap - dump the acid, clean it out an add fresh acid.
If you want a fully functional battery at or near rated capacity - replace.
For solar energy storage systems, the only meaningful solution is 1) maintain your FLA batteries in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions to include fluid level, SG monitoring and periodic equalization charges. 2) when #1 stops working, buy a new battery.
My system is currently running on 8 T-1275 FLA, 4S2P, 48V. I bought these used cheap from a golf cart refurbisher. They were 2-3 years old at the time. All of them had 62-69% rated capacity and SG deviations well in excess of allowable upon acquisition. I conducted long duration equalization charges to 16.2V while monitoring cell temperature until all cell SG were within 0.05 or better (some just wouldn't respond more than this, but only two exceeded the 0.03 limit).
After equalization treatments, I repeated the test of reserve capacity of each battery at 25A to 10.5V cut off. There was a 13-28% improvement (in percentage points). The 4 batteries from one cart measure 75-89% rated and the 4 batteries from the other cart measured 91-96%. Thus I have the entire bank de-rated to the one 75% battery, so 8 * 12V * 150Ah = 14.4kWh * 0.75 = 10.8kWh, or 225Ah @ 48V vs. 300Ah rated.
Pretty happy with the results and for $500, it really paid off.
Fresh acid MUST follow a thorough cleaning, and you still have sulfation on the plates, so even if you restore usable function, it's substantially inferior to a new battery.
If you're desperate to get SOME function before replacement - use additives.
If you don't care about significantly reduced capacity but need something that will work cheap - dump the acid, clean it out an add fresh acid.
If you want a fully functional battery at or near rated capacity - replace.
For solar energy storage systems, the only meaningful solution is 1) maintain your FLA batteries in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions to include fluid level, SG monitoring and periodic equalization charges. 2) when #1 stops working, buy a new battery.
My system is currently running on 8 T-1275 FLA, 4S2P, 48V. I bought these used cheap from a golf cart refurbisher. They were 2-3 years old at the time. All of them had 62-69% rated capacity and SG deviations well in excess of allowable upon acquisition. I conducted long duration equalization charges to 16.2V while monitoring cell temperature until all cell SG were within 0.05 or better (some just wouldn't respond more than this, but only two exceeded the 0.03 limit).
After equalization treatments, I repeated the test of reserve capacity of each battery at 25A to 10.5V cut off. There was a 13-28% improvement (in percentage points). The 4 batteries from one cart measure 75-89% rated and the 4 batteries from the other cart measured 91-96%. Thus I have the entire bank de-rated to the one 75% battery, so 8 * 12V * 150Ah = 14.4kWh * 0.75 = 10.8kWh, or 225Ah @ 48V vs. 300Ah rated.
Pretty happy with the results and for $500, it really paid off.
carilchasens
New Member
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Snoobler, how long have you had the T-1275s?
I procured them around September. I installed them late Dec, 2019.
Since then, they've been somewhat abused due to bad choices on my part - remote location, unable to monitor. I under-bulked and basically only floated them while we weren't on site. They've suffered a little bit on capacity and balance. Since then I've installed 12V balancers on all 8 batteries, and run a few short equalizations when I'm on site, and things are looking up. Still have a few cells lagging on SG.
After pulling 110W all night long, I'm still registering 85% capacity based on the Quattro's current counting. The bank voltage is typically 49.7V (12.43V/battery) right before solar starts to trickle.
The balancers added $200 to the investment, but I'm okay with that.
Bleedingblue
Solar Enthusiast
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- May 12, 2020
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About 8 yrs ago i put epsom salt in the battery (around 6 years old) of my truck. Put a nice charge on it and it held charge. Before it would not hold a charge.
Did not touch the battery for another year and sold the truck to a relative. He used the truck for another 1.5 years before he told me the battery died.
Did not touch the battery for another year and sold the truck to a relative. He used the truck for another 1.5 years before he told me the battery died.
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