So I am going to try my hand at reconditioning lead acid batteries...

[JBertok]

........Also, now I am saddled with the job of responsibly disposing of the old acid...

The solution to pollution is dilution.

 

[DXHum]

The solution to pollution is dilution.

Yes... it took about 5 pounds of baking soda and a gallon of water before it was safe to dispose of.

 

[crozen]

Hi,
I have seen a lot of guys using a welder to put many amps to the battery for 5 minutes to desulphate.
Isn't it destroying the plates because usually the welders are 20-28 volts ???
I have always seen saying never to charge a battery with more voltage than recommended

 

[crozen]

I have an idea.
What do you think to use an ultrasonic bath to remove lead sulfate from the plates?
Open the caps and simply place the battery in the ultrasonic tank without completely immersing it of course.
The resonance will pass through the plastic and resonate with the acidic liquid where perhaps it will unstick the sulfate

What do you think ?
Nothing costs you trying

 

[Zwy]

Hi,
I have seen a lot of guys using a welder to put many amps to the battery for 5 minutes to desulphate.

It is actually 5 minutes welder on, rest for 10 minutes, 5 minutes on and repeat for 5 times.

Isn't it destroying the plates because usually the welders are 20-28 volts ???

The DC welder I use is around 18V at the battery. It is the amps that do most of the the work. The slightly higher voltage allows current to flow thru higher resistance. What is occurring is the plates heat up from the amps and the voltage/amps push hardened sulfation off the plates. The heated plate expands and contracts and this creates cracks in the hard sulfation.

Soft sulfation can be chemically reversed, hard sulfation can not. It is permanent and comprised of lead and sulfuric acid. Hard sulfation will stick on the plates preventing any new lead/acid chemical reaction leading to reduced battery capacity and cranking amps.

I have always seen saying never to charge a battery with more voltage than recommended

Well, I guess you learned something new?

Using a welder works, it won't save all batteries and some will provide enough cranking amps but have reduced load capacity. I use those in something like a lawnmower that doesn't require many Ah's.

It requires paying attention to details such as battery temp, following proper safety procedures and understanding what is occurring inside the battery.

 

[crozen]

It is actually 5 minutes welder on, rest for 10 minutes, 5 minutes on and repeat for 5 times.


The DC welder I use is around 18V at the battery. It is the amps that do most of the the work. The slightly higher voltage allows current to flow thru higher resistance. What is occurring is the plates heat up from the amps and the voltage/amps push hardened sulfation off the plates. The heated plate expands and contracts and this creates cracks in the hard sulfation.

Soft sulfation can be chemically reversed, hard sulfation can not. It is permanent and comprised of lead and sulfuric acid. Hard sulfation will stick on the plates preventing any new lead/acid chemical reaction leading to reduced battery capacity and cranking amps.


Well, I guess you learned something new?

Using a welder works, it won't save all batteries and some will provide enough cranking amps but have reduced load capacity. I use those in something like a lawnmower that doesn't require many Ah's.

It requires paying attention to details such as battery temp, following proper safety procedures and understanding what is occurring inside the battery.

Should i filter the fluid after desulfating ?

 

[Zwy]

Should i filter the fluid after desulfating ?

I don't, I let any hard sulfation settle to the bottom. If you drain a battery by turning it upside down, any large particles of hard sulfation from the bottom could get in between the plates and create a short.

 

[crozen]

I don't think that it gave more capacity to the battery. I gained maybe 5Ah.
I coocked 5 times the battery with about 45amps current. Every holes was bubbling inside.

 

[Zwy]

I don't think that it gave more capacity to the battery. I gained maybe 5Ah.
I coocked 5 times the battery with about 45amps current. Every holes was bubbling inside.

I use about 90A.

A heavily sulfated battery will have reduced capacity even after knocking the sulfation off the plates. It is due to the reduction of lead and acid that is locked into the hard sulfated material.

I've done EQ charge on 6 volt batteries from a golf cart for weeks, charging, then discharging. Charging and discharging will cause plates to shed sulfation as the plates expand and contract. Each time the capacity increased until 4 recovered to over 90% capacity but the remaining 2 would only go slightly above 80%. I probably did 10 complete cycles. Capacity was pretty pathetic the first few times. It was about double the original capacity when I finished. The 2 duds were retired.

 

[crozen]

I use about 90A.

A heavily sulfated battery will have reduced capacity even after knocking the sulfation off the plates. It is due to the reduction of lead and acid that is locked into the hard sulfated material.

I've done EQ charge on 6 volt batteries from a golf cart for weeks, charging, then discharging. Charging and discharging will cause plates to shed sulfation as the plates expand and contract. Each time the capacity increased until 4 recovered to over 90% capacity but the remaining 2 would only go slightly above 80%. I probably did 10 complete cycles. Capacity was pretty pathetic the first few times. It was about double the original capacity when I finished. The 2 duds were retired.

I can't put more than 45 Amps or i will loose all the fluid... It was bubbling a lot. And I could barely touch the battery because it was so hot

 

[Zwy]

I can't put more than 45 Amps or i will loose all the fluid... It was bubbling a lot. And I could barely touch the battery because it was so hot

What voltage?

I watch temp, nothing over 110°F.

 

[crozen]

What voltage?

I watch temp, nothing over 110°F.

20v

 

[Zwy]

20v

Cycle it a few times, you might have material in between plates.