OT. Desulfinating a weak battery

Dr. Bert · May 24, 2012

I have a 12 volt battery the when tested with a load tester shows weak. Other than EDTA, what could I try to clean up the plates? Checked in the archives, but got no satisfaction. I recall while visiting one of the forums that someone posted about what he used for desulfination. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

sflem849 · May 24, 2012

Is it epsom salts?

Allan in NE · May 24, 2012

Go buy a battery.

Allan

pete 23 · May 24, 2012

Put a slow drain on battery until totally dead. Let is stand a day, hook up slow charger, 6 amp or less. If charger acts ok leave it on until all cells are gassing freely, may take a couple of days, and voltage is about 14 to 14.5 Check each cell with a hydrometer to see if they are close to same. Load test, if it fails, discharge it again, same procedure. If it fails load test, junk it. Batteries are strange animals. I had two this spring, rarely used ones, they both showed normal open ciruit voltage. The six volt showed 6.3 and 12 volts showed 12.6, hydrometer showed near full charge, and neither one had been charged for several months. Neither would even come close to passing the load test, 50 amp draw and they were down to 4 volts and 9 volts respectivly. After I discharged each and recharged they both passed load test of half of cold cranking capacity. How long they will last, I don't know, but have used the one more than a few times so far.

Dr. Bert · May 24, 2012

Allen: I did!!!

Dr. Bert · May 24, 2012

Thanks. I think you are right.

Dr. Bert · May 24, 2012

pete 23. I usually do as you suggested, but have never had much luck. Hoping to find an effective alternative. Thanks

Indiana Ken · May 24, 2012

I have a old 1 amp charger that will go up to 16 volts once the battery stops taking current. If I suspect the battery has sulfate problem I will use the charger and leave it connected for 3 + days after it is charged. It seems to work (actually how can you tell) for some batterys.

I have been seeing some of the new chargers claim to have a de-sulfate mode. In this mode the charger uses a higher voltage that is pulsed at a high frequency. I have never used one of these chargers and can not comment.

If the battery is in equipment that has to be reliable I will buy a new battery.

Ron-MO · May 24, 2012

Here is a post I made on another forum about a year or so ago on the subject. By the way, both batteries are still alive and in service, although the 6 volt in my C may need replaced soon. But I was convinced as both were in need of replacement, and giving a 4DLT an extra year of life (or more) was worth the effort (my opinion). Obviously this would not fix a shorted cell.
Post from about a year ago...

sflem849 · May 24, 2012

(quoted from post at 18:54:09 05/24/12) Here is a post I made on another forum about a year or so ago on the subject. By the way, both batteries are still alive and in service, although the 6 volt in my C may need replaced soon. But I was convinced as both were in need of replacement, and giving a 4DLT an extra year of life (or more) was worth the effort (my opinion). Obviously this would not fix a shorted cell.
Post from about a year ago...

I guess I haven't lost my mind...yet. :lol:

The guy I heard it from said to dump a teaspoon in each hole. He didn't mess with a solution, but that would probably ensure it gets mixed in good.

Ron-MO · May 24, 2012

That 4DLT in my diesel tractor is now approaching 6 years old now. I think the most I ever got out of a 4DLT in the past was 3 or 4 years. Started unassisted a week ago after sitting close to a month. I have not priced one of those for a while, but pretty sure I am not going to like what I see when the time comes.

pete 23 · May 24, 2012

Ya, it doesn't work all that often. I guess my point is I don't believe in mixtures doing any good. When a battery sulfates, the spongy lead on plates is hard. That is what sulfated means. So, if it is hard all the way through and not just the surface of the plate you will never soften it up, and if you do it will drop off to bottom and then you are done anyway. This is why we have to keep our batteries fully charged at all times as the second that portion of the spongy lead is discharged it begins to harden. All lead acid batteries self discharge internally when sitting idle. At low temps it is very slow, high temps a good battery can be dead in 60 to 90 days. Keep them cool, dry , and fully charged. Battery maintainer is great. I know, I don't take that good care of all my batteries either. Have too many. One of the biggest problems I see is guys wash their tractor,don't wash batteries good, batteries are covered in dirt, turns to mud, batteries go dead. Discharging externally across top of battery. Batteries now days no good!!!!!!! Wonder why.

DanR · May 25, 2012

I have to disagree with Pete on this one. Yes, let the battery discharge completely. Then hit it with the highest amperage you can find. This will shock off most of the sulfates and it will settle in the bottom of the case. It's important to get this stuff out of the battery or it will short out the plates at the bottom.. Rinse the battery out with fresh water and replace with new electrolyte and charge in the usual way. I've done it many times.

Dr. Bert · May 25, 2012

Dan R: Thank you. I have two weak batteries that I am going to experiment on, so will try your method on one.

Dr. Bert · May 25, 2012

Ron-MO: Thank you. That is exactly what I was looking for.

Jon Hagen · May 25, 2012

I have had great luck with the little BatteryMINDer charger /desulfator/ maintainer units to reverse sulfation of a badly sulfated but mechanically sound battery.
One big 4dlt ? that came out of a rollover that drained the electrolyte and was allowed to set in that condition for a year.
I refilled with new electrolyte and allowed the little desulfator to work at it for several months. it came back to very good cranking power and ran for several more years.

I have four of them and use them to keep the batteries on my fleet of seasonal use equipment, full and free of sulfation in the off season.
batteryMINDer

OT. Desulfinating a weak battery

Dr. Bert

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sflem849

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Allan in NE

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pete 23

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Dr. Bert

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Dr. Bert

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Dr. Bert

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Indiana Ken

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Ron-MO

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sflem849

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Ron-MO

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pete 23

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DanR

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Dr. Bert

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Dr. Bert

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Jon Hagen

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