batteries

lost my handle · Feb 2, 2012

Hi, Is there anyway to get 6 volt batteries to take a charge. I bought three new ones aout 3 1/2 years ago and then I had some medical problems. Battery's sat on work bench for that time & I hate to throw them away. Am now able to work on some of my projects so it is time to try to start a couple of the tractors & the 1948 2 ton Studebaker. Any suggestons? Thanks, Chuck

souNdguy · Feb 2, 2012

put a regular charger on them.. not a smart charger, and leave em hooked up on a high amp setting. may take an hour or so before they start bubbling.. they MIGHT take a charge.. all depends on how they were stored.. and if they froze.. etc..

Chuck (CA) · Feb 2, 2012

Try this:
After you put the charger on the battery, put jumper cables from a hot battery to the bad battery for a second or two and see if that gets the charge going.

jacksun · Feb 2, 2012

get some fresh acid into them. Dad had a car dealership worked all the time for old batteries

Duner Wi · Feb 2, 2012

If a second or two don't work I have left the hot battery hooked up for a few minutes before it would charge and then I charged the dead battery at low amps for day or two. Still working 3 years later.

Geo-TH,In · Feb 2, 2012

You can put a good 6v battery in parallel with the dead 6v and then use a smart charger. Or you can use a manual charger and try to slow charge it for a day or two before you connect it to a smart charger. Try not to boil the battery. If it begins to boil, use a timer and charger for 30 minutes and then turn off for 30 minutes. this may work if the battery was not subjected to freezing temps.

usetob · Feb 2, 2012

Chuck is exactly right but I was going to say it on here, what he is saying is reverse polarity for a few seconds! then hook it up right

Chuck in Ks. · Feb 2, 2012

Putting new acid into an old battery will work for a short time, then the batteries will fail due to the new acid eating away the plates.

Chuck

gene bender · Feb 3, 2012

First take a hydrometer reading. What does a analog meter read. I have no problems charging 6v batterys with a 6v charger unless the battery is shorted and yours being new setting on a bench should be just fine to charge just get the polarity correct so you dont blow the batt up the acid is very mean stuff. I use the hyd all the time as i have a bunch of 6v tractors seems like when the batt gets 6-7 yrs old they can go haywire.

Angle Iron · Feb 3, 2012

I have brought back several that wouldn"t take any charge at all by hooking a light up to the battery. The light will cause a draw on the charger and in some cases the battery will then take a charge. I use a 60 watt 12 volt light bulb clipped to the battery. Charger set to the lowest setting. Charge for a few hrs. Run the battery down if it has taken a charge, then start it over again. Nothing to loose. It works now and then.
Angle Iron

bruster · Feb 3, 2012

My dad"s always put a teaspoon of Epsom salts in each cell, and his battery life is longer than average by a few years.(His 2N had a 9 year old battery when he finally sprung for a new one)

Anonymous-0 · Feb 5, 2012

Hi, Thanks for the response. I will try the suggestion of hooking one good battery in parallel with one that seems to be taking a charge. So maybe I can save two them. I have a charger that puts out 7 volts, 80 amps on high charge. Have not tried to get acid for the batteries in more years than I want to think about. But will check on it. Again thanks for the suggestions. Chuck

batteries

lost my handle

New User

souNdguy

Well-known Member

Chuck (CA)

Well-known Member

jacksun

Member

Duner Wi

Well-known Member

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

usetob

Member

Chuck in Ks.

Member

gene bender

Well-known Member

Angle Iron

Member

bruster

Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

Similar threads