Re: battery maintenance

Posted by Don Denhardt on December 14, 2001 at 12:01:16 from (24.13.42.170):

In Reply to: battery maintenance posted by Don E. Foster on December 13, 2001 at 13:33:13:

Hi Don,

I've responded to your email but have decided to also post to this board as there is more battery trivia and thought others could benefit as well.

The 555 pulser can run at the 6 volt level but they have to use a different inductor for L1 to do so. They also need to have the pulse width trigger to the FET changed.
http://www.shaka.com/~kalepa/desulf.htm

Normally most folks tie 2 six volt batteries together and use a 12Volt pulser. You stated that "Most" of your batteries are 6V. I take it there are a few that are 12V.

Recovery from sulfates can be a slow process. That is why I had thought it too bad that you got a pulser that only does one at a time.

The pulsers we deal with handle multiple batteries. In fact, one of the fellows I just finished emailing will be using a pulser to desulfate 30 batteries that are connected in a bank of batteries. He actually has 60 12V batteries but they are wired in a 24V configuration (30 sets of two 12Volters). He will be using two 12V pulsers to maintain his bank.

Battery Basics:
If a battery is not in daily use, they must be connected to a battery charger. If not, the self discharge characteristics of a lead acid battery will sulfate them up in no time at all. They will sulfate at the rate of 5% to 10% per month. So it is easy to lose a battery quickly. Once they sulfate only a pulser or EDTA treatments will eliminate the sulfate. That is provided the sulfate has not grown to the point of cracking a plate and/or causing shorts. Once a cell in a battery shorts nothing will bring it back. To test for a shorted cell, you charge it for 24 hours. Then you let it sit for 6 hours. A
recoverable 12V battery will measure over 10.5V. A recoverable 6V battery will measure over 5.25V.

The only batteries that do not sulfate are the ones that are permanently connected to a charger and used for standby power (telephone companies,
nuke plants, etc...). Each time a battery discharges and then is charged sulfates form, multiply and grow. It's sort of like fighting
back the jungle in a small clearing. That is why even your car battery you will lose in a few years. That is why they also sell you a 300A
battery to spin your 100A starter. Otherwise you'd be in trouble in the first month.

Vehicular batteries like yours should be pulled and kept together. You can use short pieces of 12 gauge wire to wire them together for charging/pulsing. They must be kept on a charger and pulser.

You may have noticed that new batteries will run the charge current to near zero. Sulfated batteries will not. They will continue to draw a
small charge current until they are desulfated. For example a car over here for repair would only reduce the charge current to 2 amps when left
on a charger for a 24 hr period. The battery was severely sulfated. I connected a pulser to it. Overnight the charge rate reduced to 1 amp.

The owner was not in a hurry to pick it up and I have room here to let it sit. It has been sitting here for 2 weeks now. The last time I looked at the ammeter the charge rate was down to less than 1/2A.

Soooooooooo, what you could do if you have a 12Volt 6 or 10 amp charger is to start taking these 10 batteries and putting them on the charger 2 at a time (wired together for 12V) with a pulser connected to the first battery set. Add a battery every 24 hours until the charger does not go below 1/2 of it's capacity (3A on a 6A charger, 5A on a 10A charger, etc...). Keep an eye on them and every time the charge rate goes below 1/2 of the chargers capacity, add another battery set or a 12V battery.

I'd keep them indoors for long term storage in between shows. But if you wanted, as long as they are connected to a charger and pulser they could be kept outside. If kept indoors connected to a charger and pulser they will recover more quickly (up to 77 deg F)

Old wives tales:
Some are true. Never place a battery on the ground. Keep them on a shelf or on an insulated piece of material like a piece of wood.

Ever see condensate (water) form on a glass of Iced tea in the summer?? That is because the fluid is at a temperature lower than the air
temperature. Warm moist air comes in contact with the cold surface and condenses out water. The same thing happens to a battery placed on the
ground. It will shortly assume the temperature of the ground. When moist air comes in contact with it water will condense out on the surface of the battery case. This aggravates the self discharging of a battery, as the tops are usually saturated with acid products. When damp it will conduct even more.

Good luck,

Don

• Lead Acid Battery desulfator

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