Batteries

[mayalld]

I don't think I've mentioned it before, but we are once again a two-boat family.

 

Daughter and Son-in-Law have bought a very tidy 30ft holiday boat (BMC 1.5 engine), and yours truly is trying to avoid being suckered in to doing their maintenance.

 

When they bought it, we concluded that there wasn't a lot of charge in the domestics (2x679), but the starter battery seemed good.

 

We took the attitude that we would assume that they were in fact dead, and budget for buying new. However, being careful with money (tight as a duck's arse according to SWMBO), I suggested that perhaps we should see if a couple of weeks on charge (3 stage adaptive thingy) livened them up.

 

So, determined to NOT do the job myself, left instructions with S-i-L; "Top them up, and put them on charge". Over the weekend, after a couple of weeks on charge, I suggested that he disconnected the landline at 5pm and see how long the batteries held out. The inverter went low voltage at 9pm.

 

We conclude that they are actually former batteries, and S-i-L is despatched to a purveyor of batteries to purchase two shiny new batteries.

 

Under duress, I agree to swap the batteries over, because "all those wires are complicated". Once we have the old batteries out, I note that one of them has 3 cells only 1/4 full, and the other has 2 cells 1/4 full. Both batteries are showing 12.4 volts on no load, and there is no evidence of cracks or leakage. I ask the inevitable question... "did you top them up like I said?", and the inevitable answer... "didn't get round to it"

 

So, I now have 2 batteries, which I've topped up properly, but which have been sat with very little electrolyte for some time. Son-in-Law is on strict orders to keep an eye on the new ones in case we have a bettery boiler issue.

 

The question is that given that they held out for 4 hours with so little electrolyte, do we reckon that there is actually a chance that with the low cells refilled, we might even resucitate these batteries to give a bit of useful life?

 

Oh, and S-i-L has been informed that he deserves his batteries to be knackered if he doesn't follow instructions!

[debbifiggy]

I don't think I've mentioned it before, but we are once again a two-boat family.

 

Daughter and Son-in-Law have bought a very tidy 30ft holiday boat (BMC 1.5 engine), and yours truly is trying to avoid being suckered in to doing their maintenance.

 

When they bought it, we concluded that there wasn't a lot of charge in the domestics (2x679), but the starter battery seemed good.

 

etc

 

I got all excited for a moment thinking it was either python time or that someone else has a norwegian blue .... cat that is.

 

We've got a loveable monster called Merlin and he's a Norwegian Mackeral blue tabby and white. Totally off topic I know but there's lots of us boaty cat lovers out there. Bet he's got a lot more vroom than the batteries in the daughters boat

D

[NB Alnwick]

I don't think I've mentioned it before, but we are once again a two-boat family.

 

Daughter and Son-in-Law have bought a very tidy 30ft holiday boat (BMC 1.5 engine), and yours truly is trying to avoid being suckered in to doing their maintenance.

 

When they bought it, we concluded that there wasn't a lot of charge in the domestics (2x679), but the starter battery seemed good.

 

We took the attitude that we would assume that they were in fact dead, and budget for buying new. However, being careful with money (tight as a duck's arse according to SWMBO), I suggested that perhaps we should see if a couple of weeks on charge (3 stage adaptive thingy) livened them up.

 

So, determined to NOT do the job myself, left instructions with S-i-L; "Top them up, and put them on charge". Over the weekend, after a couple of weeks on charge, I suggested that he disconnected the landline at 5pm and see how long the batteries held out. The inverter went low voltage at 9pm.

 

We conclude that they are actually former batteries, and S-i-L is despatched to a purveyor of batteries to purchase two shiny new batteries.

 

Under duress, I agree to swap the batteries over, because "all those wires are complicated". Once we have the old batteries out, I note that one of them has 3 cells only 1/4 full, and the other has 2 cells 1/4 full. Both batteries are showing 12.4 volts on no load, and there is no evidence of cracks or leakage. I ask the inevitable question... "did you top them up like I said?", and the inevitable answer... "didn't get round to it"

 

So, I now have 2 batteries, which I've topped up properly, but which have been sat with very little electrolyte for some time. Son-in-Law is on strict orders to keep an eye on the new ones in case we have a bettery boiler issue.

 

The question is that given that they held out for 4 hours with so little electrolyte, do we reckon that there is actually a chance that with the low cells refilled, we might even resucitate these batteries to give a bit of useful life?

 

Oh, and S-i-L has been informed that he deserves his batteries to be knackered if he doesn't follow instructions!

 

If you are lucky, they may survive the abuse.

 

I managed to revive the batteries of my old MGB when they had been boiled due to an incorrectly adjusted regulator - the two six volt batteries consumed about a litre and a half of de-ionised water to bring them back up to the correct level. They were nearly ten years old at the time and lasted another five years afterwards! These were old fashioned lead/acid batteries - really heavy jobs with hard rubber cases. The replacement batteries were supplied 'dry charged' with the electrolyte in a separate container so having dry plates may not always mean that the batteries cannot be revived.

[blodger]

I have found the batt-aid tablets supplied by Halfords and motor factors to be very good at resuscitating batteries that others have abuses/neglected.

 

They cost 4.00 to 4.50 for 12 tabs. I find it best to, having topped the water up and low charged for a couple of days, to test by hydrometer and try two in the three lowest and one each in the best. After another couple of days of charging I stick the remaining three tabs into whichever are still low. Usually you get better than half a battery back from nothing and a lot better starting from 1/2 a battery.

 

I googled a while back and found that you can buy the chemical of which they are comprised in bulk cheaper from America I think.

 

It's just a de-sulphater not a miracle cure but it's surprising what it will achieve with batteries that others have discarded. Obviously, it will not fix a shorted cell necessarily or where the problem is not sulphation/sheer neglect.

[mayalld]

I have found the batt-aid tablets supplied by Halfords and motor factors to be very good at resuscitating batteries that others have abuses/neglected.

 

They cost 4.00 to 4.50 for 12 tabs. I find it best to, having topped the water up and low charged for a couple of days, to test by hydrometer and try two in the three lowest and one each in the best. After another couple of days of charging I stick the remaining three tabs into whichever are still low. Usually you get better than half a battery back from nothing and a lot better starting from 1/2 a battery.

 

I googled a while back and found that you can buy the chemical of which they are comprised in bulk cheaper from America I think.

 

It's just a de-sulphater not a miracle cure but it's surprising what it will achieve with batteries that others have discarded. Obviously, it will not fix a shorted cell necessarily or where the problem is not sulphation/sheer neglect.

 

I tend to put batt-aid into the "snake oil" category!

 

I might suspend disbelief and try some.

 

The cells don't appear shorted (I wouldn't get 12.4v on no load if they were would I?)

[RobinJ]

The question is that given that they held out for 4 hours with so little electrolyte, do we reckon that there is actually a chance that with the low cells refilled, we might even resucitate these batteries to give a bit of useful life?

Since they are now discharged, it is worth trying to top them up properly and see if they can be charged fully!

When there is low electrolyte during charge you, can end up with more deposition lower down so its possible to short the cells (it depends on when and how long ago the liquid vapourised!), so don't be surpised if you loose, but you may be lucky?

[WotEver]

The cells don't appear shorted (I wouldn't get 12.4v on no load if they were would I?)

Correct

 

Tony

[ChrisPy]

sounds like you need to change your s-i-l.

[Denis R]

I have found the batt-aid tablets supplied by Halfords and motor factors to be very good at resuscitating batteries that others have abuses/neglected.

My God, are they still available? I remember things like this from when I was a kid and my father used to add weird potions to practically every orifice of his Ford Pop!

Fascinated by this I did a quick Google surf and there seems to have been a technology shift from tablet to pulse charging for desulphation - many sites even have instructions to make a DIY desulphater of your own, such as this one.

Be interesting to know from how close to the brink you can bring a battery back (Gibbo?).

[mayalld]

sounds like you need to change your s-i-l.

 

Well, it's an idea, but for all his faults, Stepdaughter and Grandson are quite fond of him, so probably not an option.

[blodger]

My God, are they still available? I remember things like this from when I was a kid and my father used to add weird potions to practically every orifice of his Ford Pop!

Fascinated by this I did a quick Google surf and there seems to have been a technology shift from tablet to pulse charging for desulphation - many sites even have instructions to make a DIY desulphater of your own, such as this one.

Be interesting to know from how close to the brink you can bring a battery back (Gibbo?).

I have tried mega pulses with no clear advantage discernable. It has been said on here that doing a 'rain dance' around the batteries is just as effective if not better.

I only know that without the batt aids I would have stopped using some batts a lot sooner.