Dead Batteries
Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2022 7:37 pm
When you have a collection of cars, like I do, maintaining batteries can not only waste a lot of time, but also a lot of money. I've explored alternative options to conventional lead-acid starting batteries before, and know maybe a little more about batteries and their construction than the average key-turner, but am by no means an expert.
Yesterday, I did a little research on reviving long-dead batteries, and watched an interesting video on using a stick-welder to force-charge and de-sulfate an old, long-dead and unchargeable battery... Reading through some of the feedback responses got me thinking about my old 200-Amp jump-starter cart. Nothing fancy, and not too expensive, I believe Harbor Freight still sells similar battery chargers/jump-starters around the $100 range... I rarely use mine because the higher the Amp setting, the higher the voltage output runs, up to (and beyond!) 20 volts on the highest setting -clearly that is NOT acceptable to use to jump-start a computer-controlled car.
Last night, I ran a test, and took a Wal-Mart 800-CCA battery that has been door-nail-dead for a year or two, snowed-on and rained-on sitting on concrete in front of my garage-door, the battery is about 10 years old. I force-charged the battery (cell-caps off) in a well-ventilated area for about 1/2 hour (it is cold here now), until the acid in the cells had been bubbling for about 10 minutes. I disconnected the charger for about five minutes, hooked it back up again for about 10, and repeated this two more times. The battery was holding a steady 12.5 Volts, even with a 55-Watt headlight hooked up to it. This morning, I put it in one of my old Plymouths, and it cranked and fired right up. Hmm... So, I repeated the test on two more batteries today, one NAPA battery from my mini-van that will no longer take a charge strong enough to crank the engine, and an Autozone Duralast battery so old the date-sticker has worn off of it and the red plastic top is sun-faded to pink. Same procedure, same results, though I have yet to drop them into a car, they light up the 55-watt headlight very nicely. I also force-charged a Blue-Top Optima battery that I bought ~five years ago that never would hold a charge, even with my very good trickle-charger/maintainer and numerous tries over the years. After the high-Amp setting, I also ran this one on a 2-Amp charge overnight, and it too seems to be holding a charge now and cranked-over my mini-van's V-6 very well.
Finally, I am starting an experiment with Super Capacitors that may provide a solution to eliminate car-batteries altogether, or as a minimum may provide a huge boost in cranking-power that can alleviate the worst stresses put onto a starting-battery, and potentially extend the life of a conventional lead-acid battery by years. Once I start in on that testing, I'll update that here.
Yesterday, I did a little research on reviving long-dead batteries, and watched an interesting video on using a stick-welder to force-charge and de-sulfate an old, long-dead and unchargeable battery... Reading through some of the feedback responses got me thinking about my old 200-Amp jump-starter cart. Nothing fancy, and not too expensive, I believe Harbor Freight still sells similar battery chargers/jump-starters around the $100 range... I rarely use mine because the higher the Amp setting, the higher the voltage output runs, up to (and beyond!) 20 volts on the highest setting -clearly that is NOT acceptable to use to jump-start a computer-controlled car.
Last night, I ran a test, and took a Wal-Mart 800-CCA battery that has been door-nail-dead for a year or two, snowed-on and rained-on sitting on concrete in front of my garage-door, the battery is about 10 years old. I force-charged the battery (cell-caps off) in a well-ventilated area for about 1/2 hour (it is cold here now), until the acid in the cells had been bubbling for about 10 minutes. I disconnected the charger for about five minutes, hooked it back up again for about 10, and repeated this two more times. The battery was holding a steady 12.5 Volts, even with a 55-Watt headlight hooked up to it. This morning, I put it in one of my old Plymouths, and it cranked and fired right up. Hmm... So, I repeated the test on two more batteries today, one NAPA battery from my mini-van that will no longer take a charge strong enough to crank the engine, and an Autozone Duralast battery so old the date-sticker has worn off of it and the red plastic top is sun-faded to pink. Same procedure, same results, though I have yet to drop them into a car, they light up the 55-watt headlight very nicely. I also force-charged a Blue-Top Optima battery that I bought ~five years ago that never would hold a charge, even with my very good trickle-charger/maintainer and numerous tries over the years. After the high-Amp setting, I also ran this one on a 2-Amp charge overnight, and it too seems to be holding a charge now and cranked-over my mini-van's V-6 very well.
Finally, I am starting an experiment with Super Capacitors that may provide a solution to eliminate car-batteries altogether, or as a minimum may provide a huge boost in cranking-power that can alleviate the worst stresses put onto a starting-battery, and potentially extend the life of a conventional lead-acid battery by years. Once I start in on that testing, I'll update that here.