Batter chargers

[Andy White]

Would be interested in seeing a video on batter chargers. Regular ones, maintainers and units that do desulfateing.

Topic

[EricTheCarGuy]

Interesting request. I hadn’t thought of that. Perhaps it would go well with a charging a battery video.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[Michele Pensotti]

Hi Eric, have you ever heard about “battery desulfation”?

I’ve started it about two years ago and since then I’ve recovered various lead batteries which had been thrown away because they were “dead”.
All using some battery desulfators I bought and, later, built by myself using schematics found on the internet.

I tell you, the thing works, not in every case (the battery must not have physical damage to be recoverable) of course, but I’ve seen batteries given for dead to turn back to life.
Amazing!

My best wishes

10nico

[Andy White]

I know the BatterMINDer charger does desulfation and I think I heard Genius chargers also do (probably others as well)

[Michele Pensotti]

I have read about battery minder some time ago and indeed it seems to be using desulfation techniques while recharging the batteries.
I’ve never used it since I don’t own one.

However the core of desulfation, apart from the desulfator device itself (whose function is to simply “break” the sulfate crystals on the battery lead plates and make them soluble again into the electrolyte), is to properly use them.
And what I mean by “properly” is to let the desulfator drain the battery down, then sloooowly recharge it (with the desulfator still connected), then discharge again (with the desulfator connected) and repeat this cycle over and over.
In time I’ve always seen vast improvements in battery capacity and cranking power (CCA – Cold Craking Amps).

With a digital battery tester and battery load tester (this one very similar to one shown in a video by Eric) I’ve measured the progress made by some car batteries that passed through me in the past and here’s the essence of it:

1)at first the battery comes to me as completely discharged, voltage around 10 volts, not able to light even the smallest 12volts bulb, let alone starting any car.
My digital tester detect a residual charge of less than 10% and a CCA capacity of 5 CCA , as opposed to the default CCA of that particular battery which is 640 CCA; the battery seems completely dead.

2)I connect the desulfator and start charging with my smart charger set to the lowest current (set to charge a motorbike battery, 0,8 amps of charging current)
3) after some hours the charger detects a “full” charge and I re-try my digital battery tester; it reads 63 CCA
4) I let the desulfator discharge the battery again
5) As soon as the desulfator has sufficiently discharged the battery (around 10 volts) I recharge it again; at the end it reads 82 CCA
6) again I discharge the battery with the desulfator, then I recharge it
7) the battery now reads 121CCA
….again and again
8) the battery now reads 385CCA and can actually start my car
I’d say it’s recovered , not fully but enough to be useful as a battery again 😉

This is only one of similar stories I’ve had with desulfation.

Hope it sheds some light on this “obscure art” 😆

Live long and prosper

10nico

[Andy White]

Which is why I think this topic and how a car batter works would make for an interesting video.

[Michele Pensotti]

[quote=”Boodieman72″ post=39960]Which is why I think this topic and how a car batter works would make for an interesting video.[/quote]

Quote you on that 100%! 🙂

This would be very “instructional” , the kind of practical and useful knowledge Eric loves to be propagated.

God, if I was there in the US I swear I’d go there in Cincinnati to help Eric on this one! That would be AWESOME! :cheer:

Live long and prosper

10nico

[Andy White]

And to think I used to live in Fairfield. On Mt Vernon Dr to be exact.

[EricTheCarGuy]

To be honest if you buy a quality battery there are few issues. Panasonic being at the top of my list. I’ve seen those batteries last a good long time and not have problems with corroding the terminals or problems with desulfation. In short most batteries these days are made by the lowest bidder and are engineered to last only as long as the warranty. As a result they don’t last as long and have more issues.

This is a great topic and would make for a great video. The addition of the desulfation discussion would make it even better in my opinion. Thanks for that suggestion.

When the opportunity comes up I’ll defiantly be making this video.

[Andy White]

Haven’t seen any Panasonic car batteries Eric.

[EricTheCarGuy]

That’s because they mostly come from Japan. They were OE Honda for years.

[Andy White]

There are videos on youtube that people say adding Epsom salt to batteries can desulfate them

[Josh]

I actually have. But rare. Usually les Schwab, or some triple a off brand.

[Author]

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