Regenerating flat batteries

No. For practical purposes anyway.

If you want to set up a plant and recycle old batteries you can use some fancy chemicals and processes to do it, but if it was as simple as Bex... lead acid batteries have been around for a long time and Bex for a long time too.

In fact since Gaston Plante in 1859.

If it were that simple word just might have got out.

1 year from a battery subjected to off roading, heat extremes and deep discharge from time to time has been about the usual for me.

I managed to cook an expensive Trojan battery, using a crappy Kmart charger. Boiled it dry and made the ends bow out. Never could get a charge back in to it.

I then bought a Jaycar charger which I think is described as 4-stage - cost about $170 anyway. First stage is Refresh, and I left it on this for a long time (I went away for a couple of weeks) and now that battery appears to be holding a charge well. Time will tell, but I have heard that some of these pulsed chargers can work wonders with a fully-discharged battery.

I'm probably about to get shot down by the experts now (ducking for cover) but that was my experience anyway.

When someone has an answer, yell out loud.

I have a large and heavy duty battery several years old that I use in my boat (Volvo Penta Inboard Outboard.)
I didnt use the boat for about 4 months, and was to busy to do periodic charges.

When I went to run the engine to circulate oil etc all I got was a "click" from the starter motor.

Checked SG with Hydrometer and each cell was well in to the red.

Placed on charger with float facility , and after a couple of weeks the hydro was well up into the green on all but one cell which stubbornly only raised to top of red, bottom of white.


Dont want to chuck out a battery because of one dud cell, any suggestions?

Will this battery still start the boat reliable given that only one cell wont charge?

Cheers

Hi Mal
if you asked me out fishing I would have to say that if you are using that battery in the boat, then I would say no, I have to mow the lawn.
I love fishing, hate mowing the lawn, cant walk on water or swim.

regards David

Mal,

I would suggest the battery is a goner. Don't waste time on it, if it's badly sulfated it's beyond practical repair.

I have stuffed two batteries before I "saw the light"

I now ensure I use a low voltage cutout device between the battery and a fridge, etc. connected to it. This will stop the battery discharging below 11.6 volts, or 30% capacity remaining.

Projecta market one (ODP500) called a Discharge Protector for about $30 and available from Kmart, Repco, etc.)
Well worth the small investment.

Projecta Discharge Protector