Lead acid battery experts - trying to revive a motorbike battery

[charlysays]

Checked up on the guy on youtube who used a welder on the battery. The upshot was that it worked on a number of batteries and failed in one case. The batteries it did work on continued working for months/ years so it could be a useful method. Whilst it should be stated as dangerous practice, the guy who made the video didn't have any issues and stated what charge cycle he utilised the welder for. So I'm not endorsing it but he found that it worked on most "knackered" batteries and restored them to "perfect" condition under a load test.

 

[BrokenBiker]

I used to work for enersys, at first in manufacturing and then late run final testing and quality...I wouldn't waste my time reviving a battery, for what they cost is be buying a new one and forgetting about it

 

[Keithmac]

Buy a new battery and an Optimate battery tender..

 

[Robotstar5]

Over 40 yrs of playing with lead acid batteries (used to use one as a portable power supply for charging R/C car batteries at race meetings) tells me you are wasting time and effort. Put it in the "weigh-in" pile and buy a new one.

I used to do that in the late 70's as there were 3 meetings a week it took a lot of time making/prepping tyres as each meeting needed at least 3 sets.

Bring back any memories?

 

[RonMig]

Here's an informative resource on batteries... (Linky)

 

[Nomad]

A relative works in a main dealer, he tells me modern batteries are often scrap once they are fully discharged (it came up on conversation when I left my lights on overnight and killed a Yausa battery that was less than a year old)

I've left lights on in the past with older cars / batteries and they all came back ok after a decent charge.


An Optimate smart charger has been working well for me, latest achievement was to bring back a battery that has been standing for at least 3 months (modern car with modern alarm / parasitic drain. Grr !)
The battery was under 1v when I got the car, now it's one of my strongest batteries.

 

[minimutly]

A point that hasn't been mentioned ( I think), is that as the separators break down they leave a deposit at the bottom of the battery which is a discharge path.

My physics teacher still had the original 10 year old battery in his Mini because, every year, he charged it, drained it, and thoroughly flushed it with distilled water, before refilling with fresh sulphuric.

Yes, in the first post "I washed it out and refilled it" or words to that effect.

 

[Seadog]

My memory isn't as good as it used to be

 

[dobbslc]

I used to do that in the late 70's as there were 3 meetings a week it took a lot of time making/prepping tyres as each meeting needed at least 3 sets.

Bring back any memories?

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I swear I can see Glen Peglar in the background

 

[Robotstar5]

I swear I can see Glen Peglar in the background

Never heard of him.

 

[brightspark]

A point that hasn't been mentioned ( I think), is that as the separators break down they leave a deposit at the bottom of the battery which is a discharge path.

My physics teacher still had the original 10 year old battery in his Mini because, every year, he charged it, drained it, and thoroughly flushed it with distilled water, before refilling with fresh sulphuric.

i got my vauxhall combo van to 110 thousand miles in ten years stopping and starting regular each day and battery never missed a beat once

 

[Screwdriver]

i got my vauxhall combo van to 110 thousand miles in ten years stopping and starting regular each day and battery never missed a beat once

I think that goes to show it's not overuse that kills lead acid batteries but letting them stand, unused; that does the damage.

 

[Turbo]

For those with smart chargers maintaining batteries on rarely used vehicles - make sure it resumes charging after a power cut. Not all of them do and you have to set them again when the power comes back on.

 

[brightspark]

I think that goes to show it's not overuse that kills lead acid batteries but letting them stand, unused; that does the damage.

yep leave it flat once for a while and its toast

 

[oldbikedavey]

Take a look at BS batteries, which are really very good indeed.

 

[Bornfree]

I've got around 50 batteries in my shed waiting for the scrap price to go up. So if anyone perfects the method of revival iam all ears

 

[Melvyn Best]

Long gone are the days you could take a faulty battery to a specialist who would remove the faulty cell, fit a new one and remould the cell connection. They would also remould the terminal posts. I had to replace the battery in my motorhome on Monday, it’s kept on hook up permanently while at home . I drove about 6miles on Saturday stopped and it only just started when I went to pitch up . MH is now 13 years old still on its original battery

 

[Seadog]

 

[Wedg1e]

Cost effective... when your staff work for a handful of cold gravel a month

 

[Wedg1e]

Some years ago, I bought a "pulsator" unit which is intended to de-sulfate (correct UK spelling is now with an f !) batteries. This produces voltage spikes which are about 16V but only last a tiny fraction of a second, but there are very many pulses per second. This has proved to work very well on (some) full size car batteries (but takes some days), but for obscure reasons, it has never worked at all on small lead acid (~5Ah) batteries. My general feeling is that with old lead acid batteries, you have to value your time very cheaply to justify trying to rejuvinate them.

It's also (in my experience) proven to work well at knackering alarm systems and clocks - most of the Optimate-type units have that 'de-sulphating spikes' routine. I've lost a bike battery, a car battery, two clocks and an alarm thanks (I'm convinced) to the damn things.
Now I just SORN the TVR and Honda for the winter, take the batteries off and bring them in the house to avoid the cold, use a 'normal' battery charger for a couple of hours every few weeks when I think about it. At the same time I connect an old CB radio power supply to the TVR which charges the alarm backup battery.