Best way to resurrect under-watered batteries?

Re: Best way to resurrect under-watered batteries?

what do you get the SG's up to? Doesn't sound too good though...

Re: Best way to resurrect under-watered batteries?

once the plates expose it losses immediately some of its capacity and if left long enough and deep enough i would consider them soon to be toast. plate exposure is a definite no no. it sounds like you will need a new battery bank. sorry.

Re: Best way to resurrect under-watered batteries?

I concur with Niel, probably dunners... How much water did you add and how much of the plates was exposed?

I would not leave then to EQ alone , best to be there in case of thermal runaway... you can possibly give yourself a bit of time to search out a new set, but ??

Re: Best way to resurrect under-watered batteries?

PorkChopsMmm wrote: »

this is the darkest time of year and I don't know if my 3500 watt Champion generator can keep up with all of the charging of 16 batteries without any assistance from the sun.

Sorry to hear about your batteries... With 16 batteries you will have twice as many to maintain... twice as many dollars to replace if there is another lapse in maintenance. Have you thought about a single string of L-16 batteries?

I don't see the problem with charging 16 GC batteries with a 3500 watt generator... what am I missing?

--vtMaps

Re: Best way to resurrect under-watered batteries?

If your batteries are in a cold place, the electrolyte is at risk for freezing, expanding and splitting the cases. You should check the density.

The portion of the plates that was exposed to air is done storing electricity. If you charge these batteries over and over again for months, they may regain a small fraction of the charge they used to store. It will not be worth the effort, and you need them to store electricity now. It is likely time to replace them.

Do not give the old batteries away. Look for a good scrap value because lead has become valuable which will help minimize the cost of the new ones.

Re: Best way to resurrect under-watered batteries?

Exposed plate sulfide quickly depending on their discharge state.

When you add water it is like putting a deeply discharged smaller battery in parallel with a charged larger battery. The lower part of the plates will recharge the previous top exposed part of plates at a high current rate potentially damaging the previously exposed plate area due to excessive recharge current density. Pure water is like the electrolyte in a fully discharged battery meaning there lots of free water molecules used during recharging and little sulfuric acid that inhibits recharge.

Pour water in slowly (good to do anytime water is added). You may hear some crackling which is not a good thing. Slower adding of water should reduce crackling as it give some time for electrolyte to remix to a lower concentration of pure water at top of battery.

Be careful using an SG bulb when water is low as the hose may damage the plates separator top inducing current leakage or shorts later on.

Re: Best way to resurrect under-watered batteries?

I wish you had posted sooner before you did to much to them. How low was the electrolyte on the plates ?? What was the SG level the last time you checked it ?? Eq voltage now is adding insult to injury, I'd keep them just above gassing ( 57.2 - 57.6 ) for as long ( 12-18 hrs at a time ) as you can and see if there is any rise in the SG's, watch the temperatures. You need to open a cap and verify that you have gassing.

Since you are using them it's going to be hard to tell if your seeing any success with them. The exposed portion is pretty much gone, I don't know the age of them, but if you had 80% capacity and now you only have 50% you don't have much unless you can get whats still useable working. There are some chemical treatments, but usually they produce a limited success long term.

This is a process, without knowing what your seeing from them it's hard to tell you what to do.