Telecomunication batteries

Brianellul
Brianellul Solar Expert Posts: 95 ✭✭
Hi

I would like to know what actually kills a battery. Basically a company is discarding some (36 cells) 2v telecomunication batteries and I went to check them out. Most of them seem almost brand new from the outside!!! Plastic (I think) case and huge plates... the plates are NOT sulpathed, at least the plate colour is not white, BUT unfortunately, they are not holding charge. That's why they are being discarded. I don't know their age but I assume that they are 15-20 years old. We even tried to change the electrolyte but no success. Tried also adding a battery additive, 'Battery equiliser' but still no success. Can something be done to treat these batteries?

Since there are quite a lot of cells and I only need to make up 24v, I thought of melting all the battery plates and creating new ones... basically building my plates using lead and then using just the case. Can this be done? Has anyone ever tried of doing something like this?

Sorry but don't know their model or make but will post a photo for your info

Brian

Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Telecomunication batteries

    Here is a thread that asks/attempts to answer your question.

    Battery Myths and Tips

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Telecomunication batteries

    if they are 20 years old, and not holding a charge, time to melt them down and make new bateries.
    Mmmm ... lead fumes.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Telecomunication batteries

    As kids, we melted scrap lead down for fishing weights and bullets for black powder guns. Options may differ in your country. :cool:

    Presumably, you should have a recycling program for batteries there... Large numbers of scrap car/truck batteries need to be safely managed. In the US, typically, the batteries around ground up and the plastics/lead used to make new batteries. This is nothing you will want to do yourself.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • Brianellul
    Brianellul Solar Expert Posts: 95 ✭✭
    Re: Telecomunication batteries

    Thanks for your replies.

    Mike, so you think it will work if I melt down the old plates and make new ones.... I just don't want to go through all that hassle for nothing!
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Telecomunication batteries

    I think that trying to cast your own lead plates, and construct a "bettery" from scratch, will be a great science experiment. But it won't work well as a battery. Batteries are made of sintered lead paste, on top of a conductive grid frame. Many plates interleaved in each cell. Bits are expected to shed and fall off into the "dead space" below the plates. When the dead space fills up with detrius, it shorts out the cell.

    You might have better luck charging the batteries (to convert the lead sulphate back to lead) and then turn them upside down and try to drain the lead sludge out. Rinse a couple times, and refill with fresh acid. That might work. For a short time.

    Battery shops will take old batteries in trade, they have the gear to scanvage the lead and ship it to a refinery. Whats in the batteries will be a mix of all sorts of half charged compounds, that will need to be refined to pure lead, and then re-mxed with the additive payload.

    I see I have to keep my light sprited comments in check, unless you have all the safety gear, melting and casting large amounts of lead, is really hazardus. And you wont' have a good battery afterwards, just a science project.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Telecomunication batteries

    OH Boy! I wanna come over and breath some lead fumes!

    I really don't think this is an idea that has much merit,,,I also don't think it is very safe either,,,IMHO!

    Tony