Gluing a battery case back together?

softdown
softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,896 ✭✭✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
My repair guy thinks that cells go bad because the bus bar that connects the cells gets destroyed. He feels that one can:
1) DRAIN THE BATTERY. CAPS BECAUSE THIS IS VITAL FOR SAFETY REASONS.
2) Cut off the top of the battery case with a Dremel tool.
3) Solder the bad cell back into the battery.
4) Re-assemble

I am curious. There is sound logic to his idea. I have seen araldite recommended as a battery case epoxy. Thought someone here might know of a very good battery case adhesive.

I have used standard epoxy on a cut battery case. It stayed in the cut and sealed off leakage. It did not remain on the rest of the battery case. So this standard epoxy rates as a very marginal battery case adhesive. I want something that really likes to bond to a battery case.

Note for others: Consider this a potentially dangerous battery with tremendous energy and highly corrosive acid. Exercise advisable caution.
First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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Comments

  • Aguarancher
    Aguarancher Solar Expert Posts: 315 ✭✭✭
    #2
    softdown said:
    My repair guy thinks that cells go bad because the bus bar that connects the cells gets destroyed.

    I think your repair guy has been smoking some of that wacky tabacky you all are so fond of in Colorado. If you think you had too many battery acid holes in your clothes before, wait until you have finished this grand experiment.
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,896 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Would not be surprised if this assessment is correct. But imagine if one could fix 1 out of 3 solar batteries that died prematurely. A bad cell is a very, very common cause of early death. In fact....that killed all three of my "dead" 8Ds.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    I'd have my 'repair guy' do it as he seems to know how and would have the necessary equipmennt needed...  not for the weekend warrior in my books at least...
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
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  • Johann
    Johann Solar Expert Posts: 245 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Plastic epoxy sold at Walmart for about $4-$5 is very good and will seal a battery case. Rub the plastic epoxy on the plastic to make sure you got a good bond.
    I fixed a 1 week old lead acid battery at work that our guys managed to damage with a dime size hole on the side of the battery.
    The plastic epoxy lasted 2 years with absolutely no sign of leakage,  'til the battery died on un-natural causes by not charging it when depleted.
    You can put a dab or 1 drop of  paint with it,  when mixing the epoxy to match the casing. That is what I done when I repaired the battery casing.


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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #6

    My understanding is they typically become oxidized basically hardened sulfates on the lead plates and loose capacity.  Removing the acid will just allow this to happen more readily. If they simply die they tend to have a shorted cell or a broken connection, cells tend to short from lead sulfate(?) that builds up from the bottom of the battery case. I would think only a broken connection could be serviced in this manner...

    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Photowhit said:

    My understanding is they typically become oxidized basically hardened sulfates on the lead plates and loose capacity.  Removing the acid will just allow this to happen more readily. If they simply die they tend to have a shorted cell or a broken connection, cells tend to short from lead sulfate(?) that builds up from the bottom of the battery case. I would think only a broken connection could be serviced in this manner...



    The buildup on the bottom of the battery case (conductive part anyway) is much more likely to be plate material (lead) which has been shed as a result of mechanical shock and vibration or just plain overcharging (positive plate erosion).
    Hard sulfate crystals on the bottom would not be conductive. If they were conductive sulfated plates could be easily restored.
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,896 ✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Think I'll pass on this theory. Too much energy and highly corrosive acids if the battery somehow lost stability.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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