Has anyone ever tried Battery Equaliser?

John XW NY
John XW NY Solar Expert Posts: 50 ✭✭✭✭
Does it work? Has anyone tried it and what were the results?
There must be some product that can help remove any sulfation without damaging the battery.
Have any of you guys had luck with it? or with equalizing for long hours?

I would appreciate some input from naws people thanks.

Comments

  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Has anyone ever tried Battery Equaliser?
    John XW NY wrote: »
    Does it work? Has anyone tried it and what were the results?
    There must be some product that can help remove any sulfation without damaging the battery.
    Have any of you guys had luck with it? or with equalizing for long hours?

    I would appreciate some input from naws people thanks.


    Generally, sulfation is terminal. (pun not intended)

    There are de-sulphater gizmos that "pulse" a high freq (100KHz) signal into a battery, they claim will re-dissolve sulfation. But's its generally un-reliable. Try it if you want, but nobody will guarantee results..

    Charging will prevent sulfation - but Equalizing does not remove it, except for the soft stuff from the last 12 hours.
    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 ,

  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Has anyone ever tried Battery Equaliser?

    I've used it. There's a thread here somewhere about my experiment. The short version: results inconclusive.

    In other words, no clear indication that it actually helps.
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Has anyone ever tried Battery Equaliser?

    here's a link to a page about a home built desulphater:
    http://home.comcast.net/~ddenhardt201263/desulfator/lowpower.htm

    has theory and parts.

    Usergroup list:
    http://leadacidbatterydesulfation.yuku.com/
    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 ,

  • RCinFLA
    RCinFLA Solar Expert Posts: 1,484 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Has anyone ever tried Battery Equaliser?

    Hard sulphation on a battery that has been sitting uncharged for three to six months is non-recoverable.

    Mid to light sulphation, can be recovered with equalization. Issue is to avoid excessive stress on the battery such as heat or excessive water loss.

    I never was a believer in desulphators but there is some merit to pulse charging to achieve the high current necessary to bust the softer sulphate loose without a high average power that cooks the battery.

    You need to monitor the specific gravity of electrolyte. Equalize for 15 - 20 minutes (time dependent on size of battery) and see if there is an improvement is SG observable. If there is a slight improvement then keep at it, giving battery a rest of 5-15 minutes between equalizing hits. Don't let a 12v battery get above 16.5 vdc during equalization, or 2.75 vdc per cell. You need a charger with at least a C/10 current capability. Watch the electrolyte clarity. If you start to see slight graying then give it a rest and back off on charge rate/time. I don't believe in letting a battery get warmer then slightly noticable to the touch. I also don't believe in letting a battery equalize at 16.5 vdc for several hours but it depends on how rugged the battery is.
  • sub3marathonman
    sub3marathonman Solar Expert Posts: 300 ✭✭✭
    Re: Has anyone ever tried Battery Equaliser?
    RCinFLA wrote: »
    You need a charger with at least a C/10 current capability.

    Rolls/Surrette recommends a current of 5 amps / 100 ah capacity for equalization, or C/20. That seems very low to equalize, but that's what they said so that's what I've done.
  • nigtomdaw
    nigtomdaw Solar Expert Posts: 705 ✭✭
    Re: Has anyone ever tried Battery Equaliser?

    Have had a Solar Converters Battery Desulphator BDS2 running for 4 years now on a 3 string 2100 ah 24v bank, of ex traction batteries believed to be about 12 yrs old, batteries never cycled below 20% from full usually never below 10% from full, all still going strong, sulphator set to kick in when batteries are at 26v and charging , I thought the $80 was worth it still do, but I can't give a guarantee that it works because they still might all be good if I hadnt used one.

    HTH Nigel
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Has anyone ever tried Battery Equaliser?

    Hi Nigel, good to see you back...

    I am confused by this: "but I can give a guarantee that it works because they still might all be good if I hadn't used one. "

    is there a 'not' missing somewhere in that statement?

    Eric
     
    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
  • RCinFLA
    RCinFLA Solar Expert Posts: 1,484 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Has anyone ever tried Battery Equaliser?

    I am working on a pulse charger to try and prove or disprove any benefits to myself.

    One thing I have discovered that it is very hard to get current pulses actually into the battery at anything but low frequency (1000 Hz range) due to cable inductance filtering out the pulses. I am working on a unit that mounts directly across the battery terminals.

    Having a 48 vdc system it is hard to keep 24 cells in balance and I don't like equalizing the batteries too often. Any slight variation in cell leakage rate will create imbalance over several weeks.
  • nigtomdaw
    nigtomdaw Solar Expert Posts: 705 ✭✭
    Re: Has anyone ever tried Battery Equaliser?

    my typo altered to can't

    :blush:
  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    Re: Has anyone ever tried Battery Equaliser?

    I have not found any site so far that fully recomends the product. Walmart stoped selling it. If that means anything.