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Renewing old lead acid batteries?

MNoutdoors RIP

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
I’ve been told that epsom salt solution about 8-9 oz by weight added to 16oz of 150 degree distilled water will restore lead acid batteries to near new condition.
But you may have to remove some of the electrolyte and place 2.6oz per cell and let sit for a few days then recharge. It dissolves the built up sulphate that kills the battery

I’m going to try it being I have a pile of old batteries. and over 200 batteries in machines, also works on golf cart batteries

Between batteries and carburetors it seems to be a viscous cycle. I have been putting fuel shut offs on the gas vehicles and running the carbs dry. And some get battery maintainers
 

RRose

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
I’m curious as well. I’ve tried something in similar in the past with no luck.
 

Cidertom

Chionophile
GOLD Site Supporter
I've had mixed results. I would view it as a stop-gap to get another year of use. It seems to work better (when I've tried it) on batteries that went disused and just sulfated. Batteries that had lots of cycles not so much. Probably the high cycle batteries had bottom crap which gives a conductive path, or warped plates, or the freaking plates are just gone.



The bulk of the batteries I work on are standby batteries and genset starting batteries, which have cycles other than normal "car " batteries.



As a side note. One site I used to work on had a set of Edison cells. Nickle - Iron with a lye electrolyte. It was installed just after WW2. If they started to lose capacity, dump out the electrolyte, rinse couple of times with distilled water and refill with new electrolyte. The only drawback to edison cells was the internal resistance was higher than lead-acid so they wouldn't produce as many amps.
 

MNoutdoors RIP

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
One guy said if there really bad dump out put 10 oz of baking soda in a gallon of water fill, dump out, repeat. Twice then refill with the epsom salt mix and trickle charge. Apparently it gets more of the bottom crud out.....

Lawn mower battery not worth it ..... solar or golf cart battery maybe?

Time will tell I’m doing one now
 

Cidertom

Chionophile
GOLD Site Supporter
One guy said if there really bad dump out put 10 oz of baking soda in a gallon of water fill, dump out, repeat. Twice then refill with the epsom salt mix and trickle charge. Apparently it gets more of the bottom crud out.....

Lawn mower battery not worth it ..... solar or golf cart battery maybe?

Time will tell I’m doing one now


Well? time has passed, any feedback on technique ?
 

Bannedjoe

Well-known member
I too would be interested in hearing the results.

I've seen a lot of interesting things about batteries on the net, but have not had enough faith in what folks say to to try them.

I have a handful of dead L-16's that I love to have back in working order.

On a side note, I saw a guy on youtube decide he was going to reclaim the lead out of a car battery.
The guy was going at it with a hammer while wearing shorts, flipflops, short sleeve shirt, and no safety glasses.
The guy did get the plates out, and began smelting them right on the spot.
Clouds of gases and smoke arose while he stood there next to it without any breathing protection.
I'm betting the guy is now dead.
 
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