paradigm shift

I know it spring so maintaining a battery over winter is or almost is over!! I usually just use a low 2 amp trickle charger and check batteries when they sit for length of time. I do not leave trickle hooked up all the time. I have been looking at maintaining type chargers so I can just leave them hooked up. I came across this ad and wondered if anyone here has tried one. Is this bogus or will de-sulphation occur? What are your thoughts or expierance. Thanks

http://www.vdcelectronics.com/batteryminder.htm

doright

I dunno about desulfation but I'll tell you one thing you CAN do and I know it works because I did it several years back. Take your tired old battery and pour out the acid. Pour in some clean distilled water and shake the hell out of it. Go to any chemistry lab and get enough 12Molar Sulfuric acid to refill your battery.

I did this when I was a starving pre-med student who had recently completed inorganic chemistry. It worked just fine. I got a whole new life span out of the battery.

I can't tell you if this saves any money, however, since we swiped the acid from the chem lab. I have no idea how much it costs but I think it's pretty cheap.

Doc

paradigm shift

doright: Yea I have known others including myself to try that an did work sometimes. I really am interested in just maintaining more than restoring. Just curious about there claims. Thanks.

doright

If there is an Interstate Battery store near you pick up one of their little freebie booklets they keep on the counter. I got a whole battery education from it and it didn't appear to be biased toward Interstate Products.

It had some really good pointers on how to charge, how soon to charge after use and how to maintain for longest life.

mcollinstn

Keeping a battery at the proper long-term float voltage (which varies with battery temperature) does wonders for keeping the battery healthy.

I'm sitting at 38 months with my current AutoZone batteries that stay hooked to a Newmar 3-stage electronic charger at all times.

The little unit you link to may actually work, but the only method I personally have seen work to combat existing sulfation is to overcharge to 15 volts at an amperage of around 20A. Water must be checked and added before and sometimes during this procedure. When the 15 volts is reached, hold it there for 2 hours then let it discharge under a 2 or 3 amp load (25 watt bulb) till it is at 13 volts. This overheating can "crack" some of the sulfate crystals off the plates, exposing clean lead.

As far as the acid changeout, it does buy you some time.

For a decent float charger, Harbor Freight offers sales in its cheap unit for $9 every now and then. I own close to ten of them.

CAP071

I trickle charge mine and Go!

CESSNA

Man go with a battery tender (brand name ) I've used for years and love them ,summit now carries it and northern hyd.
You will never buy anything else

Gary Anderson

I keep a 1 1/2 amp automatic trickle charger on mine at all times (bought at Walmart for under $20).
I just had the first of 6, 6V truck batteries loose a cell. I checked the purchase date.
April of 1985!
If I can get 18 years out of my batteries with a $20 charger, I'm not going to bother worrying about it.
Gary