Pulse Charging Lead Acid Battery to Restore It

[MrAl]

Hello,

Anyone ever try this technique?
They are saying that pulse charging the battery will reduce the
sulfation if present so the capacity of the battery will be
somewhat restored.

http://www.electronics-lab.com/projects ... index.html

Also, note that they dont specify the pulse peak current.
I calculated my own version, but would like to compare
my results with others too.

[Robert Reed]

Never was aware of this technique, but years ago I read an article on a technique for somewhat the same purpose. It was called "burp" charging, whereasd periodically the charger would shut off and a short high discharge applied to the battery. Kind of like the anti-thesis of pulse charging to accomplish the same purpose.

[dyarker]

I checked Google after the page you linked. Saw similar home-made units that worked that way, and places selling them. It sounds logical, but I did not get any hits to .edu papers, or to battery manufacturers; so I don't know what to think. A pessimist would say "of course no manufacturers", but high end manufacturers want their batteries last so they can justify the higher prices.

[Bob Scott]

I used the high amperage pulse method to revive expensive lead-acid gel cells years ago. The trick is to get a charge into them so that you can short circuit the battery terminals momentarily. Repeat this cycle a few times, each time the battery shorting current will increase, observable by watching the spark get more violent each time. This gave the batteries a bit more life, but not much.

I used the same technique trying to revive nicads which were stored without charging for months, with the same dissapointing results. The batteries just don't last long afterwards. You can't cure the neglected cells.

I decided that the technique is not worth the bother. It's time to buy a new battery.

When I was a teenager I tried adding salt to dying lead acid batteries. This worked too, for about a week.... but not well and not for long either.

Bob

[JPKNHTP]

-JPKNHTP

[Chris Smith]

The only method used on lead acid batteries Im aware of is to empty the battery fluid, go in through the holes if provided, scrape the plates manually and hydro blast the remaining lead sulfate off the plate surface area, remove any sulfation off the shorted cells with high pressure water or force, filter the old acid free from contaminants and use new acid as necessary.

What this does is to remove most of the old sulfate from the cell, filter out any old acid replacing as necessary with new fluid, and the battery will come back to life as long as there are still unbroken plates with out sulfation shorts.

Gel cells are harder.

Some batteries can be split, cleaned and washed, and then re assembled like they do at battery factories.

[dyarker]

Chris is right about the only real, effective, way to repair a dead lead acid battery.

Please, please, please; DO NOT try it at home!!!!!!

[Ed446]

Don't use table salt, it will kill it dead!!!!!. Use Epson Salt, put all in it that it will hold, then add enough water to disolve the salt. Distilled water will be best.
Edwin