Dead batteries--can they be revived?

[drysuit2]

What about open deep cycles? My water is gray from freezing? After I run the engine/alternator they seem to hold a low charge [enough for short bursts of the bilge pump, but no instruments] for a day or two. I have not brought them in for a real charge. But I am assuming once they have frozen that badly I just need to replace them.

I did have one year when I added distilled water and put them on the clubs charger, and was able to get another season. But the water is full; just gray.

Also these were 27's; before I had 24's. What is the difference? Do I really need a 27 ? [about 10 bucks extra] I seem to freeze them every other season.

Thanks,

[Oswego John]

Howell and James mention adding bicarbonate of soda to each cell to revive a battery.

I don't know about that. It might work. I'd be careful and do some checking before I'd do that to my battery. Again, I'm no chemist so I don't know for sure.

What I think I know is that if you have an acid stomach, bicarbonate of soda breaks up and neutralizes the acid.

When I clean up the fuzz on the battery terminals, I sprinkle bicarb on them, add a little water and watch the fuzz break down. Then I flush everything away with clear water.

I remember that I should never let bicarb go near any battery cell opening because it would weaken the acid content of the cell.

Topping off each cell with distilled water is normal procedure. When a battery is charging, it gives off hydrogen gas (very explosive). Since water is composed of H²O, the cells emit hydrogen combined with oxygen and the water levels lower.

I think that maybe you should farther check into adding bicarb into your battery cells, or not. I don't know. In the back of my mind I don't think it is wise to neutralize the acid in a lead-acid battery. And then again, maybe I'm missing something.

My 2 ¢
O J

[moctrams]

When I worked in Iraq, the battery in our vehicle would die without warning due to the heat and dryness. We could revive the battery with a soda long enough to get to the motor pool to obtain a new one.

[Larry DeMers]

DO NOT do this to any battery! Think a bit about the chenistry of the battery, and how much energy is/can be stored there! The acid inside the cells will react violently with the bicarbonate of soda, causing an explosion!!!
THIS IS TERRIBLE ADVICE. DO NOT FOLLOW IT.

Is this another TROLL?

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
CD30c Sailing Lake Superior

We thought our 6 year old batteries were dead. We took them to the nearest tyre/battery garage and asked them to test them. They said they were O.K. and told us to revive them by topping up the water and adding half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to each cell! 'Seems to be working.

[M. R. Bober]

DO NOT do this to any battery! Think a bit about the chenistry of the battery, and how much energy is/can be stored there! The acid inside the cells will react violently with the bicarbonate of soda, causing an explosion!!!
THIS IS TERRIBLE ADVICE. DO NOT FOLLOW IT.

Is this another TROLL?

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
CD30c Sailing Lake Superior

We thought our 6 year old batteries were dead. We took them to the nearest tyre/battery garage and asked them to test them. They said they were O.K. and told us to revive them by topping up the water and adding half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to each cell! 'Seems to be working.

I don't know about trolls, but I do know about mixing acids and bases. You get a salt, water, and gas (generally). Bicarbonate of soda (NaHCO3) plus Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) should yield something like Na2SO4 (salt), H20 (water), and CO2 (gas). The yield would also be a ruined battery.

Use bicarb to clean the battery case and terminals, and to neutralize spilled battery acid. I think you can also use bicarb to make soda bread.

Mitchell Bober
Sunny Lancaster, (where I didn't take high school chemistry) VA

[bill2]

fwiw -

I recall from days of yesteryear ( OJ - even before your time :- ) that you bought a replacement battery - dry . The dealer then and only after he had sold it added the acid to " energize " the battery. I also recall that you had to wait a few hours ( so the chemical reaction could get going ) till the battery was ready to use .

Also seem to recall some of the old timers from those days would add acid when the batteries " died " though distilled water was the usual choice for routine maintenance.

Course that was then . . .

[Oswego John]

Hi Bill,

I remember. (ouch)

That was in the days when the autos had 6 volt systems with three cells.

My first auto was a 1930 Ford Model A with a rumble seat. (Another species long gone). I worked all summer to buy it for $40,00.

Some of the early cars had voltage regulators and some others didn't have this newfound electrical gizmo. When you drove on a long trip, you left your headlights on so that you didn't overcharge and fry the battery.

I could write pages to extol the great, practical simplicity of the cars of yesterday. For instance, no secondary wiring to the plugs. They had copper buss strips. To time the four banger engine, you unscrewed a bolt from the timing gear and rotated the crank (auxiliart starter, really) until the pin dropped into a dimple on the gear. You could do a complete valve job by hand, on a Saturday morning.

I better not get started. This is a story for another day. So I'll breathe deeply and count slowly to ten. I'll close by stating that ethyl gas went for six gallons for a dollar with free air and an oil level check. You got your windshield cleaned whether you wanted it or not.

Sweet memories,
O J
PS: I just got to thinking about how many readers know what a rumble seat is, er I mean, was.

[moctrams]

I guess I should have waited for the "bad guys" to give me a jump.

[bill2]

Hey OJ

Yep - seen my share of rumble seats - but don't recall riding in 'em - methinks I may have been too small . . .

[Cathy Monaghan]

Here's a good resource on battery maintenance:

http://www.marine-electronics.net/techa ... /b_faq.htm

Here's a quote from the University of Hawaii Ham Club's (Chemistry Dept) web site regarding baking soda and batteries:

"......Any spills of lead/acid battery contents or battery acid can be neutralized with ordinary baking soda from the kitchen. Do not get any baking soda inside the battery. You will destroy the battery......."

Read the rest of UH's web page on batteries here:

http://www.chem.hawaii.edu/uham/bat.html

-Cathy
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

[Joe Myerson]

Thanks Cathy et al. for neutralizing that bogus tip about baking soda.

Fortunately, as I indicated in another thread, I have already purchased two new deep-cycle, wet-cell Group 24 batteries, which I tend to treat as gently as my 18-year-old cat.

--Joe