# Battery De-sulphation - Any experience good or bad



## Ken38 (Mar 24, 2009)

Has anyone used a de-sulphation device or charger to restore a knackered battery?

I think my vehicle battery may be suffering with this due to my stupidity and neglect.

The chargers incorporating it are very expensive and a stand alone conditioner is about £60.


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## kandsservices (Sep 5, 2010)

I have a cetk charger which does both £78.95 item number 110489309956 on ebay and free p&p.
I know they work as im always leaving batteries flat in the back of the van i also use it on customers to revive there batteries after being in storage for a few months where they get left over winter.


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## Ken38 (Mar 24, 2009)

I have visions of you using it on customers! I think there are other ways of recharging pace makers!   8O  

Saludos


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## kandsservices (Sep 5, 2010)

:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## C7KEN (May 27, 2005)

Buy some epsom salts. put in distilled boiling water to dissolve, one small cup salts to one litre water. If the fluid level is high remove some acid with a hydrometer or similar so just covering the plates. When epsoms are cool add about 5 spoon fulls to each cell, . Put caps back on gently shake the battery, then charge at low amps for 24 hours. Next day discharge the batts to about 12,2 v then recharge with the van's charger. All sorted unless the batt has a major cell problem. I just did all my 3 leisures last week because I thought they were getting tired. Now back like new. This is assuming that the battery is not sealed. Using a pulse charger and a sterling B2B charger did not keep my batts from getting sulphated


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## Andysam (May 10, 2005)

Another vote for CTEK. Really surprised the Sterling didn't work, after all this is how it works- by "overcharging" each time and de-sulphating.

Ken, kudos on the epsom salts :!: personally I'll give that a miss 8O


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

You would be better advised to replace the batteries and look after them. Once seriously sulphated the battery is on its last legs.

C.


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## Ken38 (Mar 24, 2009)

CliveMott said:


> You would be better advised to replace the batteries and look after them. Once seriously sulphated the battery is on its last legs.
> 
> C.


That's what I am trying to learn how to do! I left the van for about 5 weeks with a drain of 40mA. The battery was new and fully charged.
It went flat. It should have lost 34AH about a third of its charge.

I charged it up and left it for 2 weeks with a small solar panel connected and it went flat again.

I am now trying to learn what went wrong.

There are many ways to fix the problem but first I will experiment a bit. It's winter and I am not going anywhere without ski's on my feet.

So I may try de-sulphation and learn a bit more about battery care.


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

Batteries also have internal self leakage which you cannot measure externally with a meter. These increase with age. Providing the van is parked outside the best plan is a large solar panel and regulator, then it will more than keep up with standing losses + alarm etc during winter.
C.


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## Ken38 (Mar 24, 2009)

Yes Clive I must get a solar panel fitted. At the moment I can't see where to neatly run cables and hate the idea of drilling the cable entry!
Also though I am really curious about whether de-sulphation works or not. So do I spend another £80 finding out? I have half the experimental cost already spent, one duff nearly new battery!

Saludos


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## C7KEN (May 27, 2005)

If yoiu have what you call a duff nearly new battery, before you bin it try the Epsom salts treatment do it exactly as I said. You have nothing to lose and maybe if you dont have completely knackerd cells plenty to gain. Sulphation is not hard unless its been there for a long time the salts "magnesium sulfate" will help to dissolve it. Hopefully you will see a difference and the battery will hold at 12.6v and with all cells showing the same on a hydrometer then perhaps you would be good enough to post the results on here. Some of my cells read different from others after time (nearly two years) and that's why I will give them a bath in Epsom salts


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