[AT] desulphating battery chargers

[Larry D. Goss]

Right, Tom.  I don't know for sure, but I suspect that Interstate ships
all its batteries with no electrolyte in them.  I know the ones we
installed at the shop had to have acid added to every one of them.  I
never bothered to ask the Interstate salesman/driver whether that was an
option or was a company standard.  One of the nice things about that is
that the shelf life is essentially infinite and you don't have to have a
gang-type float charger with all the inherent corrosion all over the
battery room.  We never added the acid to any battery until just a few
minutes before putting it in service.

Larry

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Tom
Sent: Sunday, July 18, 2004 2:11 AM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] desulphating battery chargers

"Larry D. Goss" wrote:
> 
> Huh!?  Since when?  A discharged battery has a weakened mixture of
> sulfuric acid and water in it, but JUST WATER!--I hardly think so.  In
a
> discharged battery, both electrodes are lead sulfate.  The sulfur
comes
> out of solution from the acid so that the acid becomes weaker but you
> most certainly have no guarantee that the amounts of lead and acid are
> so precisely balanced that you end up with pure water.
> 
> Gimme a break!  The chemistry just doesn't work like that.
> 
> Larry
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
> [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of
> DAVIESW739 at aol.com
> Sent: Saturday, July 17, 2004 8:37 PM
> To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
> Subject: Re: [AT] desulphating battery chargers
> 
> In a message dated 7/17/2004 4:59:29 PM Pacific  Daylight Time,
> spud_thompson at toleartist.com writes:
> Most people just keep  adding water, that just thins out the mix,
> works
> > > for  me
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
> --
> A  fully discharged batter has only water in it the acid is in the
> plates
> that's  how they work when you dump the water and replace with acid
you
> will
> increase  the amount of acid in the battery to a dangerous amount. In
> other word
> it is not  recommended to do this I know have seen a lot of people do
it
> but I
> have also  seen batteries that will smoke and smell of acid when being
> charged
> from the  vehicle.  Most batteries quit because the cells flake off as
> they
> are used  this is why there is a large open space at the bottom of all
> batteries. Marine  batteries have a larger space because of the
rocking
> of the boat.
> Sulfated  batteries are those that have been left a long time without
> any
> discharge or  charge just left on the shelf to get all sulfated. You
> don't find
> this very  often that's why you can only find a few batteries that
will
> cleanup
> with your  desulfating charger.
> 
> Walt Davies
> Cooper Hollow Farm
> Monmouth, OR  97361
> 503 623-0460
> 

Larry, I think some of these "shade tree" mechanics need to
ensure that the trees still have leaves.
Otherwise they may have heard of a hydrometer and dry charged
batteries which need electrolyte added to make operational. 

Tom
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