[AT] desulphating battery chargers

Tom tmartin at xtra.co.nz
Sun Jul 18 00:11:10 PDT 2004


"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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