Donated Battery...Question

[WillandShay]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

Fast charging a battery (6 amp) for anything over an hour will do more more damage to it. Boiling is not good. When a battery is low you should always recharge at 2 amp. More chargers reccommend 24 hours at 2 amps in that condition. If not at about 12.6v after sitting a while may have bad cell. By the way it's OK to let a battery sit right on concrete during and after this. Today it's an old wifes tale about it draining them. They fixed that problem in the 40's.

OK. I might have killed that battery then. Lets hope not. I will put it back on charge after a reading at 2 amps.

Thank you for the information.

Will

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

Proper charge rate for any wet cell battery is 14.2 volts. Leaving it on the 2 amp setting for a day or so should give it a full charge. 6 volts sitting isn't a problem unless it is subjected to freezing temperatures.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

Now I'm a little confused. First, I believe "DC" means deep cycle. Before you said you only had a 115 amp battery which will sounded a little light for any real use in a boat. Now you say you have 720 cranking amps which sounds more normal. Which is it? If it is the 720, that is the number you need to work with for charge time.

There are more than one specifications for any battery. CCA (cold cranking amps is just one). A/Hr (amp/hours) is another. A battery with 750 CCA could easily have 115 A/Hr capacity as well. You should not be confused.

 

[NFA]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

Personally, I'm a fan of trickle charging. It's the safest method to charging a battery with minimal chance of overcharging or boiling. Speaking of that, you may want to make sure the poles are topped up.

As mentioned previously, I wouldn't trust this one to be my main power supply on the boat. For simple electronics and anything you can live without on board, then fine. But for starting, or navigation or any other necessary electronics, I wouldn't go anywhere near that battery with.



SSS

 

[V153]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

Thought I might add some of the new smart chargers have a 'Recondition' or 'Desulfate' mode. Dunno zactly how it works but I've seen it resurect more than one battery.

 

[WillandShay]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

Hey everyone!

The battery did fine today, except a couldn't get more than 11 volts out of it. It was enough to turn the engine over a lot. Once the battery was almost dead she puked, so we are going to use this battery just to get the "Shae" up and running. Yep that is what Shay named his boat. "Shae" is the female version of "Shay". Then he wants to buy a brand new battery once we are ready to set sail. I have the battery on trickle charge for the night.

Thank you all for all your help!

Will

 

[NYBo]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

Eleven volts is not doing fine. That battery is toast.

 

[WillandShay]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

Eleven volts is not doing fine. That battery is toast.

Yes I agree with you, but to turn the engine, it did OK.

Will

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

11 volts

Will, Was this done with a volt meter or the volt gauge on the boat ??

 

[WillandShay]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

Will, Was this done with a volt meter or the volt gauge on the boat ??

With my meter.

Will

 

[WillandShay]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

I have the charger set to 12v 2 amp for the night, let's hope it stands up to see the "Shae" fire off.

If not, then off to Walmart to get another battery to destroy.

Will

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

Fall off your wallet and get a new one. A deep cycle is usually warranted for only two years and yours was discharged for no one knows how long. No way should this be your primary battery. It's not worth screwing with considering what it costs if it's truly bad. Do you want to blow an entire day to find out it really won't hold a charge or be sitting on the water waiving your arms praying for a tow? Whats cheaper? It's a safety issue also, get a new one. JMHO.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

Thought I might add some of the new smart chargers have a 'Recondition' or 'Desulfate' mode. Dunno zactly how it works but I've seen it resurect more than one battery.

A desulfater circuit puts high current, high voltage, very short spikes of power into the battery. One example is 10 amp 50 volt 1 microsecond (millionth) pulses, 100 per second. The actual power is only a watt or so, but it breaks up the sulfate in the battery and allows it to go back into solution as it should.

The peak voltage the battery allows the pulses to get to is an indication of the sulfate status of the battery. Lower voltage is better.

If it isn't sulfated to the point of swelling the case, it can probably be resurrected.

 

[WillandShay]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

This battery is Marked, Mar 07. Probably can not get any prorated monies for it. But I will take it with me in case there is a core charge. If there is not when we do decide to buy another battery, then we will probably use this one just for non-essential items on board.

Will

 

[180shabah]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

Yup - desulfation is the answer if the battery does not have any physical damage (internal or external).

Still need two batteries on a boat though...

 

[WillandShay]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

Yup - desulfation is the answer if the battery does not have any physical damage (internal or external).

Still need two batteries on a boat though...

OK. So does Walmart have a charger that I should pick up? Can someone send me in the correct direction of these please.

Thank you!

Will

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

My friend who "fixed" his battery did indeed use the desulfation setting. This was on a "Black and Decker" charger. Since then he has used the same setting to resurrect another "bad" battery. My B&D also has desulfation capability. I bought it at a B&D outlet store for aboout $40. Great charger for the price.

TerryMSU

 

[WillandShay]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

My friend who "fixed" his battery did indeed use the desulfation setting. This was on a "Black and Decker" charger. Since then he has used the same setting to resurrect another "bad" battery. My B&D also has desulfation capability. I bought it at a B&D outlet store for aboout $40. Great charger for the price.

TerryMSU

I am looking for one to buy today, but can not seem to find the B&D one anywhere.


Thank you.

Will

 

[V153]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

B&D Smart Charger #VEC1095ABD Has 25/10/2 amp charge +75 amp start + desulfate mode. Think I paid around $40 bucks for mine as well. I agree it's a great charger for the money.

 

[180shabah]

Re: Donated Battery...Question

The "microprocessor controlled" schumacher chargers at walmart have an automatic desulfation mode. They don't mention it anywhere on the box - but if you pop one open it is in the manual...