What Is Battery Reconditioning?

Battery reconditioning is the procedure of returning dead battery cells to complete health and billing ability.

Why is reconditioning even required in the first place?
The lead acid battery produces electrical power via a chemical reaction between its electrolyte liquid ( including sulfuric acid as well as water) as well as lead plates.

Each time a battery discharges, lead sulfate crystals base on the battery plates. When the lead acid battery is charged, the lead sulfate distributes.

Not all of it goes away.

With time, the lead sulfate crystals accumulate, influencing the charging and also releasing capability of the battery. This condition is called sulfation.

Sulfation creates the battery to undertake longer charging times, have much less fee capacity, and also end up being less reliable up until it eventually can not hold a fee.

Below's where battery refurbishing steps in.

The battery refurbishing process aids clean off the excess lead sulfate crystals in each battery cell and renew its electrolyte service, enabling the battery to operate practically fresh.

How is battery reconditioning done?

Lead Acid Battery Reconditioning (Step-By-Step Guide).
Battery reconditioning can be done on both a swamped lead acid or sealed battery.

It involves these seven steps:.

Mix the cleaning solution.
Tidy the battery of corrosion.
Empty the battery cells.
Tidy the battery cells.
Replace the battery electrolyte.
Charge the battery.
Test battery voltage as well as loading.
Prior to you begin, there are a number of points you need to prepare yourself ahead of time.

Needed Items.
Here's what you'll require to have on hand.

Materials:.

Pure water.
Baking soda.
Epsom salt.
Equipment:.

Protective equipment ( security goggles, apron, chemical-resistant gloves, etc).
Tooth brush, steel wool, or battery incurable cleanser.
Flathead screwdriver.
Funnel.
Bucket.
Battery battery charger.
Voltmeter or multimeter.
Precaution.
To start, suit up with your safety equipment. Battery electrolyte consists of sulfuric acid, and also you don't desire any kind of on your skin or clothing. See to it you work in a well-ventilated location in instance of splashes, spills, or released fumes.

Inspect your vehicle battery for any type of type of damages-- cracks, bloating, leaking. Don't bother refurbishing a literally endangered battery. Obtain a new battery.

Check The Battery Voltage.
If the battery is viable for replacing, examining the battery voltage will certainly inform you.

The typical 12V car battery has 6 cells. Each battery cell generates a cell voltage of 2.1 V, so a healthy and balanced battery analysis will be around 12.6 V.

Touch the voltmeter or multimeter (that's set to read voltage) to the battery terminals-- the red cable television to the battery's positive terminal and the black cable to the adverse terminal.

The battery might be refurbished for a voltage analysis between 10V-12 .6 V. You have a entirely dead battery and also needs to change it if it's less than 10V.

If all is fine, you're ready to proceed with the reconditioning procedure:.

Below's exactly how:.

1. Mix The Cleaning Solution.
Mix the baking soft drink with pure water to produce a watery paste. The proportion must be 2:1 or 1:1 of baking soft drink to pure water. Don't make use of any type of other sort of water (like faucet water) as these may contain improper trace element.

This option will work as the battery cleaner and also to counteract any type of acid splashes.

2. Clean The Battery Of Corrosion.
Detach the booster cable-- negative (-) battery incurable first, after that the positive (+) incurable.

Apply the cleansing service to any kind of corroded battery terminal, after that use the tooth brush or steel wool to scrub. Deterioration hinders the transfer of electric energy, so it's vital to remove it from the terminals and also cable adapters.

A specialized battery incurable cleaner would additionally work right here.

3. Vacant The Battery Cells.
Remove each battery cap as well as position them in a temporary container, so you do not shed them. If it's a sealed battery, utilize the flathead screwdriver to pry off the battery cover as well as battery cell caps beneath.

Carefully empty the battery acid from each cell right into the pail.

Add around 500gm of baking soft drink to the pail to reduce the effects of the battery acid, so it's secure for disposal at a reusing center.

If there are any type of spills, put the cooking soft drink cleaning service to counteract this also.

4. Tidy The Battery Cells.
With a funnel, fill each battery cell with the cleaning service. Replace the battery caps as well as tremble the battery between 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Open the battery caps again and empty the cleaning solution into the bucket.

5. Change The Battery Electrolyte.
Dissolve 120gm of Epsom salt in 1 litre of pure water (this develops an electrolyte of 1 molar focus). You can heat up the water to aid liquify the Epsom salt. Mix it well till there aren't any kind of solids left.

Load each battery cell as well as shut the battery caps. Shake to distribute the salt evenly.

6. Recharge The Battery.
Set the battery in a safe and secure and also secure location.

Eliminate the battery caps again as an additional precaution-- the electrolyte remedy will certainly heat up and might overflow throughout charging.

Connect the battery charger to the battery terminal-- the red cord to the favorable terminal and black cord to the adverse terminal.

Keep the charger as away from the battery as possible, then established it to charge a very reduced current of 12V/ 2 Amps. Charging at a reduced present allows the Epsom salt to damage down the lead sulfate crystals on the battery plates.

Allow the battery charger run for 24-36 hours.

7. Examination Battery Voltage And Loading.
Detach the battery charger and examine the battery voltage with the voltmeter. The readings should be around 12.42 V. Reconnect the battery charger and bill up for another 12 hrs if lower.

If all is well, execute a fundamental load examination:.

Reinstall the battery, transform the ignition secret to "ON," and turn on the high beams.
Inspect the battery voltage again.
A voltmeter analysis of 9.6 V means the battery is great.
You could utilize a dedicated battery tons tester for this if you have one on hand.

Since you know what battery reconditioning is as well as just how to do it, let's discuss some FAQs.

7 Battery Reconditioning FAQs.
Below are the solution to some usual questions on battery reconditioning:.

1. What's The Difference Between Recharging and Also reconditioning ?
Battery charging is merely billing up the battery for a time period.

Battery reconditioning, nevertheless, suggests restoring a battery to full working ability. When you charge a new device battery prior to utilizing it, it's not the exact same as battery conditioning.

While battery reconditioning can be made with products found in your home, there are additionally services that use a devoted battery regenerator (or battery reconditioner). The battery regenerator makes use of high-powered pulses to damage down sulfation on battery plates.

2. Why Would I Want To Recondition My Car Battery?
There are a number of advantages to reconditioning batteries.

Cars and truck battery reconditioning can:.

Expand your battery life: Lead acid batteries normally last 3-5 years. Refurbishing an old rechargeable battery can prolong its life by a year or more.
Save costs: You can conserve some money by not needing to buy a new battery.
Help the atmosphere: Fewer batteries will be thrown away, minimizing the direct exposure of contaminants to the environment.
3. When Shouldn't I Recondition A Battery?
There are a couple of situations where you shouldn't recondition a battery.

These consist of:.

When the batteries have actually been refurbished 3 times or more: Battery performance deteriorates with every reconditioning (and age), so it gets to a point when it can not be reconditioned anymore.
When the battery is damaged: A literally harmed battery shouldn't be refurbished.
When refurbishing products aren't available: If you do not have the appropriate materials, don't try reconditioning.

4. How Much Time Do Reconditioned Batteries Last?
A refurbished battery can usually last around one year, so you can theoretically expand its life by at the very least three years if you repeat the procedure a few times.

5. When Should I Recondition A Car Battery?
Battery reconditioning is generally performed when it has actually lost around 30-40% of its initial capability. Nevertheless, if it's lost component of its plates from sulfation or is seriously worn away, it may not be recoverable.

Note that desulfation making use of a battery regenerator (battery reconditioner) can be done at any time. It can aid improve batteries that are also as young as 1-2 years old.

6. Can Other Types Of Batteries Be Reconditioned?
Yes.
Lead acid batteries aren't the only ones that navigate here can be refurbished.

A laptop battery is appropriate for refurbishing.
This is generally a lithium ion nimh, battery, or nicad battery.

Crossbreed battery reconditioning is also an option for the fairly pricey hybrid car battery.
Just know that each battery type has its very own reconditioning methodology because of distinctions in chemistry.

7. What Is The EZ Battery Reconditioning Program?
EZ Battery Reconditioning is an on-line program for battery fixing, reenergizing, and reusing.

The EZ Battery Reconditioning overview covers various kinds of batteries, consisting of the:.

Lead acid battery.
Lithium ion battery.
Alkaline battery.
AGM and SLA batteries.
NiCad battery.
Forklift battery.
Laptop battery.
Closing Thoughts.
Battery reconditioning has numerous neat advantages, consisting of expanding your battery life-- and also it isn't simply for the basic lead acid battery. The hybrid battery in your hybrid cars and truck can be refurbished also!

Every battery gets to the end of its age eventually. Obtaining a brand-new battery actually is the only alternative when that takes place.

Yet do not fret, even if you discover yourself stranded with a dead battery on the roadside.
Acquire a mobile auto mechanic like RepairSmith!