• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

How to revive a lead acid battery

This weather sucks ! It was over (under?) 30 bellow this morning, -24 and dropping now.
Just to give you some idea what a pain in the ass that is on batteries. If you don't get a door shut all the way and the interior lights stay on and drain the battery, then it freezes and once they freeze good and solid they're junk.
After buying a few new batteries to replace one's that weren't very old I've gotten pretty good at making dammed sure the doors get closed.
I love Minnesota!
 
Good info thanks, FYI:Had a Volvo that came with a battery blanket that was plugged into 120 vac to keep battery cca' s higher in cold weather.
 
A "trick" I used on very cold days was to turn the key to KII, just so all the warning lights were on and wait a few seconds. Then I would crank the car. My thinking was to warm up the wires before actually trying to start the car. May be an old wives tale but my car always started. I helped a neighborhood woman get her car started, always needed a boost when very cold. Told her to try my trick. She never needed another boost for her car. YMMV
 
nel621 said:
A "trick" I used on very cold days was to turn the key to KII, just so all the warning lights were on and wait a few seconds. Then I would crank the car. My thinking was to warm up the wires before actually trying to start the car. May be an old wives tale but my car always started. I helped a neighborhood woman get her car started, always needed a boost when very cold. Told her to try my trick. She never needed another boost for her car. YMMV
Click to expand...

I think you would have to freeze the wires with nitrogen gas before they would benefit from "warming" them this way. Now, battery warmers exist. Ask one of the actual Swedes here.

But, if the car is a diesel... Then yes. By all means, allow the glow plugs to do their job ;-)
 
Last edited:
swedefiend said:
I think you would have to freeze the wires with nitrogen gas before they would benefit from "warning" them this way. Now, battery warmers exist. Ask one of the actual Swedes here.

But, if the car is a diesel... Then yes. By all means, allow the glow plugs to do their job ;-)
Click to expand...

cold wires good, cold battery, bad

a little draw can warm battery and increase output
 
Bobbyz said:
This weather sucks ! It was over (under?) 30 bellow this morning, -24 and dropping now.
Just to give you some idea what a pain in the ass that is on batteries. If you don't get a door shut all the way and the interior lights stay on and drain the battery, then it freezes and once they freeze good and solid they're junk.
After buying a few new batteries to replace one's that weren't very old I've gotten pretty good at making dammed sure the doors get closed.
I love Minnesota!
Click to expand...

on some cars w/ sticky doors & mystry dome lights, removing the bulb was one solution.

" a battery drain at -20f(+/-?),may not be the same, again " ;-)
 
Last edited:
What's the ambient where the battery is located?

I've had good success bringing back flat-lined batteries using our OLD ass tester with a "load test" switch.. Read: "Fairly safe Dead-short switch"

I'd hit a warm battery with 60A for a while, then hit the load tester switch and rag the **** out of it. Rinse and repeat until it starts holding a charge overnight, then decrease charging amps, repeat, and finally a trickle charge to fully maximize voltage.
 
DMFWallace said:
What's the ambient where the battery is located?

I've had good success bringing back flat-lined batteries using our OLD ass tester with a "load test" switch.. Read: "Fairly safe Dead-short switch"

I'd hit a warm battery with 60A for a while, then hit the load tester switch and rag the **** out of it. Rinse and repeat until it starts holding a charge overnight, then decrease charging amps, repeat, and finally a trickle charge to fully maximize voltage.
Click to expand...

It died with a bulb on at around 20F as the low. The work was done at around 40F but charged over night in below freezing temps.
 
Let it sit for six days and the voltage was at 13.3V. Drove it to work today and it cranked like a brand new battery in the summer. Ambient temperature was 23F.
 
DMFWallace said:
What's the ambient where the battery is located?

I've had good success bringing back flat-lined batteries using our OLD ass tester with a "load test" switch.. Read: "Fairly safe Dead-short switch"

I'd hit a warm battery with 60A for a while, then hit the load tester switch and rag the **** out of it. Rinse and repeat until it starts holding a charge overnight, then decrease charging amps, repeat, and finally a trickle charge to fully maximize voltage.
Click to expand...
We did stuff like that at the motorcycle dealer.

Another odd tsb i remember (no clue what manufacturer) was dropping the battery on the floor from about a 1 foot height. I'll let you guess why.

Personally, i buy a battery at the first hint of trouble.
I also buy new tires at 3/32", and new snows at 5/32".
But i remember the used tires/battery days.
 
About to try this with a motorcycle battery if it won't come back. 40% electrolyte mixture? 2 parts sulfuric acid, 3 parts distilled water sound correct?
 
MistrThou said:
About to try this with a motorcycle battery if it won't come back. 40% electrolyte mixture? 2 parts sulfuric acid, 3 parts distilled water sound correct?
Click to expand...

Not sure really, I just used the full quart for my battery. How much does a group 24 battery hold?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top