All cars need a battery, regardless of whether they have internal combustion engines, are hybrids, or are electrical. But the battery is also one of the many things in our vehicle that we take for granted until the car doesn’t start. Turn the key to your liking or press the ignition button repeatedly, but a dead battery is a dead battery.
A battery discharge process known as sulfation occurs when powering a vehicle or device. This chemical reaction leads to the formation of sulfate crystals on the battery plates. More crystals mean longer charging times, less efficiency, and less charging capacity.
Reconditioning, or refurbishing a battery removes these sulfates, replenishes the electrolyte solution it contains, and allows the battery to recharge and function like new.
Most people believe that an old battery should be thrown away and replaced with a new one. While this is the only solution for these people, there is another way to save money and get a 100% working battery.
It’s time to talk about how to recondition batteries (yes, your reconditioned batteries will work like new, and you can even sell them). Continue reading
You need to know that battery reconditioning is very simple and can be done by any single person. You will need a bit of your time and a few gadgets and items, but you will be able to get a completely new battery. This means your old, reconditioned battery will have the same capacity and features as a brand new unit.
If you are interested in the know-how to recondition batteries, almost all types of batteries, are reconditioned, pay attention to all of the details below.
Plus, you get a new battery, save money, and don’t pollute the environment. In this way, we can reduce the impact of old batteries on the environment by 50%. As the end result, the planet will be healthier and you will not have to pay a lot of money for a brand new battery simply because it is very expensive.
Hybrid cars are among the best vehicles in the world and have two main components. So they are easy too. The main components are the electric motor and the battery. The battery can last up to 200,000 miles in most hybrid cars.
If it is damaged during the warranty, the manufacturer will replace it. However, most of these batteries last longer, so they will be damaged after the warranty expires. In this case, you will have to pay for a new hybrid battery. You need to know that a new battery of this type can cost up to $ 3,000!
It also means that you can recondition a battery. Another fact that you should know is that it is possible and very simple.
All hybrid batteries consist of modules. Some cars have more, some have less, but each of them is based on the same principle. For example, the Toyota Prius has 28 modules. When the manufacturer replaces a battery, they fix the old one and sell it again.
One good thing is that you can do the same. All you have to do to replace the damaged module and the battery will last a long time. The price for this update is around $ 700, so it’s a lot cheaper than buying a new one. On the other hand, the reconditioning battery will last another 6-7 years, so this is also a wise investment.
The following applies specifically to lead-acid batteries. While you don’t have to wait for a battery to run out to recondition it, safety comes first. A quick visual inspection will determine whether the battery is suitable for reconditioning. Check for cracks, bulges, or fragments. If the battery is not in good condition, it is best to buy a new one.
The battery reconditioning process does not require an engineering degree, but it does require patience. Most of the items you will need are likely to be at home. Below is the essential list of supplies:
Equipment:
Ingredients:
Specialty items:
How long a reconditioned battery will last depends on its age and capacity. In theory, you should be able to repeat this process a few more times, which means that the battery life will be extended beyond the typical three to five years.
Laptop battery reconditioning is more than just possible, and there are many different ways to achieve it. However, some of these can be time-consuming. In either case, your best bet is just to give it a try, as a new laptop battery is expensive and may cost more than a new laptop.
On the other hand, all of these ways are easy and you can do them yourself. Laptops with replaceable batteries are much easier. However, you can do these steps on laptops with non-removable batteries.
Also, do not use these solutions on a new battery as it will have a negative impact and will damage it. Either way, you can recondition an old battery and use this laptop for much longer. The best part is that all of the solutions cost nothing.
If the battery is not leaking, there is no acid around it, this way will be successful. In any case, you will end up with a new battery that can last for a long time. In addition, you can repeat the procedure a few times.
Some laptops must be ‘’reset’’ in order to get better battery life. This is a very simple solution, but it isn’t very successful. In fact, it is more about recalibrating a laptop than to reconditioning a battery. On the other side, most people have said that this is an effective solution.
Reducing the temperature of your laptop seems to have a positive effect on battery life. All you need to do is to buy the cooler and place a laptop on it. This will reduce the temperature of the battery and the laptop, so the battery will last longer. During the warmer months, this is an even better thing to do.
This method is more than just effective, but it is a time-consuming process. In any case, you will have to plug in the battery and wait until it is 100% full. Then wait until it is almost empty, about 5%. Then, plug it in again and recharge it again. Repeat the procedure several times, until you get a reconditioned battery.
This solution may sound strange, but it is very simple. Also, it is only possible if your laptop has a removable battery. You need to plug in a laptop and charge it. When the battery is fully charged, remove the battery from a laptop. If your laptop does not work without a battery, this procedure will not be effective. On the other hand, battery life will extend if possible.
This is possible because in the process you are stopping and resetting the chemical process in the battery. The end result is that your battery will charge much better and stay full of time longer.
You should know that NiCad batteries can also be reconditioned. But first of all, you should know why they get corrupted. This happens due to the sulfur crystals eventually reaching both ports and preventing charging. This can be solved so that your batteries will last a long time. In addition, the process is more than simple.
You need the flash camera capacitor. There are many cheap cameras of this type out there that you can disassemble and use their parts. You will know what a capacitor is because it is a large part of a cylinder.
Add a battery holder and switch to the capacitor. Tape the wires to the large black cylinder and connect them to the battery holder and a switch.
Make sure all wires are insulated and not touching anything that can conduct electricity.
Place an alkaline battery in the capacitor and the NiCad battery in the holder you added earlier.
Then press the switch and wait for the LED to light up. Then repeat the step. Remember, you should hear a noise. This means that the sulfur crystals will be destroyed and your battery can be used again.
Once you have created this “gadget” you can use it forever to recondition NiCad batteries. It may sound complicated, but it’s very simple and you can’t go wrong. In addition, it is possible to buy a capacitor for this application, but it is too expensive and does not work better than this device.
Lead-acid batteries are expensive, so reconditioning a battery is a better choice than buying a new one. At the same time, it is possible to repair an old battery and benefit from it for several years. In either case, this is a simple procedure, but it can be dangerous as the acid can be dangerous. Either way, you need to follow the next few steps.
Don’t forget that if you are using a slow charger, the charging battery should last between 10 and 12 hours. On the other hand, if you use a quick charger, you can charge it in under 6 hours. It is a much better choice to measure the battery level with a voltmeter while it is charging for the best results.
Keep in mind that this type of acid can be dangerous, so it’s not a very safe process, but you can handle it and be completely protected if you wear safety glasses and gloves. The situation is the same if you plan to completely replace the battery acid.
In some cases, if the battery cells are damaged, you will not get the 100% capacity of the battery as when it was new. On the other hand, you are getting more than 70% of the performance that the battery had when it was new. This is sufficient for most batteries simply because it is enough to power for their applications.
Learning how to recondition batteries will have a positive impact on the environment and the planet in general. At the same time, you save money and can extend the life of your batteries. On the other hand, all of these procedures are very simple.
Battery reconditioning means bringing back the healthy life of a battery, that is, full charging capacity and standard electrolyte level. This is important because whether you have a regular car or a luxury type, low charge, and acid stratification are the typical concerns among owners.
A good thing is a fact you can recondition them and end up with a new battery. The main fact you should know is that a reconditioned battery will have up to 70% of the power of a brand-new unit, but this is more than your car needs.
After reconditioning, a battery needs to be charged for around 24 hours to 36 hours. Including the charging time of the battery, the reconditioning process of a car battery can take up to one and half-day or two days.
To restore the cells, you need to restore the chemical balance. Older batteries need to be checked and topped off with water. New batteries are different. They’re maintenance-free, and you cannot mess with their components.
A deep cycle battery can be reconditioned using distilled water, baking soda, and Epsom salts at home. Start by draining the battery acid. Then, heat some distilled water and add the Epsom salt to it. Fill the battery cells with this solution.
Theoretically, you can recondition a battery a few times and extend its lifetime. By reconditioning a battery, you can extend the lifespan of a battery which is usually three to five years. Usually, the lifespan of a reconditioned battery is 1 year to 3 years.
What many home mechanics will like is the opportunity to recondition batteries. The battery charger sends out a series of electrical pulses to break up the lead sulfate. Hooking up one or two batteries and leaving them for a full 24-hour cycle should recondition the battery.
How to Fix a Car Battery That Won’t Hold a Charge
Depending on the size of the battery, the desulfation process can take from 48 hours to weeks to complete. During this period the battery is also trickle charged to continue reducing the amount of lead sulfur in the solution.
Any smart battery charger has a built-in microprocessor that monitors and supplies the needed current and voltage for your battery. It serves as the brain of the charger which prevents the battery from overcharging. These smart chargers are also capable of reconditioning batteries.
The following are seven unconventional ways to revive a dead car battery:
When using Epsom salt, follow these easy steps to treat most starter batteries. Heat about 250ml (8 fl oz or a cup) of distilled water to about 66ºC (150ºF), mix in as much Epson salt as the water can absorb (a few tablespoons) and stir until dissolved.
The acetylsalicylic acid from the aspirin will combine with the battery acid and increase the charge in the battery, and the water will help restore the electrolyte in the battery.
The chemical components inside the battery will react with the vinegar and cause severe harm to the battery. The battery might even fail to work when the vinegar is added; thus, you should be keen not to damage the battery with your own hands. However, vinegar is useful in cleaning corrosion on alkaline batteries.
Attach a battery trickle charger or a computerized smart charger to your old lead-acid battery, and allow charging continuously for about a week to 10 days. The extremely slow charging rates dissolve the de-sulphation that kills the battery and revives it back to being able to hold a usable charge.
Cover the battery terminals and other corroded areas with a coat of baking soda. Then pour a small amount of water on each terminal. You’ll notice the two ingredients react with each other when they start bubbling. This neutralizes the acidic corrosion and makes it safe to handle.
The grease will stop corrosion – a very fine layer between the post and the clamp won’t affect the connection significantly. The idea is to stop the clamp and post corroding together and prevent removal.
No. While cold environments help maintain battery life, refrigerators and freezers are not safe to put batteries in. The moist environment will cause condensation on the batteries. This in turn will lead to rust or other damage.
Yes, alkaline batteries can be recharged. However, it is not considered to be cost-effective and does have some risks. Recharging any battery can cause the production of gas within the battery. Since an alkaline battery is normally sealed, very high pressures can be created within it.
The size of the ball should be the same size of the extra space in your device’s battery slot. Place the aluminum foil in the gap. The aluminum foil should be on the battery’s negative terminal, not the positive.
There usually isn’t any reason to add additional sulfuric acid to a battery, but there are some exceptions. For instance, batteries are sometimes shipped dry, in which case sulfuric acid must be added to the cells before the battery is used.
For example, baking soda can neutralize the sulfuric acid present in a battery’s electrolyte solution. While bad for the internal operation of the battery, a mixture of baking soda and water is a good way to clean corrosion from battery terminals and cables.
A battery is activated when the acid is added, and then it slowly begins to deteriorate as it ages. By adding the acid just before use, the battery will always be fresh. Use 1.265 specific gravity battery acid to fill the battery.
