Desuphators- did those experiments prove anything?

[NickRobinson]

Last year at least one forumite was asking for dead batteries to test desulphation.

Was there any feedback or is the silence indicative?

Nick
(who bought this new battery yesterday - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....00&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:GB:3160#ht_1403wt_721 -hopefully not too cheap )

 

[Sailingsaves]

Last year at least one forumite was asking for dead batteries to test desulphation.

Was there any feedback or is the silence indicative?

Nick
(who bought this new battery yesterday - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....00&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:GB:3160#ht_1403wt_721 -hopefully not too cheap )

Let us know how that battery works out; looks like a bargain.

I was reading something the other day about sulphation and it stated that wet, wet sealed (and deep discharge) will all suffer from sulphation ESPECIALLY if they are not doing something. In other words, a tiny drain upon them is better than letting them sit there fully charge (honest, that is what it said), or a proper smart charge stops sulphation occurring. Glass matt batteries don't suffer.

Can't help with any remedies people tried. I have heard the Epsom salts and zapping theories etc.

Also interesting that proper deep cycle batteries need to be charged differently from cranking batteries (think I read that on here). Because of the 'sealing', if they are charged at say 14.2 V, liquid/ vapour can escape and there is little chance of noticing the level of electrolyte has dropped, so gradually the batteries dry up. Hence I have made a special charger for my tiny little deep cycle battery for my dinghy.

 

[TradewindSailor]

I installed a Megapulse unit about two years ago and it certainly made a difference to my ageing deep discharge batteries. I still have the same batteries and they are working well. I was close to replacing them before installing this unit.

There are other units out there such as the Nanopulse, but this unit draws just a few milliamps an is on 24/7 rather than just working during the charge cycle above 13.3V.

http://www.megapulse.net/

I haven't tried any others, and have had no other recommendations.

 

[GHA]

Last year at least one forumite was asking for dead batteries to test desulphation.

Was there any feedback or is the silence indicative?

Nick
(who bought this new battery yesterday - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....00&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:GB:3160#ht_1403wt_721 -hopefully not too cheap )

Some testing results on a thread here

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...-flooded-cell-batteries-12707.html#post132464

You'll be interested to know that after almost six months of testing using the above methodology, we decided to equalize the T-105s ONE TIME to see what would happen. Presto...the results were much more positive than had been the pulsing/charging/discharging over the previous six months.

 

[Nicholas123]

No sign of the geezer that was making the desulpherizer & I'm starting to think that those "maintenance free" sealed calcium type batteries are a dead loss because my second one has just gone kaput. Won't buy another one.

Not at all convinced that desulpherizers work.

 

[charles_reed]

No sign of the geezer that was making the desulpherizer & I'm starting to think that those "maintenance free" sealed calcium type batteries are a dead loss because my second one has just gone kaput. Won't buy another one.

Not at all convinced that desulpherizers work.

The body of evidence is that if you have sulphated cells, then the desulphators do work, if slowly. Unfortunately sulphation is only one of many ways in which batteries can fail.
Sealed batteries do usually use calcium for alloying the lead plates as it tends to lead to less water loss when charging. It also needs charging more slowly than lead-antimony plates. In motor-vehicles they usually have about a 7 year life, though this will be affected by separator design and the clearance below the plates.

 

[aslabend]

Last year at least one forumite was asking for dead batteries to test desulphation.

Was there any feedback or is the silence indicative?

Nick
(who bought this new battery yesterday - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....00&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:GB:3160#ht_1403wt_721 -hopefully not too cheap )

My last "cheapo" sealed battery (110ah cost about £80 from memory) lasted 6 years and was really abused (run almost completely flat numerous times) and has just been replaced because it wouldn't quite last a nights sailing with nav lights and everything on. 6 years, 80 quid, what's that about 13 quid a year? If your 60 quid battery lasts 6 years (minimum), that's a tenner a year - that's good value IMHO.

 

[NickRobinson]

Battery arrived today- two days, free delivery too.

Obviously can't comment on performance yet but very well packed with good documentation.

Weighs 18kg btw

Thanks all

Nick

 

[Plevier]

Sealed batteries do usually use calcium for alloying the lead plates as it tends to lead to less water loss when charging.
#### True, but it's not a big difference with modern low-antimony alloys. Pure lead is better still.

It also needs charging more slowly than lead-antimony plates.
#### Completely untrue. Some sealed batteries need charging more slowly but it's not because they are lead calcium.

.

 

[Nicholas123]

The "maintenance free" calcium one I have just had go kaput still had a breather hole in it & I am very suspicious that the electrolyte must reduce over time with no way of replenishing it.
I had a previous one you could top up yourself last well over ten years so are they really such a good buy?
That's two of those supa dupa low maintenance ones that I have had fail for no apparent reason so the next one I buy will definitely be one that you can add distilled water to.If it was'nt for the mess I would like to brake one of the old ones that I have got 'in storage' open & try to see if there is a decent amount of electrolyte in there or to try to determine why they fail.

 

[Poecheng]

.If it was'nt for the mess I would like to brake one of the old ones that I have got 'in storage' open & try to see if there is a decent amount of electrolyte in there or to try to determine why they fail.

Try getting the stickers off at the top of the battery - you will, I expect, find you can actually get access to it though it is well disguised

Good luck

 

[Nicholas123]

Try getting the stickers off at the top of the battery - you will, I expect, find you can actually get access to it though it is well disguised

Good luck

Somebody mentioned that before & I looked....no access.I reckon the only way is to try & lever the top off.

& PS.I reckon even if you manage to get access you still need to look under the cells to see if the gap there is the same.It could be that they clog up more with residue that shorts out the plates.:ambivalence:

 

[wizard]

I installed a Megapulse unit about two years ago and it certainly made a difference to my ageing deep discharge batteries. I still have the same batteries and they are working well. I was close to replacing them before installing this unit.

There are other units out there such as the Nanopulse, but this unit draws just a few milliamps an is on 24/7 rather than just working during the charge cycle above 13.3V.

http://www.megapulse.net/

I haven't tried any others, and have had no other recommendations.

+1 for megapulse put it on my vetus domestic wet cell batteries - they are now 10 years old and still going strong!