I just pulled out 2 6V golf cart batteries out of my motorhome that wasn't used for quite awhile. The two 6V golf cart batteries were dry. Should I even bother with trying to put something in there (sulfuric acid?????)or are they not worth trying? jeff

There's "dry" then there's "Dry" then there is "DRY".More meaningful terminology is the liquid measure of water it took to refill them.

I have never had much luck bringing them back. When this happens it most often shorts out internal cores of the batteries. Neighbors are always bringing me their dead batteries to try to bring them back to life. Running higher pulsing type charging voltages may break loose the shorted out cores but this always gets the batteries very hot and they may explode on you.We have only had this happen to us with our battery bank in 2008 when we first got our OFF-ROAD POPUP camper along with our larger battery bank. The provided on-board converter/charger was suppose to be a smart mode charger but never went into smart mode charging and always only produced 13.6VDC charging voltages. After loosing one of the batteries to being boiled out of fluids I changed out the converter/charger unit to a good PD9260C unit which always goes into the proper smart mode charging sequences. Never had a boiled out battery after doing this since early 2009.I still check my batteries fluid levels on a scheduled basis and always find them in good condition. Batteries are just too expensive for me not to do this simple check every couple of weeks over the winter months when in always ON storage...Roy Ken

Dry is bad, dry and dead is even worse. You can prolong the agony, fill'm up, charge'm, and deal w/ 1/2 assed performance, or go buy new ones and feel a whole bunch better. The price of a tank of gas, buys a battery.And while you're buyin, treat your new batts w/ a new PD converter,.....so they don't run dry again.

jeffwhite wrote:I just pulled out 2 6V golf cart batteries out of my motorhome that wasn't used for quite awhile. The two 6V golf cart batteries were dry. Should I even bother with trying to put something in there (sulfuric acid?????)or are they not worth trying? jeffIt couldn't hurt to try. Don't add acid. Just use distilled water.

Add distilled water, not acid. Add enough to just cover the plates, then charge. After charging add more distilled water to the bottom of the neck.Try it, the only cost is some distilled water and some time. You did damage the plates, the question is how much damage.

battery run dry, any good? | Good Sam Community

15 Replies

jeffwhite
Explorer
Oct 27, 2015
mkirsch wrote:
13.09V could just be a "surface charge." The proof will be in how they hold up under load.

You can go back later and see how much they've dropped just resting too.

The fact that they were holding 6.23V after you refilled them is a good sign though. That's about what the voltage would be around 1/2 charged.

The 6.23 is on a 6V battery (golf cart). The 13.09 is on a bank of 12V, sorry I'm mixing them up on you. jeff
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Oct 27, 2015
Reality always trumps wild stabs in the dark. A top charge to de-stratify electrolyte and a hydrometer dip to verify they are not sulfated is now required.
mkirsch
Nomad II
Oct 27, 2015
13.09V could just be a "surface charge." The proof will be in how they hold up under load.

You can go back later and see how much they've dropped just resting too.

The fact that they were holding 6.23V after you refilled them is a good sign though. That's about what the voltage would be around 1/2 charged.
time2roll
Nomad
Oct 27, 2015
Voltage is not necessarily an indication of capacity. And they don't seem to be as 'dry' as was initially implied. May as well just use them.
jeffwhite
Explorer
Oct 27, 2015
Update: I filled the cells and they only too maybe 1/2 cup of water each, maybe that's a good sign? I also measured them at 6.23V each, that can'tbe too bad, can it? Anyway, I then just plugged them in this AM to the charger (smart-hopefully charger). Another note, my rv idiot level indicator says my current house battery pack (2-12V) are at 2 of the 4 light indicators AFTER charging them. I measured them at 13.09V, there good, right? Just my lousy house indicator in the RV? jeff
jeffwhite
Explorer
Oct 27, 2015
Good to know that I can just use distilled water, like topping off. No harm in trying. Thanks. jeff
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Oct 26, 2015
You can put away the battery mallet and wooden stake, right after the salesman revives you with smelling saltsm
time2roll
Nomad
Oct 26, 2015
They are still good to cover the core charge on a new set.
Consider reviewing your charging system and maintenance schedule.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Oct 26, 2015
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
There's "dry" then there's "Dry" then there is "DRY".

More meaningful terminology is the liquid measure of water it took to refill them.

Well... I was going to reply but Mexico beat me to it :).

If by "Dry" you mean the TOP of the plates are exposed.. Top off, re-charge, equalize and load test.

If you mean like half the plates are exposed.. Well same advice, but expect to buy new batteries.
Lazy_D
Explorer
Oct 26, 2015
I've not personally tried this yet, but I have a dead deep cycle trolling motor battery that I'm going to give this a shot on.
This is a 6 part video showing using Epsom salt to bring a battery back to life.

http://youtu.be/vqfaziZE1XM