Maintaining Happy Batteries

Question

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:"We've all read about person X who does nothing more than plug in their converter and claims the batteries are just as good as new 6 years later, although this is an impossibility."If you get phenomenal fuel economy and brag and brag about it, don't let me ride with you or borrow your vehicle. Karma, Voodoo, black cat, walking under a ladder time. You wouldn't believe how my presence de-tunes a motor vehicle.Not braggin... just reporting some good fortune...I JUST took a (glass) hydrometer reading on my 3 Costco G27s 2 days ago.Date sticker - 5/10 (so only 4 years old, not 6)Water level - Nearly all full or within 1/8" from the fill line.Temp - 75F.  I think we can call that close enough to 77Charge method - Alternator on the way home.  Then a Black &amp; Decker to "FUL" plus a single equalizing session from it.  Then, maybe a half hour bubbling sesh at around 16.5V from the Harbor Freight beast... unless the temp allows the B&amp;D to equalize at 16V.Then plugged in and left alone.  Our last trip was cancelled, so she sat for 8 months.  Shameful, I know.  I'm resolved to correct that this year.I don't recall destratifying until last week.  Again... shame on me!  If I had thought of it, I could have taken a reading before destratifying for comparison, darnit.I added no water over that time.  Don't recall when the last time was, but I would guess a couple of years.  I do check the levels pretty regularly, though.Float charger - Magnetek 6300 series (6332 to be exact) at about 13.5VGranted, we don't camp nearly enough, but...1.300 in all cells.  Same as they were the day I brought them home from Costco.Yeah, I'm feelin' pretty stoked... and lucky right now.No way to know whether or not they were stratified before I just equalized, but... if they were... it doesn't appear to have caused any damage.The Interstate MegaTron 24 starting battery is, I believe about 8 years old - Floated by same Magnetek.1 cell (at positive end) - 1.285The rest - 1.300The electrolyte levels were a touch lower, though.  So this could have a little to do with such high numbers for such an old battery.OK...It's a bit risky to rely on a Magnetek not to go south on me and over charge 'em, but the lesson here is...Flooded batteries like to be floated.  No pun intended.

mexicowanderer · Answer

Now, only to find an ADJUSTABLE floater than will BACK OFF at the appropriate voltage, maintain perfect gravity without conducting any excess kWh charging AT ALL.

matt_colie · Answer

I kind of hate to lean on Kendall's bubble, but the electrolyte density does not equal actual capacity.  All it does tell you is that it is as good as it can be today.  Matt

bfl13 · Answer

Matt_Colie wrote:I kind of hate to lean on Kendall's bubble, but the electrolyte density does not equal actual capacity.  All it does tell you is that it is as good as it can be today.  MattFrom what I have seen with my batteries when they are at reduced capacity (sulphated), is that they will do the normal voltage per SOC just as though they were not sulphated and at full capacity.However, their max SG at full (won't accept any more amps) is lower than "baseline" SG is when not sulphated.   So 12.8v is still full and 12.1 is still half full, but "full" is now at say 1.260 instead of 1.280.It may be possible to restore some capacity by desulphation methods and get that SG number up, but if the battery is older with permanent loss of capacity that lower SG is the new max indicating full.YMMV.  More people should report the same thing as I get to be sure it is not just me getting some readings wrong or whatever.

kendallp · Answer

Matt_Colie wrote:I kind of hate to lean on Kendall's bubble, but the electrolyte density does not equal actual capacity.  All it does tell you is that it is as good as it can be today.  MattRespectfully disagreed... mostly.I can't 100% guarantee they are at original capacity, but I can say that SG is still at baseline.  Odds are heavily in favor of their capacities being close to what they were the day they were born.BFL diplomatically agrees.Not saying they'll LIVE forever.  I'd bet I've lost a little positive plate.  Just saying they're still at roughly full capacity.

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