Unattended Batteries?

[NateHanson]

A project boat I picked up has two 6v flooded batteries dated June 2001. The plates are completely submerged, but they've otherwise been completely neglected for the past two years. Is there any chance of salvaging these batteries, or are the plates presumed completely sulfated and totally junk? These would be light use house batteries, and I'm wondering if they're at all worth nursing back to holding some charge (until I put in the $300 for new batteries), or am I wasting my time?

Thanks

 

[Morgan Stinemetz]

Get new batteries when you need them. Trying to save what is essentially junk is not worth your time.

Morgan Stinemetz

 

[NateHanson]

I figured. I had originally written them off solely on the fact that the boat had been sitting for 2 years on the hard. But yesterday when I was looking at the batteries more closely I suffered a moment of irrational optimism because they just look so nice and new (on the outside ).

 

[rgoff]

There is a device used in the RV world called "Battery Maximizer". Supposedly (and I've never used one) it will remove the sulphating from plates of a battery and "revive" it. I think they are only around $60.

Just google on the above product name.

 

[NateHanson]

Thanks Ralph. Perhaps I'll look into it. Although $60 is a fair portion of new batteries unless this device has other applications, say as an off-season charger. I'll investigate and report.

 

[Dan Hayes]

Check out Costco's marine batteries. I've had really good luck with them, and they're cheap. Made by one of the country's largest battery manufacturers. Trojan, I think. Good luck.

 

[stbdtack]

batteries....

You dont mention how they were neglected. Did they sit and not get charged or were they run low on water? Also what is the current resting voltage reading? Do they keep voltage after being charged?
Unless they were left totally flat for the long period they may work just fine until you want to spend the money on the new batteries. Try charging and see if they can remain at 12.7-12.8 volts for at least 3-4 days (no loads) If they are sulfated then you can try an equalizing charge which is running the voltage up to around 16 volts and holding it there for around 3-4 hours. You have to make sure they are topped up with water and dont leave them unattended while equalizing. They will get very warm and the electrolyte will boil so make sure there are no open flames and plenty of ventilation to allow the hydrogen gas to escape.
Most inverter/chargers and some more sophisticated chargers will do this cycle automatically. Likewise you can use a cheap "non-automatic" charger (Kragen, pep boys, etc.) to drive them up to 16 volts then turn on small loads (lights) to keep the voltage around 16. You should use a digital voltmeter for this ($40 @RadioShack) Great to have around anyway.
I've brought many lead acid batteries back to life this way. Even if they are not like new, they can perform well enough until you decide to install new ones. Dont presume they are junk until you have tested them.

 

[NateHanson]

They were left totally flat for 2 or 3 years. They didn't run low on water though. The plates are still submerged. They currently have no resting voltage. I haven't tried charging them.

What size Trojans have you found at Costco? 6V? 12V?

Nate

 

[Guy Stevens]

If no resting Voltage = 0 then

You will have to get new batteries. Once the cells are that dead, there is no bringing em back...

Guy

 

[NateHanson]

Ok, so where does one find a battery dealer? I've heard people refer to "battery shops" but aside from a Trojan distributor up in Maine, I can't find the GC batteries.

The times I've checked COSCO they just have "all purpose" and "starting" batteries. No 6V Deep cycle.

 

[Loren Beach]

Hi Nate,
In "our fair city" (to borrow the phrase from your own Click 'n' Clack) we find deep cycle batteries in any of the larger battery stores, especially those that deal with RV's and/or boats. Some of these guys also deal with out-of-towners living "off the grid."
Have you tried a dealer search on the Trojan battery web site? I tend to avoid the minimum-wage mega-discounters because they seldom know anything (!) about what they are selling, and because returns are more problematical.

FWIW, I have had some luck (...and with more than just batteries) in simply asking for a discount, especially when buying two or more at once. I make it clear that I do not want to beat them up on price too much because I also expect helpful and knowedgable advice; their knowledge and experience is worth something, after all.
In return, they get my referral business.

Good luck and may the AmpHours be with you,

Loren in Portland, OR

 

[stbdtack]

deep cycle

Sam's Club has 6Volt GNB golfcart batteries for around $50. I think they are around 220Ahr each.

 

[Jeff Meier]

Desulfator

FWIW, the "Battery Maximizer" mentioned above is just one of many desulfators that you can find on the web. you can even build one yourself for cheap if you have the inclination as all the info is out there for free. they break up the sulfate from the plates by shocking it with pulses of higher voltage at a high frequency.

i used one to try and restore a deep cycle battery that just wasn't holding much of a charge. after leaving it on for a month i tested the battery with a load tester and found a significant increase in capacity, though it wasn't as good as new. more time could have made it better..?

they are advertised work in the case of totally dead batteries but i think you would have to treat it as a project on its own as it will take a long time of nursing to bring them back. desulfation is a slow process..

 

[admirals barge]

look for an rv dealership that has a service department. they sell deep cycle batteries. 90 % of rv's i've run across have interstate deep cycle batteries installed from the manufacturer.

happy sailing
greg

 

[ref_123]

Cosco

Hi there,

I've got my DEEP CYCLE MARINE batteries in Cosco. Manufacturer unknown (possibly Tojan) but they sell under the Kirkwood brand. Standard 12V 85 Ah batteries. $44 each. They actually have AGMs there as well.

Regards,
Stanly

 

[Ernest]

I used 3 Costco Group 27 deep cycles for 7 years in our E 35. They were fine. Listed at 105 amps each and cost $58 each. I only replaced them because we were going cruising and they were old and I got nervous.

 

[NateHanson]

Well, $44 is hard to beat. Maybe I'll go with 12V batteries. I'd sacrifice about 60 Ah in the bank though, compared to two 215 or 225 Ah 6V batteries. Might be worth the savings. Best price I've found on golf-cart batteries is from the Trojan dealer near Portland (ME) for $75 for the T-105.

Two of the group 27 batteries would fit. I'll check the current price on those at costco. That'd be pretty close to the capacity of two 6v batteries for $30 less.

 

[admirals barge]

i believe gnb are manufactured by exide