Cheap way to rejuvenate the 2 batteries in pickup

[Donald]

I talked to a guy from BatteryMinder on the phone about the marginal batteries in my pickup. They are both group 65 and each show about 57% of original CCA. But he said it would take a few weeks to a month on the BatteryMinder before they are rejuvenated. And better to do it now than latter when they are farther gone. While I could do it in the truck, I need to disconnect one and only connect the BatteryMinder to the disconnected one. It does not need to be a continuous few weeks just whenever I am not using the truck. The truck is outside so a bit of a PIA.

So a plan is buy a Walmart Value-Start battery for $50. Pull one battery and bring it into the basement for a month of charging on the BatteryMinder. Then swap and do the other battery on the BatteryMinder. In the end I will have an extra battery that I can find a use for somewhere.

The thought is the BatteryMinder with its pulsing will deal with the sulfation and rejuvenate each battery.

 

[ripcord]

Please let us know how it works out. How old are your batteries?

 

[Kamele0N]

Dont forget to also rejuvenate that walmart battery at the end....because older batteries will try to draw new one on their level...

 

[JC1]

I've seen lots of videos on YouTube about added Epson salts to batteries.

Also saw this video which seems interesting to try.

 

[JHZR2]

Good luck; assuming the issue is indeed sulfation, the minder unit should help.

What is your metric for determining if it did anything?

 

[Chris142]

I've seen lots of videos on YouTube about added Epson salts to batteries.

Also saw this video which seems interesting to try.

Tried it. Dont work

 

[Donald]

Good luck; assuming the issue is indeed sulfation, the minder unit should help.

What is your metric for determining if it did anything?

I would expect to see a higher % of CCA via conductive battery tester.

 

[JHZR2]

I would expect to see a higher % of CCA via conductive battery tester.

Those are temperature and SOC dependent. Do you have a way to keep conditions consistent?

I assume that your basement is close enough to consistent conditions to work?

Just be aware that you could have H2 gas in your basement from this. CO detectors can pick up H2 in some circumstances, might want to verify if yours can...

 

[samven]

I would be very interested in hearing of the outcome. From what I have been able to find very few batteries actually respond to any degree and the gain is usually short term.

 

[Fattylocks]

How old are those batteries?
It does sound like a PITA.
Two new batteries = buy once cry once.

 

[meep]

I’ve built a couple of battery desulfators which were much more powerful than what’s generally sold on the shelves. they never brought one back to “like new.” In some cases they might have regained some 20% of capacity back after 12 weeks of 24x7 use, but in my experience they are not a guarantee. A lot depends on /how/ the particular battery has aged.... sulfation, how deeply sulfated, plate shedding, and if the sulfation makes plate shedding worse. There is probably a sweet spot for when to begin a desulfation regimen. maybe you are right on time... give it a go, but i wouldn’t expect it to hang the moon. I don’t mess with them anymore.

 

[Langanobob]

I’ve had s couple of BatteryMinder chargers for years and although I don’t have any documented evidence that they effectively desulfate batteries, they’ve been very good and reliable battery chargers.