Automotive battery reconditioning

[LexusLover]

The charger I ordered didn’t come today like it was supposed to so I canceled the purchase and am just going to get a new battery since it will take me 2 days of charging to find out if it’s even going to provide the sought after results.

I am one of those people who would rather spend time and save money on most things mostly due to financial necessity. But I’ve already waited too long and want to get this car running ASAP.

 

[four.cycle]

all kinds of other stuff to save money on. brakes, tires, and batteries are not among those.

 

[LexusLover]

all kinds of other stuff to save money on. brakes, tires, and batteries are not among those.

Well I buy used tires often and I save money doing brakes by just pad slapping making sure the rotors never get too beat up and if they do I pull out the dewalt angle disk sander I have and hit them with 60 then 100 grit or might just do 80 depending on how deep the stretches are.

 

[mogandave]

Well I buy used tires often...

Indeed

 

[Sumboodie]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08G3M697M/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I have one on my Tractor works great

Why is your tractor draining the battery?

 

[BDT/NWMN]

I am about three weeks away from an attempt at reconditioning a battery with my arc welder.

I fully intend to post my results if I survive the attempt.

Say Hi to Elvis

 

[Sumboodie]

I replaced the battery on my truck last week. It has a 2yr warranty and was $179 from Autozone.
Why someone would spend much time researching a way to attempt reviving a weak one is beyond me.

It adds up. I need 4...., that's ~$700.

 

[Sumboodie]

Why are pics not loading?

 

[MBfreak]

This I learned in Liberia from several car guys. And it works.
Has to be a lead acid battery with removable plugs in each cell.
Open all cells and empty liquid. Use a waterhose with moderate pressure and flush out each cell , with the battery upside down.
Lots of lead oxides will emerge. Fill battery with potable water and a pinch of salt.
Connect the battery thru a 127V 40 W lightbulb to 127 V outlet and let it stay for several days.
Reflush all cells again. Fill battery and recharge.
Works well but of course quite an amount of lead has been removed from the plates. CCA not important in Liberia. Never below 20 C.
Shade tree science!

Ola

 

[flyingblind]

Why is your tractor draining the battery?

Their are things in the truck like LoJack and cameras that run 24/7.

 

[laser3kw]

I attempted to recondition a battery. I emptied, flushed, baking soda, flushed, flushed, flushed and refilled with new electrolyte. I charged it for hours. It came up to 12v but would drop off when a load was applied. I consider the exercise a failure but did learn from the experience.
I say at least try and see if you have better results.

 

[alfredeneuman]

It adds up. I need 4...., that's ~$700.

Well, we're discussing a car...Not a tractor.
(Unless you use your tractor in place of an automobile.)

 

[nadogail]

Tractors and cars have a lot in common; we can start with Modern Tractors and cars both are categorized as Automobiles.

They both move by making their own power, generally by converting petroleum based fuel into motion.

 

[LexusLover]

Tractors and cars have a lot in common; we can start with Modern Tractors and cars both are categorized as Automobiles.

They both move by making their own power, generally by converting petroleum based fuel into motion.

Even lawn mowers. But many mowers these days are moving towards electricity just like automobiles.

 

[alfredeneuman]

we can start with Modern Tractors and cars both are categorized as Automobiles.

They're similar but not in the same category

From Encyclopedia Britannica

tractor, high-power, low-speed traction vehicle and power unit mechanically similar to an automobile or truck but designed for use off the road.

automobile, byname auto, also called motorcar or car, a usually four-wheeled vehicle designed primarily for passenger transportation

 

[LexusLover]

They're similar but not in the same category

From Encyclopedia Britannica

tractor, high-power, low-speed traction vehicle and power unit mechanically similar to an automobile or truck but designed for use off the road.

automobile, byname auto, also called motorcar or car, a usually four-wheeled vehicle designed primarily for passenger transportation

It’s like the difference between a 12 string guitar and a mandolin

 

[alfredeneuman]

So the subject has changed from

An ‘04 Lexus rx330 with 183k miles on it.

1 battery that could strand you miles from home to 4 on a tractor with 0 likelihood of this happening
You just didn't get the affirmation you wanted to.

 

[Sumboodie]

Well, we're discussing a car...Not a tractor.
(Unless you use your tractor in place of an automobile.)

You posted about a truck, as did I. Two trucks, 2 batteries each.

 

[LexusLover]

So the subject has changed from

1 battery that could strand you miles from home to 4 on a tractor with 0 likelihood of this happening
You just didn't get the affirmation you wanted to.

What rubbed you the wrong way? I never mentioned a tractor but someone else did and I am just agreeing that as far as the base technology is concerned they are both vehicles with internal combustion engines and share many things in common. What affirmation was I looking for exactly?

 

[alfredeneuman]

What rubbed you the wrong way?

Post #28 for a start

 

[alfredeneuman]

You posted about a truck, as did I. Two trucks, 2 batteries each.

I need to apologize. Since you mentioned a tractor in a post 46 I thought you were talking about a tractor.

 

[nadogail]

A self propelled, fuel driven, machine is by my definition a member of the Automobile family. Britanica is British in orientation, we are divided by a common language.
Yanks, Canucks, Aussies and Brits all speak English; just with local differences.

 

[alfredeneuman]

by my definition a member of the Automobile family. Britanica is British in orientation, we are divided by a common language.

I didn't say it was not a member of the automobile family. They are similar (which I posted previously).
Daniel Webster is responsible for the "Americanization" of the dictionary.
From the Merriam-Webster dictionary
Tractor: 4-wheeled or tracked automotive vehicle used especially for drawing farm equipment = Stranded on a farm.
Automobile: a usually four-wheeled automotive vehicle designed for passenger transportation = Stranded on the road possibly miles from home

 

[LexusLover]

I didn't say it was not a member of the automobile family. They are similar (which I posted previously).
Daniel Webster is responsible for the "Americanization" of the dictionary.
From the Merriam-Webster dictionary
Tractor: 4-wheeled or tracked automotive vehicle used especially for drawing farm equipment = Stranded on a farm.
Automobile: a usually four-wheeled automotive vehicle designed for passenger transportation = Stranded on the road possibly miles from home

How many times have people been caught behind a slow moving farm tractor on a public road? Obviously they aren’t stranded on the farms they operate on.

 

[Bert_]

We have a guy with no license who drives a tractor whenever he wants to go to town.

 

[Bert_]

Tractor: 4-wheeled or tracked automotive vehicle used especially for drawing farm equipment = Stranded on a farm

How do they get from farm to farm? Haul grain? Hay?

 

[alfredeneuman]

OK... A much smaller chance than an automobile

 

[Bert_]

OK... A much smaller chance than an automobile

Drive around the Midwest during the fall. You wouldn't use the word "much" smaller chance.

 

[luvtheheat]

A while back i posted about catalytic converter cleaning using lye and rinsing in vinegar.

I tried cleaning my cat a while back. She did not survive the soaking....

 

[nbpt100]

I just skimmed this thread and saw it got a bit derailed.

Someone may have suggested this, not sure. You can get a trickle charger that can de sulfide the battery and bring it back to some functional life. Assuming it is not dead as a door nail. Like under 1 volt. You may want to try it and see if it brings it back to life. I know batteries have become too expensive. It is not a bad tool to have anyway. Look at soome of the NOCO products. Good Luck.

 

[Racer_X]

A self propelled, fuel driven, machine is by my definition a member of the Automobile family.

I'm calling Hagerty tomorrow to get insurance on my self-propelled push mower.

 

[alfredeneuman]

Drive around the Midwest during the fall.

What about Winter (When batteries are most prone to failure) Spring, Summer, and Nationwide instead of just the Midwest? How many miles are there between the fields?

 

[InsanePyro]

Sounds like alot of screwing around with questionable results when a new battery can be got from nearly anywhere

 

[LexusLover]

Sounds like alot of screwing around with questionable results when a new battery can be got from nearly anywhere

Already got a new battery instead. The charger was delayed and I didn’t want to wait.

 

[alfredeneuman]

Already got a new battery instead.

I'm glad. Now you can at least have some peace of mind about that.

 

[nadogail]

I am about three weeks away from an attempt at reconditioning a battery with my arc welder.

I fully intend to post my results if I survive the attempt.

I connected my welder to a dead battery today and got two of the six cells boiling furiously, a third cell was bubbling a little. I exceeded the duty rating of the welder and the input power plug began to smoke. The current flowing into the battery was cranked up to 120 Amps.

I have reached the conclusion that it is not as easy and quick as shown on You Tube. I am about ready to give up on battery reconditioning, I will give it another shot soon.

 

[Zeke]

The only thing I have ever read about welders and batteries is that a welder can shock a battery and alter some crystal thing. I've seen it used more on ni-cad than lead-acid. Is there any benefit to boiling the acid?

 

[AntonLargiader]

Boiling the acid is just strong electrolysis. There’s no benefit in that, but if you are trying to push a big voltage across a sulfated cell, then the good ones are going to bubble like crazy.

 

[mogandave]

People have been trying unsuccessfully to re-hash lead-acid batteries for 100 years.

When (if) someone does, it will make the news.

 

[csp]

How many times have people been caught behind a slow moving farm tractor on a public road? Obviously they aren’t stranded on the farms they operate on.

Do you suppose a tractor battery failing is more likely to cause a problem when it's in operation utilizing the alternator as a power source, or when it won't start when someone has the intent to go down a public road. My money is on the latter.