Recondition Lead Acid Batteries

Friday, June 22, 2007

There is a variety of different batteries and nowadays most batteries can be reconditioned so get full value for your money. We're gonna learn how to do just that.

A Battery is a string of two or more cells in a series and is made possible by the use of the 'galvanic cell'.
Galvanic cell- is an electrochemical cell that stores chemical energy and makes it available in an electric form.

Lead Acid Battery

The lead acid battery was invented in 1859 by a French physicist named Gaston Plante. The lead acid battery is the oldest type of rechargeable battery around despite having the second lowest energy-to-weight ratio and a low energy-to-volume ratio.
However their ability to supply high surge currents means that it has a high power-to weight-ratio and this, coupled with its low cost, is what makes it ideal for use in automobiles.

A lead acid battery is an electrical storage device that uses a reversible chemical reaction to store energy. It uses a combination of lead plates and electrolyte which consists of diluted sulphuric acid to convert electrical energy into potential chemical energy again.
Lead acid batteries are used mostly in automobiles because they are powerful enough to provide the high level of current needed for the automobiles' starter motors.

Electrolyte - A chemical compound that ionizes when dissolved or molten to produce an electrically conductive medium.

How to Recondition your Battery

The Lead acid battery is designed with a low over voltage potential to prevent water depletion. As a result they never get fully charged.
Batteries run out of energy mainly because of sulphation build up on battery plates to remove this; apply an over-voltage charge of up to 2.5 volts for one to two hours this should eliminate the sulphation.
One method that provides reasonably good results is applying a charge on top of a charge. This is done by fully charging a battery, then removing it for a 24 to 48 hour rest period and applying a charge again. Repeat this process several times and check the capacity again with a full discharge.

The lead acid battery is able to accept some overcharge but too much causes corrosion and loss of electrolyte (and we don't want that!).
There is now an environmentally friendly method online to store and maintain your battery. Also there are reconditioning kits that are available online too that give clear instruction on the proper way to recondition your battery in a safe and effective way.

Reconditioning a battery without knowing the proper methods can cause serious harm, so it's important to know exactly what you're doing.
Because there is open cells with liquid electrolyte in most lead-acid batteries, overcharging with excessive charging voltages will generate oxygen and hydrogen gas which form an explosive mix. That's why caution must be observed because of the extremely corrosive nature of sulfuric acid in the battery.

The electrolyte of lead-acid batteries is hazardous to your health and may produce burns and other permanent damage if you come into contact with it. Thus, when dealing with electrolyte protect yourself appropriately!

You have a lot of info concerning reconditioning your lead acid battery so you'll know how to treat your batteries and make sure that you get the most out of them. For more important information on this topic please take a look at this http://www.expertsecretspublishing.com/battery.html

About the Author:
Thara is both a fitness enthusiast and a research/review expert who runs a few fitness websites as well as the very popular www.ultimatelowcarbrecipes.com

 

Author: by Thara Washington
Source: GetMyArticles.com