FOAK Car batteries

So the battery on J's Peugeot seems to be on the way out, but I know
there's some experts here so I thought I'd see if there's anything I
can do to extend its life.

Symptoms are that it's been reluctant to start for a few weeks, with
clearly only just enough charge to get it going. That is to say that
it's turning the engine over at noticeably lower speed than normal.

Today, only three days after it did a long run (100"km) it wouldn't
start at all. A push start got it going first time, and then it was
driven home, a distance of 140km. Now the battery's giving just enough
to start it, but clearly is lacking.

So I've taken it out and checked fluid levels - all cells are at the
normal level - and put it on charge, where it's drawing 2A.

So clearly I'll need to get a new one, but was wondering if removing
some of the old fluid and topping up with unused battery acid would
extend its life, at least for a few days untuil I get a new one. Any
thoughts?

 

Try painting it pink: it will do just as much good. It's fucked. Get a
new one tomorrow as soon as the shops open.

 

Before you condemn the battery , check the obvous like drive belts ,
loose connections etc .

 

Pretty sure it's all hunky dory in that dept. Followed her home
tonight and all lights, etc. are working fine, and the battery's taken
a little charge, but not much.

 

EDTA can help if it's sulphation but in reality if it's got to that stage
only a new one will solve the problem. Although, having said that I
managed to extend a Guzzi battery (big, simple brute of a battery) by
another 18 months using EDTA.

I have a feeling modern charging systems (i.e. anything post anything I
own) are quite fussy about batteries.

 

Wot he said, no point in messing around.

Fucked battery = buy a new one.

 

Just checked, and the charging rate has dropped to ~1.7A. Is that a
sign that it's taking charge better now that when in the car?

 

Yes. I. Know. Re-read my post.

The question is just whether I can get it better for a few days so I
don't need to **** up my schedule for the morning.

 

Wassat then?

How would I know if it's sulphation?

 

Buy a new one, don't **** about.

 

It's a chemical that when added to a battery has the effect of causing
sulphation to drop off the plates. It's not that readily available and
is really just putting off the inevitable.

http://www.sweller.co.uk/mz/electrics/elc_edta.html

I've got a bit of a stock of it and it's worked for me in the past but I
don't use it so much now. - I'm sure it'd be pretty useless for you as
your battery is likely to be sealed.

 

Quick and dirty: chuck a voltmeter on the battery terminals, expect to
see 12v or more. Turn on the headlights- it shoildn't drop too much.
Turn the lights back off.

Start the car and fast-idle it, expect to see 13.5V at least, probably a
bit more.

 

It's not, actually, hence the question about replacing some of the
fluid with new acid.

But in any case all I'm hoping for at best is something so J can use
the car during the day tomorrow and I'll get a new one on the way
home, rather than having to do it first thing in the morning.

 

Try discharging it dead flat then flush with distilled water and re-charge.

If the SG doesn't come up to spec' after full charge, then top up with acid.

TBH nursing a knackered battery will cost you more in the long run than a
replacement.

 

Sulphation becomes an insulating layer that forms over the battery plates,
as the exposed surface area diminishes the charge current from a fixed
voltage charger decreases - which in turn makes it more difficult to get a
full charge in.

Sulphation usually happens when a battery is stored discharged, or in use
when discharge consitently exceeds recharge for a prolonged period.

Topping up with acid instead of distilled water (except when replacing
spilled electrolyte) can make sulphation more likely.

 

**** no. I mean thanks, but no thinks. I'm only trying to get it
useable for a day or so.

Clearly. And I intend to spedn precisely nothing on this one.

 

As someone who has cheated death when a car battery exploded next to me,
my advice is not to **** about with it.

Another tip is to always let the battery stand in a well vented place
for half an hour after charging and before using it.

I'd been charging a fucked old battery and the connected it to the car
and tried the starter. The battery, being fucked, sparked internally
when I pressed the starter button and the built up hydrogen exploded and
bloody near took my head off.

 

If you need a new one I was recently pointed in the direction of this
lot www.tayna.co.uk/ by the FOAK in UKRM. Bloody good service and
price, so should the worst come to the worst maybe give them a try.

Brian