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dead battery

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15 comments

  • tazzer
    does anyone know if you can restore a 12volt battery that wont charge anymore??? I have 3 12 volt firestorm batt. that wont hold a charge.
    I heard there is a way to resurrect them just dont know if this is so or not.

    Taz
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  • Mercury
    Short of replacing the "cells" that are inside the case, no. You can find these cells online. They are usually 1.2V. Easy to do, if you are handy with a soldering iron. Just note polarity.

    Merc
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  • tapwater
    ...I paid a few bucks to a guy on fleabay for the resurrection instuctions. It involved zapping them with a car battery, very briefly. I tried it on a couple Firestorms, and there was always one or two cells that just wouldn't "take."
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  • tazzer
    quote:Originally posted by tapwater
    ...I paid a few bucks to a guy on fleabay for the resurrection instuctions. It involved zapping them with a car battery, very briefly. I tried it on a couple Firestorms, and there was always one or two cells that just wouldn't "take."

    thats kinda of what I thought it was
    my day had a dewalt and said I might get the batt. to charge again by doing so but I cant remember if you go pos to pos. or resv, it
    pos. to neg. ???
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  • jimdeere
    PLEASE DON'T TRY IT!! I'd hate to log on next week and see a topic:
    '"Did you hear what happened to TAZZER, MERCURY AND TAPWATER?"
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  • tapwater
    ...I think it was pos to pos. Thought I might still have it, but guess I got digusted and deleted it. Sorry.
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  • HappyNanoq
    By resurrecting it like that... you don't correct the problem - you just kick it a short time out into the future.

    Chances are it'll crash when you need it the most.


    Yes, you can resurrect it by zapping it with a good battery - but you also risk blowing one or both up.


    Try drain the battery, then fully charge it - fully drain it, fully charge it.. 4-5 times.
    That sometimes works too.

    You can even get a batterycharger that will do this for you.
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  • tazzer
    quote:Originally posted by HappyNanoq
    By resurrecting it like that... you don't correct the problem - you just kick it a short time out into the future.

    Chances are it'll crash when you need it the most.


    Yes, you can resurrect it by zapping it with a good battery - but you also risk blowing one or both up.


    Try drain the battery, then fully charge it - fully drain it, fully charge it.. 4-5 times.
    That sometimes works too.

    You can even get a batterycharger that will do this for you.


    well Im thinking of just trashing them and getting one of the new 18 volts anyways lol
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  • fishkiller41
    The disolved lead and remaining sulfuric in that old battery could make people sick.
    Do yourself a favor, and go buy a fresh one.[;)]

    Jeff
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  • mowart
    Back when batteries had asphalt tops, people could rebuild them. The usual failure mechanism was that enough white lead oxide had flaked off the plates, and fallen to the bottom, to short out one of the cells. (BTW the longer life batteries, even today, have a bigger case hence more distance from the bottom of the plates to the case bottom.)

    Rebuilding consisted of draining out the sulfuric acid electrolyte first. Then the asphalt top was cut around the edge and the plates removed intact. The plates and inside the case were washed off of loose lead oxide. The plates were then carefully replaced in the case. Then a torch was used to reseal the asphalt cut. Finally the electrolyte was refilled and the battery the battery recharged if possible.

    Most of the time the above worked. You'd see signs for rebuilt batteries for $5. This competition may be why they went to plastic case tops.

    Watch out though, sulfuric acid is dangerous. Flush with water or neutralize with baking soda.
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  • tazzer
    quote:Originally posted by fishkiller41
    The disolved lead and remaining sulfuric in that old battery could make people sick.
    Do yourself a favor, and go buy a fresh one.[;)]

    Jeff




    look at above post [}:)][:D][:D][:D][:D]
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  • jimdeere
    Listen to Mowart. Mowart knows batteries.[^]
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  • HappyNanoq
    quote:Originally posted by tazzer
    well Im thinking of just trashing them and getting one of the new 18 volts anyways lol


    Good thinking =o)


    I've seen a guy zap a battery with 220Volt AC... for the most part - it worked. Sometimes he just killed the entire battery.
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  • tccox
    Tazzer, what kind of battery is this? Is it a 12V wet cell car battery or is it a bettery to drive a drill or something like that?
    Many years ago I worked by a battery place that rebuilt cr batterys. They would just take the shorted cells out and replace with good cells and away you would go.
    If it is the type of battery to drive a drill, you must also isolate the bad cell, take it out and replace with a good one. As Happy said, it is a good idea to discharge and recharge many times to override the "memory" built up on some of the old rechargable batteries. www.sciplus.com is one possible source of rechargable batteries. Tom
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  • FrancF
    Lol Just this week- for my 90 GMC Z71
    New optima battery $198
    New alternator $100

    Not bad for 150k miles.
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