Restoring a lead-acid battery with your own hands. Restoration of acid batteries. The best most common type of car battery

With all the variety of models and types of cars, they are all assembled from components, blocks and mechanisms that perform a clearly defined role. The battery, whose price tag cannot be called cheap, also faces its own challenges in this engineering design. If the battery fails, do not rush to dispose of this device: after proper restoration, the car battery will work even better than a new one.

The role of batteries in the system

Battery in automotive design solves two problems at once:

Launches power unit which consists of a clutch and gearbox;

Provides nutrition to all on-board network with the engine off.

Without a battery, the car will not start and will be immobilized.

Reasons why a battery may fail:

Improper maintenance of the device;

How it works accumulator battery

Since their invention, batteries have been constantly improved in order to increase the life of the device and its performance. Engineering innovations have taken advantage of emerging new materials with improved characteristics.

Car batteries consist of a closed plastic container, inside of which there are forming tanks with plates different polarity. Tanks are made from ebonite, glass or lead-coated wood, and special alloys are used to produce plates. The main space of the container is filled with sulfuric acid.

The principle of operation of the battery

Sulfuric acid is necessary for the formation of a galvanic couple. When current flows to the terminals, the process of accumulating electricity in the battery starts inside the battery, which at a certain stage itself becomes a source of current with an ultra-low voltage of 12 volts - conditionally safe for human health and life.

When the driver turns on the starter while setting off on a trip, the car battery is discharged. While the motor is running, the batteries mandatory should replenish the expended electricity, but this does not always happen. The reasons why the battery does not have enough power to rotate the starter are determined by a specialist.

What are battery malfunctions?

Most common following reasons battery failure:

Sulfation of plates.

Signs: rapidly falling battery capacity, lack of power to rotate the starter, increased voltage at the outputs, overheating of the plates and electrolyte.

The integrity of the plates is compromised, and for coal plates - their shedding.

Signs: darkened color of sulfuric acid. In this case, the battery cannot be restored.

Closing adjacent plates of a section.

Signs: hot section walls, boiling electrolyte. IN in this case It is possible to restore the battery by replacing failed plates.

Failure to comply with storage rules (especially in winter period) and battery operation.

Signs: damage to the container body and lead plates. In this case, there is no question of restoring the battery.

Battery resuscitation

The faulty current source is brought back to life step by step.

Act one

After removing the terminals from the battery, inspect it carefully. The lead electrodes covered with plaque are cleaned with a rag, and its terminals with fine-grained sandpaper. The layer of powder on the electrodes can be of different thicknesses and different color(green, white, blue). By the way, contacts coated with such powder are in many cases the main reason poor performance starter.

Act two

It is more complex because it includes a chain: charging - discharging the battery. The battery is first properly charged and then completely discharged.

Today, modern devices with such a unique function are available for sale. In pulsed stationary devices these two opposite actions laid, as they say, “in one package” to combat the unpleasant process of sulfation of plates at the very initial stage.

Old chargers will require a lot of patience from the performer, since with a current strength ten times less than the battery capacity itself, recharging takes an average of ten hours. This is clearly demonstrated by the following example: to charge a battery with a capacity of 75 A/h, a current of 7.5 Amperes is determined.

When the old-style charger has completed its work, the process of discharging the batteries begins. To do this, use a regular car light bulb: connect it to the battery and wait until it stops burning. After the light goes out completely, it is removed and the battery is reconnected to the charger.

This is how, through strictly sequential cycles, the resuscitation of current sources for cars occurs.

Act three

If a short circuit occurs in the battery, use a special desulfating additive. It will take several days to restore the battery, because the additive completely dissolves in the electrolyte within two days. This ingredient is added to the electrolyte with a density of 1.28 g/cc. cm.

After two days the received liquid product pour it into the battery and check the density again. If the new indicator remains the same or turns out to be very close to this figure (1.28), several consecutive battery charging/discharging cycles are carried out.

During charging, it is necessary to monitor the electrolyte. If it does not boil and the walls of the container are at a temperature environment and do not heat up, then the amount of incoming current can be halved.

After two hours, the density of the electrolyte is measured again, and if the nominal value is obtained again, the charging process is completed - the battery is fully restored and ready for use.

If the electrolyte density changes upward, it is diluted with distilled water. If the density is below 1.28 g/cub. cm, add sulfuric acid. In both cases, after adjusting the density, the battery is charged again.

Fast charging

The principle of charging the battery at an accelerated pace is as follows:

1. The battery is charged and after that the electrolyte is drained from it.

2. The container is washed with distilled water and filled with a solution (Trilon B - 2% and ammonia - 5%) for an hour. In some cases, the washing is repeated.

3. Repeated rinsing with water is performed, after which the container is filled with fresh electrolyte.

4. The battery is placed on full charge.

In order for the batteries to serve for a long time and reliably, you do not need to make any extra efforts: just keep the battery clean and fully charge it with a stationary device once every six months.

Content

During the use of a mobile device, the battery will definitely consume its resource and “grow old”. This manifests itself in a rapid decrease in charge and slow charging. Sometimes the device simply does not turn on after turning off and does not respond to button presses. This is a characteristic and common phenomenon for lithium batteries that are used in this moment in all smartphones. Can be purchased new source charge, but if you want to save money, there are options for self-reanimation of the battery.

How does a telephone battery work?

Most gadgets have a battery function. There are several types of batteries for phones:

  • Ni-Cd – nickel-cadmium;
  • Ni-Mh – nickel metal hydride;
  • Li-Ion – lithium-ion.

NiCd batteries have the largest charge capacity; they are easy to manufacture, store and operate. Often used to power medical equipment, radios, high-power instruments and professional video cameras. NiMh batteries generate more heat during charging, requires use complex algorithm to determine the full charge. For this reason, most of these batteries have an internal temperature sensor. NiMh takes a long time to charge (it takes twice as long to replenish the NiCd charge), but their capacity is much greater.

Li-Ion batteries, when recalculated per kilogram of weight, are 2 times higher than NiCd. For this reason lithium ion batteries are now used in all phones, laptops, where time is important except battery life also the weight of the product. The design of the battery itself is very simple: two graphite sheets of lithium and cobalt oxide, which are lubricated with electrolyte and rolled into a roll.

Why is the battery draining?

After a year or a year and a half, smartphone owners begin to notice a decrease in the performance of the device; the charge quickly runs out. This can happen for several reasons, some of them can be solved programmatically (disabling unnecessary functions, wi-fi, cleaning viruses), while others can only be technically corrected by restoring the battery capacity. The following factors are popular reasons why the battery drains.

The vast majority of smartphones run on operating system Android, which is prone to crashes due to its complexity and open source code, OS optimization is at a low level. Several dozen programs run automatically in the background; even in standby mode (with the screen off), they continue to “eat up” the charge and lead to a rapid decrease in battery capacity. Many of these background programs are not needed by the average user and should be disabled.

  • Viruses

The Android system is free, which is why it has become so popular, hackers could not ignore this and began to create malicious programs for it. The activity of such viruses leads to rapid decline phone battery charge. In addition, the performance of smartphones drops even with strong processors. The following signs (except for antiviruses) will help determine the presence of “pests”: the appearance of advertisements in the wrong places, an increase in the temperature of the gadget’s body, and system slowdown.

  • Defective battery

Battery failure leads to rapid loss of energy. This occurs more often with prolonged use, usually after two years. This is an inevitable process of consuming equipment resources. Sometimes a decrease in the nominal capacity of a battery occurs due to contamination of the anode and cathode. This leads to a slowdown in physical and chemical processes that affect the battery’s ability to release the accumulated charge. Using some methods, you can achieve the original battery value.

Battery capacity and expiration date

Recovery processes with constant use of the device will not be able to return one hundred percent to the same amount of voltage. Over time, the battery's power decreases, it wears out and becomes unusable. Li-Ion batteries have a shelf life of 2 years from the date of manufacture. During this period of time, from 20% to 35% of their power is lost. Restoring an old battery is not an easy task, so pay attention to the manufacturing date of the phone.

How to check your phone battery

For the test, you need a device called a voltmeter, which helps measure the voltage of the equipment. It is recommended to first visual inspection battery If the battery was in operation for a long time, then its structure could be subject to deformation, for example, swell. If liquid gets on the contacts, it will oxidize. These factors affect the battery capacity and reduce the specific value. To check the battery you need:

  • remove the battery from the device;
  • attach the positive contact of the voltmeter to the positive pole;
  • do the same with the negative;
  • in the settings, set the nominal value of the measured voltage.

The voltage that you received during measurement will display the state of charge of the battery. To evaluate the indicator, you can use the following values:

  • less than 1 V – the battery needs to be charged;
  • about 2 V – the battery is charged, the capacity is average;
  • 3.6-3.7 V – fully charged battery with high capacity.

Phone battery recovery

If you wish, you can try to restore the “life” of the battery using some methods. Restoring a smartphone battery is a temporary measure; the device’s lifespan is not endless, so at some point the battery will still have to be replaced. Below are methods for increasing battery capacity that you can do yourself at home. Some will require additional tools and the ability to work with their hands. If you are new to this area, it is better not to restore it, but to buy a new battery.

Using a special charger

You can restore a Li-Ion battery using a multimeter and an Imax B6. The latter device is easy to buy, it is well suited if you need to resuscitate the battery at home. First, we check the battery itself using a multimeter. Connect it, setting it to voltage measurement mode. In the presence of deep discharge the multimeter will show this as the minimum U value in millivolts.

Sometimes the controller does not allow you to measure the actual amount of voltage. There are two terminals - plus and minus, which go directly from the battery to the controller. The voltage at the terminals is usually 2.6 V, but for lithium batteries this is not enough, to get the real voltage you need to charge the battery to 3.2 V. Then the multimeter will begin to reflect the real voltage. It is necessary to ground the negative wire, and connect the red wire to power, set high current not necessary.

Imax is convenient because it supports several modes that differ for different types Phone battery. Activate the appropriate mode (lithium-polymer or lithium-ion), set the voltage to 3.7 V, and the charge to 1 A. The voltage will begin to rise, which indicates successful restoration of capacity. The indicator should reach 3.2 Volts and the battery will “sway”. Then you can insert it back into your tablet, phone, or fully charge it using your own device.


Restoring phone battery capacity from another battery

You will need any other 9 Volt battery, electrical tape, and a thin simple wire. This DIY phone battery restoration will be of interest to all electronics lovers. You can restore capacity using the following algorithm:

  1. Connect the wires to the contacts of the battery that needs to be restored. Each pole needs its own.
  2. You cannot connect plus and minus with the same wire, this will lead to a short circuit and you will no longer be able to restore the battery.
  3. Secure the contacts with electrical tape, marking them with a + and - marker.
  4. Connect the positive terminal to the “+” on the 9-volt battery, and the negative terminal in the same way.
  5. On this side, also secure the contacts with electrical tape.
  6. After some time, the battery should start to heat up.
  7. When the battery becomes noticeably warm, you need to disconnect it from the “donor” and put it in the phone to check its operation.
  8. After turning it on, immediately check the charge level and charge your mobile phone in standard mode.

Using a resistor and a “native” charger

This method is simple, you do not need any special devices or devices, you will only need your original charger. Phone battery repair will require the following:

  • a resistor device with a minimum rating of 330 Ohms, a maximum of 1 kOhm;
  • power source 5-12 V (phone charger is suitable).

To restore the battery you need to do the following simple diagram connections: minus from the adapter to the minus of the battery, plus is output through a resistor to the plus. Then you need to apply power and the voltage on the battery will begin to increase. You should bring it up to 3 V, this will take 10 to 15 minutes. Then you can use the battery as usual.

Recovering your phone battery using a fan

You will definitely need a power supply with an output voltage of at least 12 V. Connect the corresponding one from the device to the negative connector of the fan, also connect the negative one and manually fix the wires on the battery. Connect the power supply to the outlet, the fan should start spinning, which indicates that current is being supplied. You should not hold the charge for a long time; 30 seconds are enough to reach the required U value. This will help “revive” the battery and charge it without problems from a regular outlet.

Battery resuscitation with cold

This option on how to restore a phone battery rarely works, but you can try because there is no risk of ruining it. It is necessary to place the battery in a plastic bag (foil or paper are not suitable) to prevent water from getting into the phone. To revive your phone battery, you need to put it in the refrigerator (freezer) for 12 hours. After cooling, let it warm up in the room, remember to wipe it dry. By freezing it is possible to restore a little capacity so that you can charge it through a regular outlet.


How to restore a lithium battery after a deep discharge

If the device is not used for a long time, a deep discharge may occur. The voltage drops to unacceptable levels, the device is completely turned off by the controller and it cannot be charged from the outlet. In this case, the battery can only be restored by unsoldering the protection system. Then power is carried out using a special device, for example, Turnigy Accucell 6. The device itself will monitor the battery recovery processes.

Using the “Type” button you can select the charge program. Click on the “Start” button, then for Li-ion – 3.5 V, for Li-pol – 3.7 V. The current should be set to 10% of the rated capacity of the battery. To do this, press the “+” and “-” buttons. When the value reaches 4.2V, the mode will change to “voltage stabilization”. The device will emit an audio signal when charging is complete, and the message “Full” will appear on the screen.

When the battery is swollen

When the battery degrades, physical deformation may begin. The swelling makes the device unusable, but you can try to repair it. You need to find a kind of cap on the battery, which is located under the sensor board. Next you will need a needle or nail. Pierce this cap; this must be done carefully, separating the upper part with the sensor board and contacts from the battery case. Wait for all the accumulated gas to come out of the housing, then replace the metal plate. To do this you need:

  • place the battery on a flat surface;
  • place a plate on top;
  • it is easy to squeeze its body;
  • when it is level, solder the sensor board back;
  • Cover the puncture site with waterproof glue.

Fully charging and discharging your phone battery

This is the simplest, but ineffective way to restore battery capacity. You need to “drive” the battery several times until it is completely discharged, and then completely restore it. For this:

  • download a resource-intensive utility (AnTuTu) or game and turn off the phone completely (until it turns off);
  • connect the power and wait for 100% charging;
  • repeat the previous steps 3-4 times.

Video

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In general, there can be only two situations:

  1. The battery seems to work, but discharges very quickly.
  2. The battery is dead and doesn't want to charge at all.

First situation: loss of capacity

In the first case, the battery capacity has dropped and you will have to come to terms with it. Complete restoration of batteries after a deep discharge is impossible (this applies to all Li-ion batteries: 18650, 14500, 10440, batteries from mobile phones, etc.). Even theoretically, it is impossible to restore the capacity of a lithium battery.

A decrease in capacity is an absolutely normal process. This happens during every charge/discharge cycle, no matter how properly the battery is used. However, if during operation deep discharges are often allowed or, conversely, long-term recharges (more than 500%), then the rate of capacity loss can increase significantly.

Recent studies have shown that lithium batteries lose their capacity even if they are not used at all. For example, during normal storage in warehouses. According to research, the battery loses approximately 4-5% of its capacity per year.

Second situation: does not want to charge

Now consider the second case - the battery is not charging.

This situation usually occurs when a device (phone, tablet, MP3 player) has been left idle for a long time with a discharged battery. Or if the lithium battery has been subjected to deep cooling.

In principle, there should be no problems with charging such batteries. Inside each battery - between the battery bank itself and the terminals that we see - there is a protection module that disconnects the battery from the terminals when the voltage drops below a certain threshold. Outwardly, this manifests itself as a complete absence of voltage at the battery output (zero volts).

In fact, as a rule, at this moment the voltage on the bank itself is about 2.4-2.8 Volts.

If the battery is blocked due to overload (short circuit in the load), the protection module also blocks the FET1 transistor. It makes no difference what the protection was triggered from - from overdischarge or from short circuit. The result is the same - open transistor FET2 and closed field switch FET1.

Thus, during a deep discharge, the lithium-ion battery protection board does not in any way interfere with charging the battery.

The only problem is that some chargers think they are too smart and when they see that the battery is too low voltage(and in our case it will be equal to zero), they believe that some unacceptable situation has occurred and completely refuse to issue charging current.

This is done solely for security purposes. The fact is that if the battery has an internal short circuit, charging it becomes dangerous - it can overheat and swell (with all sorts of special effects like leaking electrolyte, squeezing out the tablet cover, etc.). If there is a break inside the battery, charging it becomes completely pointless. So the logic of operation of such smart chargers is quite clear and justified.

Read on to learn how to trick charging and restore functionality of a lithium battery after a deep discharge.

How to force it to charge?

In essence, restoring lithium-ion batteries after a deep discharge comes down to returning it to normal operation. You must understand that this in no way compensates for the loss of capacity (this is impossible in principle).

In order to still force a too cunning charger to charge our very low battery, it is necessary to ensure that the voltage on it exceeds a certain threshold. As a rule, 3.1-3.2 Volts are enough for the charger to consider the situation normal and allow charging.

You can only increase the voltage on the battery using a third-party (more stupid) charger. This is popularly called “pushing” the battery. To do this, simply connect to the battery terminals external unit power supply, while limiting the maximum current.

For our purposes, any cell phone charger will do. Most often, modern chargers have an output in the form of a USB socket and, accordingly, produce 5V. All we have to do is select a resistor that limits the charge current.

The resistor's resistance is calculated using Ohm's law. Let's take the worst-case scenario - the voltage on the internal bank of a lithium-ion battery is 2.0 Volts (we won't be able to measure it without disassembling the battery, so we'll just assume that this is the case).

Then the difference between the power source voltage and the battery voltage will be:

Let's calculate the resistance of the current-limiting resistor so that the charge current does not exceed 50 mA (this is quite enough for the initial charge and at the same time quite safe):

R = 3V / 0.050A = 60 Ohm

Now we find out how much power will be dissipated by this resistor in the event of an internal short circuit of the battery (then the entire voltage of the power supply will drop across the resistor):

P = (5V) 2 / 60 Ohm = 0.42 W

Thus, to restore an 18650 battery after a deep discharge, we take any 5V power supply, the nearest suitable resistor is 62 Ohms (0.5W) and connect it all to the battery as follows:

The power supply will be suitable for a different voltage; it will be enough to recalculate the resistance and power of the limiting resistor. And you need to remember that in li-ion protection circuits, as a rule, field-effect transistors with a low drain-source voltage are used, so it is undesirable to take a power supply with a high output voltage.

Small neodymium magnets will help ensure reliable contact when connecting wires to the terminals of the 18650 battery.

If the charge does not work(the resistor does not heat up, and the battery is at full voltage from the power supply), then either the protection circuit has gone into very deep protection, or it has simply failed, or there is an internal break.

Then you can try to remove the outer polymer shell of the battery and connect our improvised charger directly to the can. Plus to plus, minus to minus. If in this case the charge does not go, then the battery is screwed. But if you do, you need to wait until the voltage rises to 3+ Volts and then you can charge as usual (with standard charging).

Of course, using this device you can charge the battery completely, but then you will have to wait a very long time (after all, the charge current is very small). In addition, in this case you will have to very closely control the voltage on the bank so as not to miss the moment when it becomes 4.2V. And, if anyone doesn’t know, the voltage towards the end of the charge will begin to rise very quickly!

Now the situation is different- the resistor, on the contrary, heats up noticeably, but there is zero voltage on the battery, which means there is a short circuit somewhere inside. We gut the battery, unsolder the protection module and try to charge the can itself. If it works, then the protection board is faulty and must be replaced. However, you can use the battery without it.


The battery is a tricky thing. Guarantee period A good product is about 5 years old, but this does not mean that the battery will not require attention sooner. It all depends on the quality of workmanship. Trusted companies keep their brands, but the products are average price segment falls into a risk group.

The cause of discharge is the destruction and loss of cells. Most often it's simple operational wear due to high loads. If the car has non-standard expensive music with good speakers, additional heaters or other miracles of comfort, then the battery may not be recognized. The electrolyte will turn black and the terminals will oxidize. Another danger for older car batteries is being jostled in traffic. Their generators are rather weak and do not have time to compensate for the energy deficit in time. As a result, the battery wears out.

To start the car without problems, the battery must retain at least 50% charge, and the daily energy loss without load must be kept at 2%. Otherwise, when the temperature drops, the charge will drop by another half. You can find out about the performance of the battery using a special device - a multimeter. If the voltage differs from the standard, then it is better to taxi to a service center before frost and connect the car to load fork. This is a device for simulating the daily loads of the urban rhythm. The specialist will look at how the battery behaves and how capable it is of meeting the needs of the on-board network. Often, experts render a verdict - replacement.

“The cells oxidize, sulfate, that is, they become covered with plaque, causing them to lose their functionality,” says technical expert CarFix Oleg Chirkov. - IN worst cases falling honeycombs of plates lead to breakdowns.” The spark burns and the electrolyte heats up, evaporating. The body swells and cracks, like a teapot releasing steam and losing energy.

You can't repair batteries, but if you really want to, you can. Garage craftsmen will name dozens of ways to revive an energy unit, including washing and shaking it out. The easiest way is to add electrolyte. The procedure itself is simple, but if the density and consistency of the filling is violated, the battery will suffer even more damage. You can't pour into jars plain water, but only distilled. Plus it has an anti-deposit additive. The proportions of the mixture are important, and the mixture is prepared within two days in a separate container. After filling, the battery must go through several charge-discharge cycles. In short, it is better to have a specialist do it.

Some car owners carry batteries home when frost sets in. At the end of the trip, the terminals are disconnected, the fasteners are unscrewed, and the driver engages in physical exercises to the door of the apartment. This helps partly, and grains of charge survive until the morning. However, doing this is systematically harmful, apart from the benefits of carrying heavy weights in the morning. A serviceable battery will survive frosts well, but a faulty one will die even in warm weather. Frequent zero crossings further damage the cells. With temperature changes of 40-50 degrees, their destruction progresses. Therefore, it is better to store the battery in the cold on the balcony.

In addition, removing the battery from the vehicle will invalidate the information on-board systems. Electronic brains without energy, they go to the basic factory settings, and for modern cars this is associated with a number of inconveniences.

If the car is put into storage and the battery is at home, then it is better to recharge it once every three months, otherwise harmful sulfation will begin, leading to the destruction of the cells. A piece of the honeycomb will fall off, short-circuit the plates, and hello! Even in a sleeping state, the battery requires temporary loads, for which there are special devices. Otherwise, the battery will turn sour even under the sofa. It is important to monitor the heating of the case when connecting to an outlet. If the electrolyte bubbles, then it’s time for the battery to go to a landfill, and for its owner to go to the store.

The most dangerous for the battery are switched on parking lights. They do not go out when the key is pulled out and consume energy until they are completely depleted. A few hours is enough to discharge even a new German battery in the cold. AND frosty morning You can’t do without “lighting up.”

But, if the car is still breathing, then simple actions may awaken it. First, turn off all appliances, heaters, radio, etc., which are set to “On” mode by default. Then blink high beam, holding it for a few seconds. Then processes will take place inside the battery, stimulating its awakening. After this, you can turn on the ignition and start a little later.

If the starter spins, but the car does not start, then the battery has nothing to do with it, and the fault lies in other technical systems. However, if the engine is cranked weakly, the operation cannot be repeated for more than 7 seconds. Unwanted heat builds up in the battery and cables. You can repeat the cycle after half a minute. After starting the engine good drivers they try to drive the car longer and don’t turn it off when parked so that the battery gets more energy. Well, then it’s worth thinking about finding the reasons for the loss of charge. If the battery is new, it works great on the bench and gives standard current, then perhaps it is not she who is to blame for the discharge, but the on-board electrical network. For example, a generator or wiring faults.

April 27, 2017

Like any product, a lead acid battery has its own expiration date and correct operation will last quite a long time. Failed car power supplies are replaced with new ones, but in some cases repairs are possible, after which the battery will last for some time. You should know that a reconditioned car battery will last for some time, but by and large you should prepare yourself to purchase a new one.

To better understand the information discussed below, we invite the reader to familiarize himself with the device car battery. It is clearly depicted in this diagram:

The main causes of car battery failure

The most common malfunction of car batteries is. At the same time, the battery capacity drops noticeably, and as a result, the device does not have enough power to turn the starter.

Sulfation of plates can be determined by the following signs:

  • Reduced capacity;
  • Electrolyte boiling;
  • Overheating of the plates;
  • Increased voltage on the electrodes.

Next common reason malfunction battery – destruction and shedding of coal plates. This malfunction can be determined by the dark color of the electrolyte. Restoring the car battery in this case is possible, although not always.

The third most common malfunction is related to by connecting lead plates in one of the battery sections. It is quite easy to identify this failure. When charging, the faulty section will heat up excessively, and the electrolyte will boil away. It is possible to restore the battery in this case, although it is somewhat more difficult than in the first case. The solution to the problem is to replace the lead plates in the section, which is quite expensive, although cheaper than buying a new battery.

The fourth reason for battery malfunction is related with improper operation and storage of the battery. It is known that a battery that is not fully charged when sub-zero temperature may freeze. May be damaged as a result of freezing lead plates, as well as the device body. This can lead to short circuits in the device body and boiling of the electrolyte. In this case, unfortunately, it will not be possible to restore the battery.

DIY car battery restoration

Having found out the reasons, you can move on to considering ways to restore the battery.

ELIMINATING SULFATION

Sulfation of the plates leads to the fact that a charged battery does not produce full power, and the discharge occurs very quickly. To carry out battery restoration work you will need:

  • Charger;
  • Electrolyte;
  • Distilled water;
  • Safety glasses and gloves;
  • Desulfating additive;
  • "Ariometer".

The battery is fully charged, after which the electrolyte is drained and washed. Poured into jars new electrolyte and an appropriate desulphating agent is added.

The rules for its use should be studied before starting work. The electrolyte with the additive should be completely filled to the level recommended by the manufacturer. The battery must sit for two days, during which time the additive should remove deposits on the plates.

CAPACITY RESTORATION
Once the deposits have been removed, the capacity of the power supply must be properly restored. To do this, charging should be carried out with low currents, not higher than 0.1A. The battery is fully charged, the density is checked and, if necessary, leveled to the required values. Next, we discharge the battery to a voltage of 10.5 volts, while the voltage in each bank should not be lower than 1.7 volts.

You can determine the battery capacity by calculating the battery discharge time. To do this, you need to multiply the charge current by time. If the battery capacity is below nominal, charge-discharge cycles should be carried out until the vehicle battery is completely restored.

Charging the battery You can use car lamps connected in series as a load. After this, the battery is fully charged, and the charging current should not exceed half of the normal charging values. The power of the lamps and the discharge time to the specified values ​​should be determined. Using a simple formula, the battery capacity is calculated and in case of insufficient capacity of the power source, the “discharge-charge” cycle should be carried out until acceptable values ​​of the battery capacity are reached. After completing the work, you can add a small amount of additive to the electrolyte, tighten the plugs and use the reconditioned battery.

DEEP SULFATION
There are still ways to restore a car battery that is almost completely sulfated. However, these methods are quite dangerous and will require special premises for work.

REVERSE CURRENT RESTORATION
To perform a restore using this method, you will need a power source. increased power. For example, a welding transformer (not to be confused with an inverter) is suitable for this. This source must have an output voltage of at least 20 volts and a current of more than 80 amperes. It should be taken into account that the battery should not have a short circuit of the plates, in this case the consequences may be unpredictable. Restoration is carried out by reverse current, for which we connect the plus of the transformer to the minus of the battery, and the minus to the positive terminal of the battery.

Charging the battery The plugs of the recoverable power source must be turned out and the electrolyte level must be normal. Charging is turned on for 30 minutes, with abundant gas formation and abundant heat generation; electrolyte may even splash out of the necks of the cans. Therefore, safety measures must be strictly observed. At the end of reverse current charging, drain the electrolyte, rinse with distilled water and add a new solution of sulfuric acid of the required density.

Next, charging is carried out as usual. charger correct polarity minus to minus, plus to plus. After the charging is complete, you can carry out several control and training cycles. It should be remembered that these works do not guarantee restoration and may lead to permanent failure of the battery.

This method, like the previous one, should be carried out on a battery, which, in case of failure, would not be a pity to dispose of. The battery is charged as much as possible, the electrolyte is drained and washed with distilled water. A solution of sodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid is poured into the empty container. To prepare it, it is better to use a chemical laboratory.
The time required to desulfate the battery ranges from 40 to 60 minutes, during which time a lot of gas is released and the container heats up. At the end of gas evolution, the solution is drained, washed 2-3 times with distilled water, a new electrolyte is added and the battery is charged. If you are lucky, the reconditioned battery will last for some time.

CORRECT OPERATION OF A CAR BATTERY
And so that you don’t have to wonder about how to restore a car battery, it’s worth adopting a few useful tips about caring for this device.

  • Check the electrolyte level and density once every two to three months;
  • In severe frosts, it is worth raising the electrolyte density to 1.40 g/cc.
  • The battery must be charged with a current ten times less than its capacity. For example, if the battery capacity is 60 A/h, charging should be performed with a current of 5 amperes;
  • If the air temperature is below –25’ C, you should not leave the car overnight. open parking lot. At this temperature, the electrolyte in the battery may freeze, which will lead to battery failure.

Subject to these simple tips, you will be able to significantly extend the life of the battery and will not have to wonder how to restore the car battery.