Battery reconditioning?

[The_Sailing_Pelican]

Hello again!
I hope that every single one of you had a better Thanksgiving than i did(serious, mine SUCKED) but that story for another day. Ok, so my deep cycle(2 of them) WEST MARINE heavy duty deep cycle 90, group 27 have been "reconditioning" last 18 plus hrs(?) .
Thus batteries lets be honest have veen abandoned for 4 plus years installed in the sailboat NEVER USED for nothing.
The boat caughr water in and the batteries were submerged all that time. I finally came to get the boat in order and launch and in in the process of cleaning, ect. The charger is a WEST MARINE 30 Amp battery charger. The batteries were just missing a little water whuch i used distilled water to refill and after inspection of tbe batteries cells they all look shiny and nice inside. How longbis this reconditioning thing gonna take?
Any ideas?
Also have 2 west marine gel group 27 also sealed ones and bewd to checked them but the previous described charger isn't the rightbone according to instructions.
Yours truly
CRivera

 

[jssailem]

You said: " boat caughr water in and the batteries were submerged all that time."

I am going to suggest the submersion probably shorted the cells. Submerging a battery introduces water into the electrolyte destroying the chemical mix that creates electricity. Shorted cells are destroyed cells.

You can try to take the batteries to an auto shop. I am going to SWAG it that the batteries will be reported as "Dead on Arrival".

Good luck.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

I’m surprised your batteries didn’t destroy the charger.

 

[dlochner]

As others have said, the batteries are toast. If they were submerged, especially in brackish or salt water, it is the same as putting a cable between the 2 terminals and shorting the battery out. Once shorted and killed they sat for 4 years, a death sentence.

 

[dLj]

The boat caughr water in and the batteries were submerged all that time.

Please clarify this statement - were the batteries submerged in water for 4 years?

The batteries were just missing a little water whuch i used distilled water to refill

If they were submerged in water for 4 years - how is it possible they were not full of water?

I feel like I'm missing some details here...

dj

 

[Project_Mayhem]

Can you put a new slurry of acid and water in there? This of course is assuming that the plates are in good condition

 

[thinwater]

I think he means rainwater, so very low conductivity. It is a trailer boat. If the caps were tight, very likely the battery did not flood inside, as evidenced by his statement that they were down a little.

Probably scrap. Of course, if the boat had that much rainwater inside for years, it's a mold factory.

 

[ShawnL]

You can pressure wash the interior of a trailer sailor -- I did it last year to my Catalina 22. Took everything out I could, and hit it with the foam cannon attachment. Then some elbow grease on the stubborn spots. Once it was decent, I went to town with the pressure washer (within reason). Cleaned my "bilge" and everything else. Of course it was in my yard and I had 2 pumps placed in strategic spots to help empty the water. Then a lot of drying with everything open, and a fan helping to move air through the boat. Not ideal, but it was getting to the point where it really needed a good deep clean.

 

[Maine Sail]

Batts are done...

 

[dLj]

my deep cycle(2 of them) WEST MARINE heavy duty deep cycle 90, group 27 have been "reconditioning" last 18 plus hrs

What was the voltage on the batteries before you started.

What exactly are the " reconditioning" voltage and amperage setting you are using?

What is the expected "end of cycle" you are looking for?

I've reconditioned numerous batteries over the years. I think the longest time frame I've had to do was about 36 hours. But I would need a lot more info to give you any kind of reasonable answer as to how long you might expect to need.

dj

 

[dLj]

Batts are done...

Most likely correct answer....

dj

 

[east coaster]

Just for my edification and perhaps others, when you say "reconditioning" do you mean "equalization"?

 

[colemj]

Doesn't matter whether water got into them or shorted the terminals. Even if they sat in a garage for 4yrs, they are irretrievably sulfated. Buy new ones.

Mark

 

[RitSim]

Just for giggles- you can connect a volt meter to one pole and place the other volt probe into the first cell acid. Then first cell acid to second cell acid and so on. You should see 1.5 volts at every step. If one cell is low , its a bad cell.. Agree with others that the batteries are toast. I have good luck with Batteries Plus. Sign up for their email. Periodically get a coupon for on-line purchase and sale. Then just go pick them up. The on-line price is lower than walk in to the store. The batteries are Duracell

 

[jssailem]

Dipping a probe is like dipping your toe in the pool to test the temperature.

 

[The_Sailing_Pelican]

Please clarify this statement - were the batteries submerged in water for 4 years?



If they were submerged in water for 4 years - how is it possible they were not full of water?

I feel like I'm missing some details here...

dj

Well 2 of them that where not sealed (theres 2 sealed ones no maintenance ones and 2 flooded or wet ones) when i got to the boat at the storage i checked things in detail and found the boat had water inside like 2 feet(theres a broken porthole and the water came in thru there and also thru the chainplates which are thru the deck) after getting the water out i checked the batery individual compartments and found the two flooded oneswith water about 2 inches from its tops inside their respective battery boxes. After disconnected i pull them out, dry them, clean them and taking the plates covers noticed that both needed some water. The liquid inside was clear not contaminated with the flooding water.

 

[The_Sailing_Pelican]

As others have said, the batteries are toast. If they were submerged, especially in brackish or salt water, it is the same as putting a cable between the 2 terminals and shorting the battery out. Once shorted and killed they sat for 4 years, a death sentence.

It was rain water

 

[The_Sailing_Pelican]

Can you put a new slurry of acid and water in there? This of course is assuming that the plates are in good condition

The plates after visual instructions are brand new and shiny... So you think that emptying the content in a safe way and refilling with acid would do?

 

[The_Sailing_Pelican]

Most likely correct answer....

dj

Ill tey again tomorrow while i continue to clean in /out the boat and send you the info requested, thx a bunch
CRivera

 

[The_Sailing_Pelican]

I think he means rainwater, so very low conductivity. It is a trailer boat. If the caps were tight, very likely the battery did not flood inside, as evidenced by his statement that they were down a little.

Probably scrap. Of course, if the boat had that much rainwater inside for years, it's a mold factory.

You're right on your assessment, rain water.
I added distilled water. The caps on bith were very tight, since this batteries were never used/tampered with.