Battery Repair -- Sulfation??

[Bob Pullen HC-33 1981]

Got a couple Trojan T-105's that got dried out and have started showing signs of going downhill fast...
They will drop their voltage somewhat quickly over a short period...while the rest of the batteries are still showing 6.2V these will be showing aroudn 5.6 after 4/5 days from being fully charged, with a very light load (my Trimetric 2020 battery gauge showing bank at 80+%),then drop into the 4+V range after 7 days, while the others are still at 6+V
Anyway, we have added the Battery Equalizer product (fluid) and it seems to have helped, but we are wondering if we should try to equalize each of these using a high power charger pluged into shore power (like the type on wheels/dolly), or if we should consider anything else before attempting to replace?
Many thanks
Bob
s/v Seanorita
Hunter 33 Cherubini
Isla Mujeres, Mexico

 

[Stu Jackson]

Ask the battery manufacturer. Some 6V manufacturers caution against equalizing them.

How old are they? What is your charging system? Both shorepower and alternator and other inputs like solar?

Oh, you neglected to tell us this: http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=115768

Equalizing does NOT require a BIG charger on a dolly, it merely requires one that maintains 15+ V at low amperage. See: http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/westadvisor/10001/-1/10001/Battery-Charging.htm

 

[Chuckbear]

Bob, It really depends on a lot of different things, however, we run an equalization charge on our dual 6 volt pairs on a weekly basis. You will need a charger capable of equalization, not necassarily a commercial charger, although they will, and moniter the water levels as you equalize. This probably will not harm the batteries any more if done correctly and may bring them back. But, they will most probably not be the same and you will need to maintain this process. So if you are in Isla and plan to do more extended cruising, bight the bullet and replace them. Chuck

 

[r.oril]

Good subject. I have 6 Trojan batteries that have been sitting on wood for many years. Just for the heck of it, I am going to add some distilled water and see what happens.

 

[Bob Pullen HC-33 1981]

Many thanks for the helpful replies. Trojan does advise to try equalizing. I am not very familiar with exactly what that process entails, so I will educate myself then give it a try. Already getting the ducks in a row to get replacements, since cruising is the direction we live in, without a doubt. Many thanks again for your kind replies.
Bob

 

[Stu Jackson]

MI am not very familiar with exactly what that process entails, so I will educate myself then give it a try.

Bob, sometimes OP don't read the links I provide, so just to check with you, have you read the West Marine link I provided above? If so, that should answer your question.

You need either a shorepower charger with that function or an external regulato0r that will do this with your alternator. It requires about 4 to 6 hours!

Stu

 

[sailingdog]

Good luck with that. If you are going to try equalizing the batteries, I would highly recommend you get a battery charger or device that has such a function built in. I'd also recommend you find a 6 VDC equalizing device if you can, since connecting two badly damaged batteries in series is a bad idea IMHO.

Chances are pretty likely that the battery plates have sulfated, and are now dead. This is why you're supposed to check the electrolyte levels regularly on wet cells. If you leave them connected to the other batteries, there's a very good chance that they will kill the others prematurely.

 

[wannabesailor]

Risk of SERIOUS Overheating

Good luck with that. If you are going to try equalizing the batteries, I would highly recommend you get a battery charger or device that has such a function built in. I'd also recommend you find a 6 VDC equalizing device if you can, since connecting two badly damaged batteries in series is a bad idea IMHO.

Chances are pretty likely that the battery plates have sulfated, and are now dead. This is why you're supposed to check the electrolyte levels regularly on wet cells. If you leave them connected to the other batteries, there's a very good chance that they will kill the others prematurely.

Had the same problem as you with my T-105s--water got low in batteries while sitting on the hard during hurricane season in Mexico--topped them up but two 6 V batteries repeatedly had significant voltage drop after about 2-3 days (same as you) --tried equalizing --didn't do much good --waste of my time --

Left batteries on shore power with smart charger and went and had a brekfast on shore ---came back onboard to strong acid smell and also smell of wood charing --found 'poor' batteries EXTREMELY hot ---wood above batteries charred !! (I had taken the tops off of the battery boxes because I was topping up the batteries) --YIKES

Sulfation had shorted out the batteries.

So disconnected and isolated the two bad batteries and ran my boat with remaining 2 pairs of 6 V batteries until could replace them.

MORAL of the story --you can't wake the dead (batteries that is) and if you try too hard then you might get a whole lot more than you were looking for.

Also my boat is also in Mexico---looked at cost of trying to replace the dead fire-hazard batteries with new T-105s --difficult to do and the cost of doing so was outrageous --so I went and replaced all six batteries with LTH 6 V deep cycle batteries ---they were readily available in Mexico and the cost was very good --less than $600 or so if I remember correctly.

Been 2+ years now and no problems .

Oh one more thing ---I installed some solar panels with smart solar controller (two Kyocera 125 watt panels & a Blue Sky Solar Boost 3024i) and have had no problems since --strongly recommend same --- I now can leave boat & batteries for even up to 10 months at a time and can return to boat to find batteries fully charged with very little water loss and the time I can spend on the hook without having to run my motor/generator has more than doubled ---

In short --don't waste your time --your batteries are probably dead or near dead and trying to avoid replacing them may cause you lots of grief.

Good luck

MOPION
Gozzard 36
!! to

 

[Bob Pullen HC-33 1981]

Hi and Thanks to one and all.
Yes, Stu, I have read the links.
I am pretty sure that replacing the 2 dead or dying is the only way to go.
Thanks for all the advice and suggestions, as well as the opportunity to educate myself. I did contemplate the solarr alternative, but we like our deck space too much, and haven't built an arch into Seanorita, yet.
Looks more and more like I might head in the direction of one of those flexible, stowable solar panels, the next time I'm away, with a smart(er) charger. Once again, many thanks.
Bob
s/v Seanorita
Isla Mujeres, Mexico

 

[sailingdog]

One thing that will help if you have wet cell batteries is using either hydrocaps or watermisers. These both help reduce the water lost from the cells during the charging cycle. IIRC, the hydrocaps need to be removed for equalization...

Hi and Thanks to one and all.
Yes, Stu, I have read the links.
I am pretty sure that replacing the 2 dead or dying is the only way to go.
Thanks for all the advice and suggestions, as well as the opportunity to educate myself. I did contemplate the solarr alternative, but we like our deck space too much, and haven't built an arch into Seanorita, yet.
Looks more and more like I might head in the direction of one of those flexible, stowable solar panels, the next time I'm away, with a smart(er) charger. Once again, many thanks.
Bob
s/v Seanorita
Isla Mujeres, Mexico