Car Battery Reconditioning
Battery reconditioning is something you see more and more. I've tried to answer all of the questions people commonly ask about battery refreshing or reconditioning below. Simply put, as we move forward, batteries are being used more and more, and eventually, all of us will be reconditioning our batteries because it makes sense!
Additionally, I will share methods and information to ensure you know all the steps and techniques to reconditioning a battery, the basics, and how to get the most advanced reconditioning methods.
How Do You Fix a Battery That Doesn't Hold a Charge?
Specifically, when dealing with a car battery, it's not uncommon for the battery to lose its charge. Whether there's something slowly draining the electrical charge or someone making a mistake leaving the light on, the battery can die. And if this happens, you can jump the car battery with another vehicle or a battery charger, and the battery will work as expected.
Can Dead Batteries be Reconditioned?
Although it's not a common viewpoint, many batteries can be recharged, often being done more than once. This will become more commonplace because reconditioning batteries save money and are an environmentally friendly way to deal with our batteries.
Many people have started battery reconditioning businesses, and they are making money while helping the environment.
What is Battery Reconditioning?
Battery reconditioning is a process that provides cleaning and restoration to a battery allowing it to return to its original or close to its original condition. It's not a tremendously complex process, but you do need to know what you're doing, and the process can take four to five hours to complete.
When you recondition a car battery, it will hold approximately 70% of the battery's total power when it is new. A battery that provides 70% of its maximum potential power for most cars and trucks will give the vehicle more than enough power.
Does Battery Reconditioning Really Work?
Yes, batteries can be reconditioned through a process that cleans out 'waste' that accumulates within the battery as it is used and by refreshing and replacing elements within the battery. Whether you want to save money or be environmentally conscious, it's an excellent idea to recondition your batteries.
Types of Batteries That Can be Reconditioned
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Car Batteries
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Computer Laptop Batteries
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Are the two most common types of batteries the average person will recharge.
To be sure your battery is rechargeable, make sure it falls into one of these categories:
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NiCad (nickel-cadmium) Batteries
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NiMH (Nickle-metal) Hydride Batteries
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Lead Acid Batteries
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Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries
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Rechargeable Alkaline Batteries
Note, not all batteries are rechargeable, and if you're not sure if the battery can be refurbished and recharged, check the manufacturer's website.
Does Epsom Salt Fix Batteries?
Yes, Epsom salts can be used to recondition a car battery. When you use Epsom salt in your battery, you're creating an electrolyte solution that can be used to conduct electricity. But, I can't stress enough the need to be safe; you're creating acidic solutions!
How Hard is it to Recondition a Battery?
You must be careful reconditioning a battery because you're working with materials that can produce problems if not appropriately handled. Still, it is not a process that's overly complicated. It requires a few tools and an understanding of how a battery works.
Things you Need to Recharge a Battery
Anyone attempting to recharge a battery needs to understand the process thoroughly and recognize both the entire process and the order of the steps required to be completed because it can be dangerous. Some of the materials you're using are caustic. So, you must have the proper materials and protective equipment.
Materials You're Going to Need:
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Distilled water
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Epsom salt
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Syringe
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Voltage Meter
How Do You Recondition a Dead Car Battery?
I must stress the importance of doing this correctly to ensure you do not ruin your battery or injure yourself. A car battery is a lead-acid battery, and there are two types of lead-acid batteries, sealed and capped batteries. Don't be fooled; both of these types of batteries can be recharged.
The first thing you need to do is determine the car battery's condition, and to do that, you use a Multimeter. A multimeter is also called a Volt-Ohm Meter, and it tells you the amount of voltage left in the car battery. Be sure to disconnect and remove the car battery.
You can recondition a car battery if the volts measured on the Multimeter are between 11.7 and 12 volts.
Now, you will use hot distilled water to bring this battery back to life. Regular tap water will contain elements that can inhibit a battery from holding a charge. For most car batteries, you will need about four or five cups of distilled water.
When you've got the distilled water just below the boiling point, you will need about a cup of magnesium sulfate, also called Epsom Salt. You will dissolve the Epsom salt in the distilled water.
Now, unscrew the caps on the battery if there are screws; when you recondition a sealed battery, you will need to drill holes into the top of the battery.
To recondition the car battery, you will empty the old liquid and refill it with the distilled water with magnesium sulfate. Then, you need to 'add' the electricity using a trickle charger. Trickle chargers add electricity slowly, unlike the process when you jump a car battery, so expect to leave the charger connected to the battery for at least twelve hours and possibly for as long as 24-hours.
For the easiest reconditioning methods & in-depth instructions - click here
Why Recondition a Car Battery?
How much does a car battery cost?
Car batteries are not inexpensive, ranging from about $100 to over $200; the ability to recondition a car battery can save you a lot of money. The typical car battery can be recharged multiple times, so you can save hundreds of dollars compared to buying two new batteries.
How long should a car battery last
The typical new car battery will provide two to five or six years of service.
What are the Signs of a Bad Car Battery?
When your car battery is starting to die, there are great tell-tale signs. When your car battery is failing, its ability to efficiently start the car is impacted, so when the vehicle is having difficulty starting, it's a sign the battery is losing its effectiveness.
How to Extend the Life of a Car Battery?
Let's be honest, none of us give our car battery much thought until we get in the car to go someplace and the vehicle doesn't start. Then, we think about the battery! But, if we give the car battery a little consideration and thought from time to time, we can extend its life.
For example, keeping the car battery terminals clean helps it operate efficiently and extends its life. Here's a trick to get the terminals looking shiny and new, but a little cola on a rag, and you can wipe away the corrosion on the terminals. The cola will eat the corrosion off the terminals. You can also use a mixture of baking soda and water to clean your terminals.
Once the corrosion's gone, be sure to completely dry off the terminals. Then, if you coat them in petroleum jelly, you protect the terminals from developing corrosion.
How you use your car's battery has a significant impact on how long it will last. A car battery's number one purpose is to provide the electricity needed to start the car. Things like the radio, headlights, and other items run on electricity, and when the vehicle is running, these are powered by the car, not the battery. But, if the vehicle is not running, anything that runs on electricity must draw the power directly from the battery. So, when you play the radio or have lights on while the engine is off, you are using and straining your car's battery, which should be done as infrequently as possible.
Be sure that your car battery is properly secured in your car. Vibration can have a damaging effect on a car battery. Car manufacturers build a specific compartment for the car's battery. There is usually some method to further hold the battery, and these securing methods should always be used.
If you're going to recondition your car battery, I hope this helps! If you're looking for additional methods and more information, here's everything you need to know about reconditioning any battery and a multitude of reconditioning processes.
