Reconditioned Car Batteries - Difficulty, Methods and Checking

Reconditioned car batteries are becoming more popular with each passing day. Throwing away your car batteries because the cells are dead is not the best option. You can still make use of that battery when you recondition it. The fun part is that the reconditioning can be done more than once.

You can do it twice or thrice before finally getting rid of the battery. In addition to its definition, this post will be walking you through some of the vital information you should have about car batteries and reconditioning. I am sure you would find it useful.

Is it difficult to recondition car batteries?

Is there anything that is so difficult that it cannot be achieved? We can only give a subjective answer to a question of this nature. Of course, if you put your mind to anything, you can do it. I’m sure that golden rule applies to reconditioning of car batteries as well.

Reconditioning a car battery should not be seen as something that is difficult to anyone. In fact, it is so easy that anybody can do it. There are a couple of guidelines you would, however, need to adhere strictly to. If you work with those instructions, the actual reconditioning will seem like a piece of cake.

An effective car reconditioning process starts with knowing what and what is responsible for the degradation of the battery. When that is sorted out, it will be easier for you to execute reconditioning on the battery. For lead-acid batteries, the battery begins to deplete when sulfur starts to collect on the plates. This simple process is known as sulfation. For other battery models, they have their own setbacks and what reduces their efficiency as time develops. You need to know what is responsible, and you can take it from there.

There are a couple of ways through which you can achieve this on your car battery. If you look through the internet, you should come across something that will work just fine for you. The only thing with processes like these is that you have to apply utmost caution when executing it. Doing that is not just necessary because of safety. But it is also good because that is how the battery can be made to be as efficient as you want it to be. So if you are attempting to recondition a battery, go for it. It is doable and easy to do.

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How do you recondition your car batteries at home?

The possibility of doing this at home is what make car reconditioning a sweet process. You must not hand it over to a professional before you can get it done. With just a few instructions, you are done, and you can start using your battery again.

This is how you should go about it:

Get these items first;

Disposable rubber gloves

Goggles

Flathead screwdriver

Mask

Battery charger

Distilled water (1 gallon)

Funnel

baking soda (powder)

Bucket

Battery terminal cleaner

Voltmeter

Apron

Toothbrush

• Make sure you put your protective kits on before you begin anything. Have your goggles, mask, apron, glove, etc. on. Also prepare a solution of water and baking soda aside to handle any spills that may occur suddenly.

• Get rid of any rusts on the terminals of your battery. Form a paste kind of solution of water and baking soda in a ratio of 1:2. Dip the toothbrush in the solution you have prepared and rub it against the terminals of the battery. You may apply steel wool when the rust is difficult to remove.
  

• Measure the battery’s voltage after removing the corrosive elements. Just make sure the battery is properly connected (red wire should go to the positive terminal of the battery while the black wire should go to the negative terminal). If the battery reads 12.6V or higher, no need to recondition. But if it reads lower than that value, your guess is as good as mine.
  

• Take off the battery caps with your screwdriver and empty out the weak electrolyte solution. Neutralize the solution by pouring 500g of baking soda in the bucket.
  

• Form a baking soda and water solution in the ratio of 1:1 or 2:1. Mix properly and fill the cells with the resulting solution. After you are done with the filling, fix the caps back on and lock. Shake the battery gently. Shake for at least 30 seconds. Pour the solution back into the bucket you used in the previous step.
  

• Next, is for you to have the electrolyte solution replaced with Epsom salt solution, by dissolving 120g of it in a liter of distilled water. Mix it until you are sure no solids are available.
  

• Recharge the said battery under a 12V 2A slow mode charging conditions. Charge for between 24 to 36 hours. When you are done, apply your voltmeter again to know the battery voltage. If it is 12.6V or higher, your battery has been successfully reconditioned.
  

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How do you check if your reconditioned car batteries work normally?

It is one thing to recondition your car battery. It is another thing to know if it was done successfully. Or it is even possible that your battery may have gone past its peak, so no amount of reconditioning will make it work.

This is where load testing becomes absolutely crucial. To do this, you need to get a battery load tester. You can get it from any shop. If your battery is in good shape, it will maintain a voltage level of at least 9.6V for a period of 15secs, at half of the CCA ratings.

Conclusion

Reconditioning your car battery is not as difficult as many people fear it to be. It is something that is achievable as long as you follow the instructions. The instructions are straightforward, and can be done by anyone. Just follow the steps highlighted in this post and load-test to know if the reconditioning was a success.