Has anyone had any luck using battery additives. Supposed to prevent sulfaction. Can these wreck the batts? I waiting on more info from this company.
http://www.solderit.com/productsauto.html (http://www.solderit.com/productsauto.html)
http://www.jcwhitney.com/battery-additives/p2000821.jcwx?filterid=j1 (http://www.jcwhitney.com/battery-additives/p2000821.jcwx?filterid=j1)
I'm not normally an additive kind of guy as I feel the manufactures would incorporate already, but a friend gave me some very encouraging stories about his own batts.
Thanks all.
I've not personally used any.
I have helped a couple others do theirs.
There was no improvement in the batteries.
I too don't put much faith in additives except Lucas.
I did not read the literature but it may help if used from start in new batteries. I don't think it will rejuvenate old ones.
Virtually 100% of the life expectancy of a battery is directly related to its construction quality and materials quality. Trojan T-105's for example, continue to be the industry standard in deep cycle Golf Car batteries, and are known for surpassing 7 years. But only if they are maintained and charged adequately.
Start running them down, boiling off the electrolyte from overcharging, and their life can easily be cut in half. Let them become stone dead, even once, and they will often be so ruined from sulfation they just will never hold a charge.
Sulfation then, is usually an indication the battery was allowed to go dead or sat long periods undercharged. A low charge of about .5 amp to 1 amp, left on for several days, and as long as the battery doesnt go above 105F, can often desulfate them enough to get some life out of them, but they will never have the capacity they had when new or in good condition. I have read that high specific gravity readings (13.00 or higher) in a battery thats more or less dead, can often be restored (somewhat) by pouring off the elctrolyte and refilling the cells with distilled water. However, as particulates often collect on the cell floor, turning them upside down often leads to shorting the cells by fouling the plates with that material.
I have heard since I was a kid of using an aspirin in the cells to desulfate a battery, but have never tried it so cant comment. But I will say that if I had a bank of Trojans that were questionable, I would try a few things, maybe even some aspirins (1 per cell) to try to restore them.
When I was using wet type deep cycle batteries, I used Thermoil in it. You remove 1/4" of electrolyte and replace it with Thermoil. It drastically reduces venting and evaporation of the water-so much so, I only checked the batteries twice a year.
But now I use Lifeline AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) batteries. I've had my 2-8D batteries for four years and have done nothing to them. Since AGM batteries do not vent, then you don't get corrosion on the terminals. And the batteries can by mounted up, or on their sides (not upside down). I don't care how expensive they are-the fact that they are sealed, don't gas (they can be mounted inside), can be mounted on their sides, never have to check the water-I'll always use AGM batteries from now on. Just the time you save every month not having to check the water pays for the extra cost of the AGM's. Good Luck, TomC
Ditto to what Tom says.
Meanwhile, here's a very long, very detailed and VERY good read on wet deep cycle batteries...
http://www.batteryfaq.org/ (http://www.batteryfaq.org/)
I can't say for sure if additives work. I was having trouble with one of my 8D start batteries last month. It would not hold a charge and one cell tested bad with a hydrometer. I tried two things at the same time to "fix" it. One was I added some old battery additive I just happen to have around. I believe it said it was cadmium. The other thing I did was shock it with a burst of 24v and 36v (yes, I did stand away from the battery when I did it). Anyway, the battery is working now and holds a charge. I do not know which remedy helped though.