A Battery Rejuvenator

[MikeD74T]

Probably, some of you test a battery charger by touching the clips together to see a spark, and if you do, you assume that it is working.

Have any of you came across a battery charger that seem to not put out any voltage? Well I did and thought the charger that I purchased was bad/broke.

A friend of mine showed me something interesting that I did not know. Apparently some battery chargers need some voltage to start the charging process.

The charger reads no voltage not connected to battery, and when connected to battery, it is putting out about 14 V.

Anyway, didn't know if anybody had came across one of these chargers, and thought it was no good, but try connecting the clips on the battery and see if there is any charging voltage.

I occasionally use a 450 amp jump start pac to run a 12v pump. In order to get power out of the pac through the cables that normally go to the battery they must see some voltage from the battery. To supply that voltage I use the cigarette lighter adapter (on the power pac) with 2 small aligator clips to put voltage (from the pac) to the main clamps in parallel. With the pump switch on momentary contact is enough to get it running & pump will keep running until shut off then voltage must be reapplied to restart. MikeD74T

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Couldn't you put two diodes in series in the circuit to double your safety factor?

This whole thread is a fun read. As far as Safety factor just put a 2 amp fuse or whatever value you want in series. Me being the Safety geek that I am will wait until more info has been shared. Keep in mind charging does create volatile gases for these batteries. Safety glasses and good rubber gloves....

 

[ETpilot]

This whole thread is a fun read. As far as Safety factor just put a 2 amp fuse or whatever value you want in series. Me being the Safety geek that I am will wait until more info has been shared. Keep in mind charging does create volatile gases for these batteries. Safety glasses and good rubber gloves....

I was just thinking about a fuse. I am going to get a fuse holder and test with different value, 2 amp and down, fuses. I didn't mention it but I almost always use a GFCI when I work. I do run this charger thru a GFCI.

I never really had a concern using this charger until that other thread. It just has be thinking safety wise. I believe tomorrow I can put the test to the theory. It will be interesting to see what happens.

 

[J_J]

So, what are your plans? Will you remove the diode and use the light bulbs as a load in series with the battery. Otherwise, you will be putting 120 V AC to the battery, using three light bulbs, at a current of 2.5 amps, for how long?

What kind of voltage do you think you will read with a meter, AC volts, or DC volts, or a mixed up voltage.

Only light bulb will allow .833 amps to the battery.

 

[Mickey_Fx]

Have been reading this thread, sometimes with a smile on my face and other times just shaking it over some of the comments. Where does the comment about a battery increasing it's resistance as it gets charged come from. That's just rubbish. Give it some thought, that is saying a battery is least able to supply current when fully charged and can supply more current as it discharges. That's just crazy.

As for this "project", I wouldn't get within a 100' of it in operation.

De-sulfating LA batteries is a valid thing and one can find a lot of info on the net. Commercial products can be bought for fairly low cost. Here is one, Home Wizbangplus. Good qlty parts and construction and uses a well known circuit as it's basis. I have 2 of them, paid $25 on E-bay. They do work and are safe. Did an instrumented test on 2 old batteries. Doubled the capacity but still way short of a new battery.

 

[mmurphy]

I have a battery charger that is all of 25 "American Made" years old, and it will take a battery from dead to start charging with in a half hour. Apears technology got in the way again. As far as circuit and everyones analysis on the proper OHMS law of it, I am hoping someone trys this and puts in on U tube. I do see alot of dangers in it, but than again I can go to a safety meeting for work than when we turn around the same old unsafe habbits apply. As far as a 2 amp fuse protection goes it will only protect the materials not the person. So play it safe, do not come in contact when it is plugged in.

 

[user.69169]

(removed), you are making me hungry,might get me something to eat before Spot comes around!!!!!:laughing:

No need to be concerned about Spot, he's still making his rounds of the neighborhood, just sort of detours around my place for some reason. This morning as he was makin his rounds I stood callin him with 2 biscuits in my hand, but that boy wouldn't come near me for some reason. I got a real strong hunch he got charger bit.

Speaking of hungry, I just had a nice peanutbutter & dill sammich. The combination sounds strange but Birdie introduced it to me when she was with child, and I'll tell you it is gooooood. I like mine on pumpernickle bread slather the pb on both slices slap dill on top of one and assemble that sammich. Now don't get confused thinkin peanutbutter & pickles, I don't care for that at all, just use the dill leaves.

Speakin of pickles has anyone ever had a battered deep fryed pickle, those are some good eating too.

I'm still researchin microwaving the tractor battery, and I'd appreciate some help from you fellows.

 

[J_J]

Have you seen what happens when two metal objects are close together in a microwave, it arcs and sparks. So now, you are planning on putting a battery in a microwave. If there is any hydrogen gas in there at all, I think you will explode the microwave. . What was it that Steven Segal made up and put in the microwave in the movie about the battleship and submarine. Anyway, it blew up his kitchen.

 

[Mace Canute]

Have been reading this thread, sometimes with a smile on my face and other times just shaking it over some of the comments. Where does the comment about a battery increasing it's resistance as it gets charged come from. That's just rubbish. Give it some thought, that is saying a battery is least able to supply current when fully charged and can supply more current as it discharges. That's just crazy.

As for this "project", I wouldn't get within a 100' of it in operation.

I couldn't agree more! Sometimes people playing with electricity should have a bit more technical knowledge than is required to flip on a light switch. This project strikes me as more of a "Here! Hold my beer and watch this!" than a "Mr. Wizard" experiment.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

That's why I am following this thread. Basically your cheap battery chargers are doing about the same thing as this little project. Most cheap battery chargers are putting a pulsating DC into your battery. They are stepping down the voltage from 120 VAC of course. They aren't smoothing the DC pulses out with capacitors or anything. Most of the chargers will current limit themselves when the battery reaches the same voltage as the charger is set up to deliver. At least the cheap ones. You won't catch me hooking up 120 volts to my battery any time soon.