How does a NOCO battery charger "desulfate" the battery?

[Cycledude]

My Honda charger has a automatic desulfate mode, it has three different lights, when you first plug it in if it’s hooked up correctly one green light and one yellow light come on, the yellow light stays on until it’s done with desulfurization then the yellow light goes off and the other green light comes on indicating the battery is fully charged. The yellow light usually goes off within one day but I have seen it stay on for 2 days if it’s been a long time since it’s been hooked up to desulfurization.
I am a firm believer in the benefits of desulfurization .

 

[Ltcmikesr47]

I have 1, 3 and 5 amp NOCO battery chargers and on the 3 and 5 amp do not fully understand how the desulfate function works. Can anyone explain how this functions and if it auto-engages or I have to set some special way? The 1 amp does not have a desulfate mode.

I have has a Schumacher automatic charger with that option. That option never worked for me.

 

[MattB4]

I don't know technically how any of the desulfate cycles work. If anyone knows, I'd love to hear how it works.

...

First you have to understand how a lead acid battery works. Inside the battery is two different types of lead with sulfuric acid. Acid has excess electrons that the plates will access when a load is placed on the terminals attached to them (pos and neg). As electrons are drawn from the acid it chemically splits the sulfur from the water and the sulfur loosely coats lead plates. Thus as the battery gets discharged the acid is converted to water and when it is recharged it is restored as a acid.

Battery chargers put a voltage on the plates that allow electrons to force (desulfate) recombining the sulfur with water to create acid again. Overtime though the sulfur coating the lead plates can not be fully driven off and becomes hard. This does two things it reduces the active area of lead for electron transfer and it also weakens the acid. SG tests of the batteries acid strength corresponds to battery capacity.

 

[ArlyA]

I called Schumacher some years ago and they said all there modern electronic controlled chargers have it. Seems to work for me. I bet lots of chargers have that feature today.

 

[John_Mc]

I bet lots of chargers have that feature today.

Last I checked, Battery Tender brand does not.

 

[2515R Dude]

About 3-4 years ago I bought el cheapo 12-24v charger for my boat 24v setup. It has repair function. I was skeptical about it, but since then I was able te bring to life 2 of my dead batteries, one of my friend 's and recently my neighbor 's. Unfortunately it doesn't have maintenance option. It does what it needs to do a d turns off.
Charger

 

[John_Mc]

yeah it like a recover or repair mode (same thing)... the 1 amp doesn't have it because its insufficient amps for it... you would used the desulfate mode when a battery is flat dead.

All NOCO chargers have a desulfation feature. Some people confuse this with "repair mode" for the option to force a charge (I forget what they call it), which is a different thing.

 

[Rockbadchild]

All NOCO chargers have a desulfation feature. Some people confuse this with "repair mode" for the option to force a charge (I forget what they call it), which is a different thing.

is that right ? i also though it was the same thing ...

 

[John_Mc]

is that right ? i also though it was the same thing ...

Yes. The desulfation stage is automatic on all of their chargers. It happens near the beginning of their charge cycle.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Yes. The desulfation stage is automatic on all of their chargers. It happens near the beginning of their charge cycle.

After some research it look like you are right but my confusion came in as some some repair mode or Recondition Mode has the Desulfation incorporated with it... but your right Desulfation is specifically for lead sulfate buildup as recover is a mode is a more general recovery process such as stratification...