Reconditioning my batteries.....

[SpoiledRotten]

What is the comment regarding reconditioning my batteries for an experiment? I figure I don't have very much to lose. I was on the golf course this weekend and my cart's SOC meter got to the bottom and started flashing right as I was finishing the 18th hold. The guy that was riding with me said I should try emptying the batteries, put a solution of baking soda and water in them to clean the sulfur from the lead plates, and rinse them out really good. Then fill them back with new sulphuric acid. I figure that it sound reasonable enough, not like just adding epsom salt and warm water to it. Seems that if you clean the plates as well as you possibly can and put the new acid it, might just be the ticket.

What do you think? I went to O'Reilly's auto parts and bought up the two containers they had, a 5 gallon and a 6 qt container of the S/A.
I haven't started it yet. Been researching some first.

[rabbitreborn]

Can you take video of you putting in the Baking soda and water solution? I wanna watch the massive foaming that is gonna occur...... Also, i would suggest you do it from behind a shield of some sort...... Baking soda and battery acid are a volatile mixture and I would hate to see you injured while attempting this......

not saying it wouldn't work, but it seems a dangerous proposition to me. I think I will stick with scrapping my dead batteries and buying new ones as needed personally.

[SpoiledRotten]

I would drain most of the acid/water mixter out of the batteries first. I'm not talking about just opening the caps and pouring baking soda in. There would probably be some reactions but then that would be what cleaned the plates.
Some do say that the Epsom salt will clean the plates. It might be that I could clean the plates with the E/S and then rinse well before refilling with the new acid. Open to suggestions.

[scottyb]

Randy, nobody has come back back to us with any definitive information as to the results of this type of experiment .... I think the companies that do this keep their real methods secret. I do know they toss out many many more than they recondition. .... oh and they do not do it with a 'golf cart' charger....
You are a smart man ~ do yourself a favor and buy new top of the line batteries

[rib33024]

I dont know

[golfcarfixer]

Come on Randy,dont listen to those old wives tales.I think you might be playing with fire.

[iaefebs]

I hate to ask this.... but what do you do with the sulfuric acid and lead that you pour out of these batteries? Disposal may be a problem? Or maybe you just dump it out back? Anyway, this issue has a history not only for golf carts, but anyone that uses lead/acid batteries. Cars, boats, solar power, you name it. Everyone want's to extend battery life. People have tried AD-X2, EDTA, Epson Salts... some are believers... This discussion has been going on for over 70 years. Try it and lets hear the results...

[gornoman]

Randy, what you propose is dangerous as heII, as well as an environmental nightmare. Please, just get new batteries.

[e-z-go1988]

Originally Posted by SpoiledRotten

What is the comment regarding reconditioning my batteries for an experiment? I figure I don't have very much to lose. I was on the golf course this weekend and my cart's SOC meter got to the bottom and started flashing right as I was finishing the 18th hold. The guy that was riding with me said I should try emptying the batteries, put a solution of baking soda and water in them to clean the sulfur from the lead plates, and rinse them out really good. Then fill them back with new sulphuric acid. I figure that it sound reasonable enough, not like just adding epsom salt and warm water to it. Seems that if you clean the plates as well as you possibly can and put the new acid it, might just be the ticket.

What do you think? I went to O'Reilly's auto parts and bought up the two containers they had, a 5 gallon and a 6 qt container of the S/A.
I haven't started it yet. Been researching some first.

If we are voting here I say try it. Drain all the acid from the battery into a collection container then refill the battery with fresh water to dilute the remaining mixture and dump out and dilute a couple of times. Add the baking soda/water mix, let the mix work for a time? and finally flush the mix multiple times, the last time being with distilled water, then add the new acid and charge each battery one at a time. Wear protective clothing, gloves and face shield during all procedures. You may want to repeat the baking soda/water mix step a couple of times.

[rib33024]

BGW...or... anyone on this forum, ... BGW itself, is/are NOT responsible for your actions in the result of using, or, misusing this information that may cause possible damage to yourself, your property, or someone else!