Red wine to help charge batteries?

[galloway]

Don't worry man. You volunteered to do what you did, correct? You put yourself in harms way so those ***** at the graduation could boo you. Too this day I wish I would have signed up. I have pride in this country. I have several family members that were in the armed services that I still thank them every time I see them for their service.

[dbutler]

I hope no one minds me stepping in on this one since i'm new here. Generally batteries only die for three reasons. 1. a cell(s) open up internally and cause an open circuit in the system. 2. cells short out internally due to a build up of zinc sulfate. 3. they just die of old age. If a cell is not warped from over charging with a low level then they can sometimes be brought back to life in the following manner. First the battery will have to be drained of electrolyte. then you need to fill half way with a warm solution of epsom salts. The epsom salts will break down the zinc sulfate. This process may need to be done a couple of times. Then drain the epson salts solution and refill with sulfuric acid and distilled water. lastly if you have the means, a high frequency attery desulfater can work wonders for batteries.

[OLD MEC]

DBUTLER--After doing your process of cleaning sulfate with epsom salts solution and draining battery and when refilling battery with acid and you say to add ALSO "Distilled Water", what ratio of water to acid would you be recommending? When we rebuilt old style batterys I was trained to NEVER ADD distilled water except after charging and if level was a little below plates? I have never seen even battery manufacturers put anything but straight acid into new or rebuilt batterys?? I worked for a few months for a local Exide manufaturing plant and they only added acid ( maybe it had a water mixed in but containers only showed acid contents on warning labels ) and when replacing one or more defective cells in a new, or slightly used battery ( under warentee ) it was again straight acid?
I am relaying your process ( printed out from your note to forum ) to a neighbor that was here when I read your note and has several old dead cart batterys that he would like to get more life out of and will try anything once? I sure hope that this process isn't something that can cause ill efects like blowing up? I am only showing him what you wrote and have warned him about wearing proper protection and my own personal feeling about process.

[golfcarwop]

Great now your telling me that not only do I have to buy wine for me, but for my cart as well! I think i'm going to need a second job.

[dbutler]

Old Mec- Sorry for the delay in reply. I work in a lab and have access to reagent grade sulfuric acid, so I am diluting this down to a 50/50 mix of the reagent grade acid and distilled water. I know everyone probably knows this, but when mixing acid and water always add the acid to the water not the other way round.

[OLD MEC]

Thanks for info as I just wondered?