Battery Desulfator, Battery Reconditioner

[Mike B]

Has anybody got any knowledge of these? Do they work?

http://recovermybatteries.com/

 

[DBK]

The theory is sound I believe but whether they work on some of the types of leisure batteries such as AGM I don't know.

 

[Brian Burton]

The Camping and Caravan Club tested the Battery Extra before they would allow it to be advertised on their website. This is what they said. "I am happy to confirm that the unit has returned some heavily sulphated batteries to around 80% and as such we are very happy to allow your product." Caravan and Camping Club UK

 

[Don Quixote]

If your charging system gets up to 14.4volts it WILL "desulfator / recondition your battery. At 14.4 volts ( different voltages for AGM and GEL ) the water/acid is getting "excited" and will maintain your batteries as long as you do not abuse them. The idea is good, but any smart charger does the same thing, but better. DON'T waste your money.

 

[Lenny HB]

If your battery is knackered, it's pot luck may keep it going a bit longer, I'd rather replace a knackered battery, better to put your cash towards a new battery.

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[Don Quixote]

Were did the OP state he had a knackered battery? or does someone need to go to specsavers.........

 

[Don Quixote]

The Camping and Caravan Club tested the Battery Extra before they would allow it to be advertised on their website. This is what they said. "I am happy to confirm that the unit has returned some heavily sulphated batteries to around 80% and as such we are very happy to allow your product." Caravan and Camping Club UK

ANY good "smart charger" will do the same thing and better........... Some models of MH already have a 4 or 5 stage smart charger installed!!!!!

 

[Lenny HB]

Were did the OP state he had a knackered battery? or does someone need to go to specsavers.........

Why else would anyone be interested in one?

 

[Mike B]

Why else would anyone be interested in one?

I was interested to know if they worked, general curiosity.

 

[dave newell]

I tested a similar unit some years ago for Practical Motorhome and my finding was that it was about as good as magnets on fuel lines or a magic box connected across the battery that claimed to improve fuel consumption and emissions. None of them worked!

D.

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[jonandshell]

Desulphation charging involves high frequency pulsing between 2-10 Mhz.
It can take a long time because current is limited to prevent plate damage.
High frequency chargers delay sulphation during normal charging, as long as they are allowed to complete the charge cycle.
A quality charger ensures the stable door is locked BEFORE the horse bolts.

Products which claim to desulphate knackered batteries are really not the answer to bad battery care.

 

[pappajohn]

If your charging system gets up to 14.4volts it WILL "desulfator / recondition your battery. At 14.4 volts ( different voltages for AGM and GEL ) the water/acid is getting "excited" and will maintain your batteries as long as you do not abuse them. The idea is good, but any smart charger does the same thing, but better. DON'T waste your money.

You need at least 14.8v to desulfate, preferably 15v plus....14.4 will destratify the water/acid mix only.
That is, it will remix the water and acid as the acid will settle to the bottom while water will 'float' to the top.

 

[Brian Burton]

In an ideal world the Battery Extra re-conditioner would not be necessary; your smart modern battery charger should be all you need. We don’t live in an ideal world.

For a start most motorhomes are fitted with leisure batteries, these are not proper deep cycle batteries but a compromise between a starting battery and deep cycle battery developed years ago when boats and campers used the same battery to start the engine and run the accessories. So a high proportion of motorhome users are not using the best battery for the job.

All lead acid batteries work best when used regularly and charged fully after every use. So if you use your vehicle all of the time and always make sure your batteries are fully charged before you use them you will get the maximum battery life. If like most people your motorhomes spends quite a bit of time not being used, or you have to use your batteries before they are fully charged you will get sulphate build up on the plates. This will increase the internal resistance of the battery and eventually lead to premature failure, and however smart your battery charger it will not be able to solve this problem. You could employ, as has been suggested, a controlled overcharge, this can be tricky to do and could cause more harm than good if your not sure what you are doing. The simple solution is to fit a Battery Extra. The technical guys at the Caravan and Camping Club tested the Battery Extra tested and found it worked. This is the link to the Battery Extra website. www.recovermybatteries.com

 

[DBK]

As I said at the beginning, the theory is sound and depends on both frequency and the waveform used, it is not just a matter of applying umpteen volts, they are a bit more subtle than that. But of course there will be units made by companies that have no idea what they are doing and I suspect that is the sort Dave Newell tested. But as mentioned, in an ideal world you shouldn't need them!

 

[TheBig1]

In an ideal world the Battery Extra re-conditioner would not be necessary; your smart modern battery charger should be all you need. We don’t live in an ideal world.

For a start most motorhomes are fitted with leisure batteries, these are not proper deep cycle batteries but a compromise between a starting battery and deep cycle battery developed years ago when boats and campers used the same battery to start the engine and run the accessories. So a high proportion of motorhome users are not using the best battery for the job.

All lead acid batteries work best when used regularly and charged fully after every use. So if you use your vehicle all of the time and always make sure your batteries are fully charged before you use them you will get the maximum battery life. If like most people your motorhomes spends quite a bit of time not being used, or you have to use your batteries before they are fully charged you will get sulphate build up on the plates. This will increase the internal resistance of the battery and eventually lead to premature failure, and however smart your battery charger it will not be able to solve this problem. You could employ, as has been suggested, a controlled overcharge, this can be tricky to do and could cause more harm than good if your not sure what you are doing. The simple solution is to fit a Battery Extra. The technical guys at the Caravan and Camping Club tested the Battery Extra tested and found it worked. This is the link to the Battery Extra website. www.recovermybatteries.com

so it is possibly right to assume then that you have a connection with the company advertised?

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[Brian Burton]

Yes I am connected with the company and have spent more than 30 years in the battery business mostly in product development, so I do feel that I am qualified to make the comments. I would also point out that I did not start this thread or have any connection with the original poster.

Sadly in todays very competitive market many of the batteries offered to motorhome and boat users are not very good quality, but because of the nature of the product it can be many months before you realise that you have been sold a poor quality product. Then the seller will try to convince you it is how you used it, your charger is no good or any one of a dozen other reasons why they will not cover the warrantee.

In the long run it pays to buy a quality known brand of true deep cycle battery, check the charge and maintenance requirements of that battery with the manufacturer (not the reseller) and stick to their recommendations.

 

[Peter A Forbes]

You need at least 14.8v to desulfate, preferably 15v plus....14.4 will destratify the water/acid mix only.
That is, it will remix the water and acid as the acid will settle to the bottom while water will 'float' to the top.

The acid does not settle to the bottom and the water float to the top.

Unless you add excessive water, stratification of the electrolyte does not occur.

Gassing the battery at 15V will happily boil away your water and damage your battery. Gassing starts at around 14.00V, at 15.00V you are into fairly strong gassing with the water part of the electrolyte being broken down into oxygen and hydrogen which passes out of the battery vents, thus lowering the electrolyte level and exposing the top of the cell plates.

Sulphation is generally a non-reversible chemical process caused by allowing a battery to become over-discharged.

If recovery was as simple as you suggest, there would be no need for new batteries.

Peter

 

[jonandshell]

The Force is strong in some of these battery care Jedis it is!

 

[Reallyretired]

Another advantage of solar power. My batteries are pretty well always fully charged. Doesn't work if you store your MH under cover of course.