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$4 Trojan T-125s ?! | 23 comments (23 topical, 0 editorial)

Re: $4 Trojan T-125s ?! (3.00 / 0) (#15)
by elt on Sun Aug 3rd, 2008 at 05:45:51 PM MST
(User Info)

The second set of four T-125's:

This set looks a little older than the first set. They were very dry and the plates were exposed in most of the cells. It took about of three quarts of distilled water to get the level up to the proper level in two sessions (the water seem to soak in overnight and the levels went down.)

The electrolyte in all the batteries has a brownish tinge to it. I don't know what's going on with that...

I put two in a string on the dumber charger. The "charge complete" LED came on immediately and stayed on but the amp meter was reading about 3 amps. The charger was turning on and off very quickly... The cycling slowed as voltage went up and the battery took more amps. In about a half hour the amp meter was up to 5 amps and the the "charge complete" LED was staying off.

Once the amps got up to 9 amps (about all the dumber charger will put out,) I put the string on the smart charger and set it to 25 amps. Within a few seconds the smart charge beeped and ending the bulk charge cycle and went to absorption; in this mode the batteries took about 17 amps. I left it that way for about an hour and a half.

The volts went up to about 14.2v. Two cells were bubbling nicely and the water level in them had risen almost to the bottom of the cap. Somewhere between yesterday when I added the water and today I'd read not to add water (as long as the plates are covered) unless a battery is fully charged because the water level will rise during charging... Yes, it does.

Does that mean that I watered down the electrolyte enough to bother anything?

I didn't like it that two cells (one in each battery) were bubbling so much but nothing was happening in the other four and I wasn't sure whether I should leave the batteries charging over night but figured it was safe to put the charger into equalization mode so that's where I left it for the night.

- Ed.

Re: $4 Trojan T-125s ?! (3.00 / 0) (#17)
by elt on Mon Aug 4th, 2008 at 06:45:02 AM MST
(User Info)

> figured it was safe to put the charger into equalization mode [...]

Oops. That should have read "desulfate mode".

I'll leave them there for a week or so and then try charging them again.

- Ed.

[ Parent ]

Re: $4 Trojan T-125s ?! (3.00 / 0) (#19)
by elt on Tue Aug 5th, 2008 at 04:22:38 AM MST
(User Info)

> The electrolyte in all the batteries has a brownish tinge to it.

Brown stuff is shed from the plates as they wear and settles to the bottom. Moving, shaking or bubbling during charging can bring some of it up. It settles again overnight and the electrolyte becomes clear again.

- Ed.

[ Parent ]

Re: $4 Trojan T-125s ?! (3.00 / 0) (#20)
by JW on Tue Aug 5th, 2008 at 09:32:13 AM MST
(User Info)

One thing that could explain that, is that they were topped off at some point, using tap or well water, this would add a contaminate, such as minerals from the water. Only add distilled water to them.

You may be able to replace the electrolite with store bought electrolite. This is found at the auto parts store, generally packaged in a cardboard box with a bag inside to hold the electrolite. This may, or may not work, depends. If you go that route, use only distilled water to flush the sediment.

JW

[ Parent ]

Re: $4 Trojan T-125s ?! (3.00 / 0) (#21)
by elt on Wed Aug 6th, 2008 at 08:02:40 AM MST
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Thanks JW,

> You may be able to replace the electrolite with store bought electrolite.

I got 5 gallons at a battery store for $13 USD. (I figured that if I did all eight batteries then I'd need about 3 gallons.)

I did two pair yesterday. The sludge at the bottom is so heavy that it doesn't readily come out. After two gallons and six rinses, it was still coming out so I had to say "better is good enough" and put in the new electrolyte.

That leaves me wondering this: that pair was one of the second set where the water was way below the plates so I'm assuming that they are sulfated. So if I desulfate them, won't the SG go through the roof? ... I'll be monitoring the SG regularly to see if that happens.

Thanks again,
- Ed.

[ Parent ]

Re: $4 Trojan T-125s ?! (3.00 / 0) (#23)
by elt on Sat Aug 9th, 2008 at 03:21:35 PM MST
(User Info)

Of the older four batteries, it looks like three have a shorted cell in them and the fourth has two shorted cell. (I couldn't find a lot of info on shorted cells so I'm guessing that.) The symptoms are that the cells get warm but don't bubble (or bubble only a little bit) and the specific gravity won't come up. Three batteries quickly self-discharge to three or four volts. The fourth one almost holds a charge. It only looses about .2 volts a day.

Lacking any revelations, I'll take them to be recycled during the week.

It's been quite a lesson in end-of-life of lead acid batteries (and quite an incentive to keep my good batteries from getting there!)

Thanks you,
- Ed.

[ Parent ]

$4 Trojan T-125s ?! | 23 comments (23 topical, 0 editorial)

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