Battery Woosied

[Dustydog]

Rollocks!
I've messed up. Left the 12v master switch on and fridge door open last five weeks. Battery dead as a dodo. Zero volts EHU connected so battery now being charged by on board charger.
Will I be better off doing something else to revive the battery. If it's not sorted by next week looks like a new one will be necessary

 

[Martin24]

My totally non technical mind says you've lost it and you'd best get the new one. Leisure batteries don't like being full discharged.

 

[Dustydog]

That's what I thought Martin.
Maybe His Royal Woosieness will give me another Woosie Bar?

 

[thosoneill]

Try an optimate or similar charger

 

[Anseo]

Try an optimate or similar charger

Begs the question, and that is because I have had negative unconvincing results, but are Optimate's appropriate for leisure batteries?

Edit: I find Optimate excellent in most situations, remarkable at times in how sulphated batteries can be restored to 'good' functionality.

 

[thosoneill]

As far as I'm aware they are appropriate for leisure batteries - I've had my optimate connected to my battery for the last five months - without incident - I just thought that an optimate or similar may have a better chance of recovering dustydogs battery

 

[otherclive]

As far as I'm aware they are appropriate for leisure batteries - I've had my optimate connected to my battery for the last five months - without incident - I just thought that an optimate or similar may have a better chance of recovering dustydogs battery

I had been using Optimate for over 10 years when the battery was bought home whilst the van was in store. Used on motorbike batteries too by my son. No problems keeping it connected 100% of the time. Might be the only way to resurrect the battery.

 

[VicMallows]

It's always worth a try at recovering an apparently dead battery. A problem is that many modern (so-called smart) chargers will simply refuse to attempt it.

I would always put such a battery on a traditional, unregulated, 'brute-force' charger initially. (I even have an ancient rheostat which I put in series as a current limiter!). If the battery recovers to a reasonable voltage you can then put it back onto a regulated charger if you wish and leave for a few days to fully charge.

The question then is how much capacity does it now have. Ideally perform a controlled load test .....or simply put it back into service and see how it goes

 

[Anseo]

As far as I'm aware they are appropriate for leisure batteries - I've had my optimate connected to my battery for the last five months - without incident - I just thought that an optimate or similar may have a better chance of recovering dustydogs battery

I concur with what you say thosoneill, just wondered if the outputs (they are as I recall relatively low compared to someother chargers), are capable of overcoming the resistances of depleted leisure batteries.

I'm not disputing with you at all my friend, I am wondering if there are better or more capable chargers for leisure batteries, I am probably way off track on this; really just wondering if leisure batteries recommend the use of specifictype of chargers, hope that makes sense thosoneill

 

[Anseo]

Ignore post please, my bad.

Will try again.

 

[Anseo]

My Bad again, please forgive.

 

[martindf3]

I'm sorry about this reply . I have a CTEK 3300 charger .they do wonderful things for charging lead acid batteries. it cost me about £50 and I used it for keeping my motor bike battery from lasting less than 2 years . at £30 a time it worked . You can only try with what you've got to get battery back up ,the better the charger the more chance you have . at worst you fit a new one , if you get it back up great . You need charged battery to stay at approx. 12.6 - 12.8 after two weeks with no load on it . Good luck

 

[Dustydog]

Thanks for all the replies so far.
My so called intelligent smart charger appears to be working . It starts off very slow with pulses trying to kick start the deadun. This morning it is in full charge mode which is a good indicator. The proof will be when the charger switches off automatically which should be within the next 24 hours. If I get a decent output fine. If one of the cells is dead then I'll get a new battery.

 

[Dustydog]

Update.

24 hours on the battery is still charging. Disconnected from the charger I get 12.65volts. My 40 year old Selmar charger shows a 2 amp charge rate. I've now swapped it for the smart charger and will leave that on until it cuts out. Then the acid test back on board. Hopefully all the cells have recovered.
More will follow.

 

[Gagakev]

Well done Sir Dusty, keep it plugged in..............

But BE CAREFUL