Discharging the battery

[Clive-Cardiff]

Hi All, I understand that my Elecsol battery will work better if it is discharged every so often.

I'm looking for an easy way to safely disharge mine. I have set up a 12v lamp on the battery but it seems to be taking an age to get the voltage done. I assume this means that the battery is in good nick so I shouldnt grumble.

I've been searching for something that will put a reasonable load on the battery so that it wont take too long.

 

[Rodone]

Hello Clive,

I would have thought a 12 volt telly might exhaust it fairly quickly? I had low readings from my Elecsolin this cold weather, and contacted Elecsol. They suggested two things;

1. The battery will recover with the warmer weather

 

[Rodone]

Sorry, pressed the wrong button !

2. Discharge the battery a couple of times.

However, in the Elecsol book of words, it tells you not to over discharge the battery, and if it is discharged, to recharge immediately

I have never been advised to do this before with a wet battery, and I just wondered where you got the info?

 

[xtrailman]

clive

batteries have an internal resistance, it increases when cold,reduces when temperature increases.

This discharge advice is nothing new, but i think it's not worth the effort.

But i am not an expert.

When i worked we did have switch rooms full of batteries providing the HT switch gear supplies.The crew that perodically

maintained the batteries tested for specific gravity, i dont recall them ever doing a discharge routine.

 

[DEANO3528]

It's easy to get confused with advice regarding NI-MH (rechargeable batteries) which do need to be fully discharged to negate the 'memory effect'.

I swear by my 'Optimate' for battery maintenance. It can be left on all the time and continually monitors and maintains the batery in top health.

I have also brought several old car betteries back to health using it.

Not ideal for a flat battery as the charging rate is necessarily very slow, but for maintenance they are ideal.

 

[Paul_5064559]

Clive, I wd strongly advise you NOT to do this. Many modern batteries cannot be saved if they are deeply discharged i/e flat. I had to replace my battery last season after I had left van in storage with the fridge still switched on. It did not matter how long I charged it for it never retained charge after that.