Battery Sulfation

Have you ever had a battery that seems to work well but “dies” much more quickly than expected?  The problem may be a battery that is heavily sulfated – often the result of only light use (being discharged by only 15% or so).  The sulfuric acid has become concentrated on the battery’s bottom and sulfate crystals have begun to form.  And even though a multi-meter will indicate that all is well in terms of voltage, the capacity of the battery has become severely reduced.  Sure, the battery will work just fine, but it will die much sooner than normal.  There are certain chargers that have a setting that will temporarily boost the charging voltage for a brief period of time, causing a mixing of the electrolyte, and dissolving the crystals.  The process is called equalization and can be done – depending on the manufacturer – about once a year.  But beware: this should only be done on wet cell batteries; this same process can ruin other types.  And you will need to make sure that you disconnect the batteries from the electrical system to prevent the higher voltage from damaging other equipment.