I dont know if anyone can help with this. I have 2 batteries from my cab,both not up to scratch. Both are sealed maintenance free but with access to the electrolyte through the hole that shows the light ( green,white or red). Both batteries show green saying the batteries are healthy. I've had both batteries on charge last week for 24 hours and both have been off the charger for 4 days but both still showing around 12.9 volts so im assuming they are holding the charge. I;ve tested the condition using a hydrometer and again, both showing healthy.Both batteries were in action for about 2 years before playing up. I don't have access to a load tester though maybe I can't do anything else without that info? Both batteries are made by solite and dont have any access plugs even under the labels. Iwill say that the batteries are under constant use 6 days a week running all sorts so a lot of heavy usage. Maybe 2 years is about right? Just seems a shame to dispose of them if there's anything I can do to prolong their demise. If there's anyway I can get an extra 6 months out of each one trouble free that would be a massive bonus. Q1, Is the electrolyte checked thru the hole indicative of all the battery or is it just that 1st cell only I can check.If only the 1st cell, any idea how to get to the rest of them? Q2,Can I empty the some of the elecrolyte out and put in a solution of epsom salts and distilled water to maybe "fix" the problem. Q3,Would desulphisation be a problem after only a couple of years use. I bought a ctek battery charger the other week that has a desulphate mode on it but this process only seemed to last a couple of seconds on this mode,maybe because it doesnt need it?
1st battery will work ok for a couple of days but will soon stop holding the charge.More noticeable if I leave the for hire light on when I'm on a rank and not moving. Then need to jump start it. 2nd battery as above but also seems to pulse which is more noticeable in the dark with the lights on. The lights go up and down and I think I can hear a relay clicking in time to this every second or so. Hope this explains enough.
seems to me you are using starting batteries for a leisure type of use? car batteries are not designed to be flattened then charged they are for an initial kick then top up, leisure batteries like to be drained and charged over and over, i would think the batteries may say they are charged but they have had their day by the way you're describing you use them you ain't gonna make them repair themselves.
yes mate i worked that out, but same premise, battery powering light curcuit or standing all night etc, basically i think you know yourself they are knackered you just want to make it not so....a bit like me with my van battery - exactly the same, only 2 years old and struggles on a cold day if i've left the door open with the courtesy light on etc.
Im kinda hoping with a little bit of tlc and technical know how I could do something with them. Just seems such a waste after only a couple of years. Been trying to find out how I can get into one of these but as I cant find out maybe you cant. Looking on youtube, there seems to be a lot of votes for epsom salts kickstarting batteries back into life or maybe just for desulphicating, just trying to get my head around it all.
sorry can't help mate i'm just gonna buy a new one, the only plus point if you only want a few more months i guess is the fact you'll need to use them less as the light nights are coming and they hold charge longer in the warm weather.
Already bought a new one, can't afford to be without it in my job. Down time means no money.Just fed up throwing stuff away. Thought if I could get into the technical know how then might just be able to save a few bob here and there and it's also interesting in a blokey geeky kind of way.
Only real way to test a battery is with a proper load tester Your local tyre place may have one or halfwits
Thats a good idea matty, could take em to halfwits and ask them to test. Do they charge do you know and is it a bit of a cheek to turn up with 2 batteries asking to be checked?
Best to get two new 'uns. They're cheap enough from a motor factors. If they've been run right down, they may never recover and won't hold charge. Sure your cab's charging them ok, btw?
2 years on batteries seems a short life even with a high load. You should be getting 3 to 4 years out of them. I'm with Snotty on this one have you checked the van is charging them properly? I've run one of the those solar powered chargers on questionable batteries before in the winter. You can pick them up for about a tenner, they kept my battery going for another six months before I had to bite the bullet and and by a new one.
These are batteries out of my taxi,not the van, therefore they do take a lot of stick. The alternator was only changed about 6 months ago and I know the cab is charging fine. Even so, if I could get into the batteries to have a play around and maybe extend their life that would save me a few bob. I could take the new battery off and save it till winter when the demands are greater.
Rock up to Halfrauds - they will test them for free. If your feeling guilty then take them into the store. I wasn't, so I made the lad come out to the van in the pouring rain.
Cabbieman you are so like my father who was a black cab driver. As tight as they come when it came to spending money on the plastic pig He would be proud if he got 3 years out of his batteries. Get them tested. Many batteries seem ok but certain test equipment will tell you for sure if they are duff.
As Rickyroo said, if these batteries are solely for your taxi sign and any 'extra' power sources are they leisure battery's? If they are running your whole cab electrics then your alternator should be charging them up fully, if it's not then you have an issue with that (even if it's been replaced recently). I can't see how your taxi sign would be draining the battery's so much unless there is a fault in either of the two above or the light itself. You can leave your lights on all night and should still have enough juice to start in the morning.
One problem is - as the batteries are cycled through charge and discharge bits fall off the plates and lie in a pile at the bottom of the cell. Space is designed into the batteries below the plates to collect the loose lead bits so they dont short the plates but that can happen in the end. This loss of lead reduces the capacity so you may well end up with a well charged 'healthy' battery with no sulphation but much less capacity than new. The best way to improve the capacity of the battery is to take it to the dump and let them recycle it into a new battery with all the bits back on the plates..
