How to Refurbish Batteries
Replacing rechargeable batteries when they reach the end of their useful life is expensive. Anything you can do to extend the life of a battery is a good way to save money. However, there are a lot of misconceptions about what you can and cannot do to refurbish batteries. Nickel-cadmium and similar batteries cannot be refurbished, short of replacing the cells in the battery. Attempting to completely drain or rapidly discharge a NiCad battery, then recharge it to reverse "memory loss" just damages the battery further and doesn't get rid of the calcium crystals that cause memory loss. Lithium ion batteries contain circuitry that can be reset by a complete discharge and recharge. Lead acid batteries (used in cars, motorcycles and similar applications) are the only common type of battery that can be refurbished.
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Things You'll Need
- For lithium ion batteries:
- Lithium ion battery charger
- For lead acid batteries
- Safety glasses
- Gloves
- Lead acid battery charger
- Crescent wrench
- Plastic funnel
- Distilled water
- Epsom salts
Instructions
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Restore lithium ion batteries to maximum capacity by completely discharging them. For example, let a laptop battery run down until it's completely drained. Then place the battery on a charger designed for use with lithium ion batteries, or simply return it to your laptop. Charge it to full capacity. This will recalibrate circuitry in the battery, allowing it to function at maximum efficiency.
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Refurbish a lead acid battery. Before you begin, take proper safety precautions. Lead acid batteries contain sulfuric acid, which is toxic and can cause chemical burns. Wear safety glasses and gloves. Work in a well-ventilated place away from open flames.
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Remove the battery from the car or other device. You'll probably need a crescent wrench to loosen the battery cables. Remove the plastic caps on top of the battery ("cell caps"). Completely drain the battery's water content.
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Mix a solution of about 8 ounces of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) and a quart of heated distilled water (about 130 degrees). Use a plastic funnel to fill the battery cells with this solution. Do not use tap water as it may contain chemicals that will damage a battery. Once the battery is filled, shake it gently to make sure the solution is well distributed. The magnesium sulfate will remove sulfur that is coating the lead plates inside the battery (a phenomenon called sulfation that occurs when a lead acid battery is discharged too deeply).
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Place the battery on a lead acid battery charger. Use a "smart" three-phase charger for best results. Begin with the charger turned off and leave the cell caps off while charging. Connect the charger leads positive to positive and negative to negative. Make sure the charger is set to the same voltage as the battery and turn it on.
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Let the battery reach full charge. For most batteries this requires an overnight charge. If you use a three-phase charger it will automatically switch to trickle charge when the battery is fully charged. Turn the charger off before removing the leads once charging is complete. Replace the cell caps and return the battery to the vehicle or other device.
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Tips & Warnings
Proper storage of batteries will reduce the need for refurbishing and extend battery life. Always store any battery in a cool dry place out of contact with metal or other conducting materials. You can allow lithium ion batteries to discharge completely while stored (in fact, this helps since they will recalibrate when charged). Place lead acid batteries on a trickle charger to prevent a damaging deep discharge when stored for long periods. Periodically recharge NiCad batteries unless you have a charger specifically designed to automatically maintain charge on this type of battery.
