How to Rejuvenate an Auto Battery

Older batteries that do not hold their charge may need to be desulphated.

Most car batteries are powered by a lead acid solution. Over months of use, lead sulfate, a byproduct of the chemical reactions in the battery, can build up on the conducting surfaces on the inside of the battery, impeding the battery's total capacity and overall usability. You can, however, rejuvenate an old battery with a desulphator that sends sharp pulses of electrical current through the battery's terminals, breaking down the sulfates clogging the conducting plates. Regularly desulphating your battery will help to maintain its charging and discharging capacity.

Things You'll Need

• Wrench
• Work gloves
• Wire brush
• Terminal cleaner
• Terminal protector
• 12V battery desulphator
• Car battery charger

Instructions

1. Clean the battery's terminals with a wire brush and terminal cleaner. Make sure the car is turned off and that the keys are out of the ignition. Unscrew the positive terminal clamp with a wrench then the negative terminal. Apply a small amount of terminal cleaner to the surface of each terminal.

2. Scrub away any debris or corrosion on the terminals. Screw the terminals back into the battery. Coat the terminals with battery terminal protector and allow it to dry; this will prevent corrosion buildup in the future.

3. Connect the clamps on a desulphator to the battery's positive and negative terminals (red for the positive terminal, black for the negative). Follow the directions included with the desulphator to rejuvenate your car's battery. Clamp the desulphator to the terminals, power it on and wait for the indicator light to turn green. This process may take a few hours to finish, but check the desulphator's progress every 45 minutes. Disconnect the desulphator once it has finished.

4. Connect the clamps of a car battery charger to the battery terminals (red for positive, black for negative). Plug the charger into an electrical outlet. Let the car's battery charge until the indicator on the charger goes green or shows the battery is fully charged. Start your car and take it for a drive to ensure the battery is operating properly.

References

• Enviro Harvest: Desulphating Batteries
• Biz Covering: Rejuvenate Dead Car Battery with Desulphator
• Battery Rechargeable Charger: Battery Charger Recondition Function