Tech Tip: How to save "bad' batteries

The demand on 12V lead-acid batteries continues to grow with the number of onboard gadgets drawing down on the power source, literally sapping batteries of power. Premature battery failure has become an assumed cost of business, but it shouldn't be. A large number of batteries thought to be "bad" can be recovered and put back in service saving the expense of purchasing new batteries.

A 12V lead-acid battery thought to be "dead" can in many cases be recharged by feeding it electrical current—restoring the chemical difference between the plates and returning the battery to full operational power.

When vehicles are brought into the shop, batteries should be tested to ensure they are holding a charge within 0.2 volts of each other. Using one of PulseTech's electronic battery testers this can be done in under a minute. Technicians then can employ a shop charger such as the SC-12 HD Charger or XCR-20 to recover, maintain and return the batteries to a like new state without having to remove the batteries from the vehicle. Once the batteries are charged they are again checked; this time for full serviceability with an advanced battery analyzer. If a battery does not test to standard, it is then replaced.

Information provided by: PulseTech Products Corp.