Posted by Jeremy Horvath [108.162.221.53] on Friday, February 08, 2019 at 17:18:05 :
In Reply to: Re: Batteries are not the batteries of old posted by Jerry in Idaho [162.158.107.70] on Thursday, February 07, 2019 at 10:45:34 :
Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate.
Lead sulfate will get stuck in the pores of the battery’s plates (“sulfated” cells). Then, the cell(s) cannot recharge. Epsom salt is better able to migrate through the pores. It will exchange ions with lead sulfate and help to make the plates porous again, to where the lead sulfate can once again migrate during the discharge/charge cycle.
I keep a batch of saturated epsom salt to restore batteries that are sulfated. I replace the sulfuric acid with it, let it stand a few days, charge the battery that now has epsom salt electrolyte, cycle it a few times, pour out the epsom salt mixture, rinse with distilled water, replace the sulfuric acid (adjusted to proper specific gravity) and recharge. It’s allowed me to get a couple more years out of some so far.
A solar or trickle charger will mitigate sulfation to begin with.