[sci.electronics] Discharged lead acid batteries.

larry@tapa.uucp (Larry Pajakowski) (11/19/89)

I've had good luck with discharged Gates lead acid bateries and rotten
luck with gell cels.

For Gates lead acid batteries I use a current limited power supply set for
about 100ma and 15-20V.  You can also use light bulbs as current limiting
devices.  Apply the supply to each cell individually and watch the voltage
with a DVM.  Over a 2 or 3 day period (be patient) not too much will happen
then the voltage will start to drop.  After the voltage stabalizes at about
2.3 volts charge the cell normally.

This has failed miserably with gell cell bateries.  I presume all the water
somehow leaves the gell cell bateries but not the Gates lead acid batteries.

Larry