Car Battery Reconditioning

An easy, step-by-step guide to recondition dead car battery at home.

Written by <strong>Kevin Miller</strong>

Written by Kevin Miller

Last Updated on July 8, 2021

Hello, welcome to our place. It is not by coincidence why you came to our site. Perhaps, you are searching for details on how to recondition a car battery. Doing it does not require any technical skills; slightly enough precaution must be observed as the battery solution is acidic.

We like to share our thoughts on this topic as there are a few benefits from reconditioned car batteries. Saving a few bucks is one main benefit, and then the second benefit is reducing waste thrown to the environment. Moreover, if you would like to earn more, you can have a car battery reconditioning business in your place.

Just read through the whole article and get the most out of it.

What is Reconditioned Car Batteries

Reconditioned car batteries refer to the process of bringing back the healthy life and charging capacity of your old and dead cells. It will be a total waste to just readily throw your old batteries when you can still recondition it for one to three times.

Access Now: Simple Trick To Have Unlimited Battery Power

If we try to see the things and electronic devices around us, most of them are battery operated. Starting from your alarm clock, remote control, mobile phones, laptop, and vehicle. , and there are several types of it in the market, such as Lithium-ion, NiCad, NiMH, rechargeable types, and Lead-acid batteries for cars.

Instead of throwing it prematurely, why not learn how to recondition a car battery at home. You will be able to learn it in the following section of our article.

Why People Throw their Car Batteries Right Away

The straightforward answer to why most people throw their car batteries is because they do not want the hassle and inconvenience of using batteries that are no longer efficient. Likewise, they do not have any idea about battery reconditioning method.

What are the Benefits of Car Battery Reconditioning

When the time comes that your car battery will no longer be efficient, you have two options: buying a new one or reconditioning it. Battery reconditioning can be a good option if your battery is not significantly damaged.

There are significant advantages to enjoy from reconditioned batteries:

The average lifespan of a regular car battery is five years. After the fifth year, it may seem you have used up your car battery, and you need to buy a new replacement.
By reconditioning your old battery, you would be able to extend its life by about a year or two. With that, you would have used your battery for seven years, which is an excellent trade-off for your initial investment.
The second benefit of reconditioned car batteries is cost savings. By reconditioning, you can save approximately 25 to 50 percent of the retail cost of a new car battery. The average price of a regular car battery range between $75 to $100.
The third benefit from reconditioned car batteries is reducing the pollutants thrown to mother nature. Lead-acid car batteries contain an acidic electrolyte solution responsible for the charging and discharging capacity of the cell.
Aside from the sulfuric acid, the lead content of the solution poses a significant threat in poisoning our groundwater and soil. If you still remember, lead content can increase once, and then we eat these plants, or grazing animals eat it.
The last benefit you can have for gaining this knowledge is car battery reconditioning business. The process requires little capital and offers a sufficient amount of money. Battery conditioning can be a good business if taken seriously in the long run.

Related Article: How Long Do Car Batteries Last

How to Recondition a Car Battery at Home

Finally, we are now in the section of showing the step by step guide on how to recondition a car battery at home or in your shop. The measures are not that technical, but you need to have extra care as the old battery solution is acidic and contains lead.

You need to prepare the following materials for car battery reconditioning.

Disposable rubber gloves
Mask
Goggles
Flathead screwdriver
Battery charger
Funnel
Distilled water (1 gallon)
Baking soda (powder)
Bucket
Voltmeter
Battery terminal cleaner
Apron
Toothbrush (used or new)

Procedure

STEP 1Before preparing your battery for reconditioning, you need to wear your protective gear: apron, gloves, mask, and goggles. Likewise, make a weak baking soda and water solution on the side to neutralize any sudden spills and splashes.

STEP 2You need to remove the corrosion in the battery terminal. Prepare a paste-like solution of baking soda and water with a ratio of 2:1. After, grab your toothbrush and dip it into the paste-like solution. Then rub it against the battery terminal to remove corrosion.
You can use steel wool or sandpaper grit if the corrosion is hard.

STEP 3When you are done removing the corrosion, you measure the volt reading of the battery using a voltmeter. Ensure the proper connection of the cable to the battery terminal. The red wire to the positive battery terminal and black cable to the negative terminal.
If the voltage reading is 12.6V and higher, then your battery is still in good condition. Meanwhile, if it is between 10V to 12.6V, then your battery needs reconditioning.

STEP 4Grab your flat head screwdriver and remove the battery caps. Place all battery caps in a temporary container to avoid losing it. Then, slowly lift your battery and pour out the old electrolyte solution in the bucket.
Do not throw the old battery acid solution. Neutralize it by pouring 500 grams of baking soda powder into the bucket.

STEP 5Prepare a baking soda and water solution with a ratio of 2:1 or 1:1. Mix well and fill each battery cell with the baking soda solution. After filling up all cells, lock it back with the caps then shake it gently. Let the shaking last for about 30 seconds to a minute. After, unlock the caps and pour out the solution into the same bucket used in the previous step.

STEP 6Next, replace the old battery electrolyte solution with Epsom salt solution with one molar concentration or by dissolving 120 grams in one liter of distilled water. Mix well until no solids are left undissolved. Then refill each cell and then cover with its cap.

STEP 7The next step is to recharge the reconditioned battery at 12V / 2 amps slow charging mode. The charging usually lasts around 24 to 36 hours. After charging, read the voltage of the battery using a voltmeter. If the reading is around 12.42V to 12.6V, then your battery is in excellent condition already.

STEP 8The last step is to subject your reconditioned car battery for a load test. This can be performed using a battery load tester which can be bought from any hardware store.
For it to pass the load test, it must successfully maintain 9.6V for 15 seconds at half the CCA rating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Perhaps, we were not able to cover all the details you wish was there in our article. Hence, we have here some FAQs that might be of help for your hungry minds.

What are some alternatives to the Epsom Salt solution as Battery Electrolyte solution?

If you do not have any Epsom salt nearby, the two other chemicals can be a good alternative for the same purpose.

Copper sulfate can be a good alternative for Epsom salt. It is powder and color blue in physical appearance. It is can also be readily dissolved in water.
Aluminum sulfate is also another alternative for Epsom salt. The ratio of this compound and distilled water can be 1:1.

Can you pour vinegar or Gatorade if your battery electrolyte solution is low?

A We highly would not advise you to use any of the two substances suggested as a filler for the battery electrolyte solution. Vinegar will cause to form of lead acetate inside the cell, which can alter the normal function of the battery. Adding distilled water will be fine instead of the two substances.

What is the typical reading for a fully charged 12V car battery?

The typical voltage reading for a good condition fully charged 12V battery is 12.6V and higher.

Is it alright to overcharge my car battery?

We highly recommend that you do not overcharge your car battery as it may cause its sudden death.

How long does a reconditioned battery last?

The usual lifespan of a reconditioned battery is between 1 year – 3 years. It is challenging to mention the exact life of a reconditioned battery.

When should I recondition a battery?

How often should you recondition the Battery? That depends on two things: how often you are driving your car and what type of vehicle it is. If you are moving every day, the answer will likely be more frequent than someone who goes once a week or less.

At what voltage reading can you tell that your car battery is flat dead?
If the voltage reading is flat at 12.0V, then your battery is flat dead. Meanwhile, if the voltage reading is at 12.4V, it means your battery still has 50% energy. A full charge battery at rest would read between 12.8V to 12.9V.

Is it alright to use a regular charger for your AGM Battery?

You cannot use your regular charger for charging AGM battery and overcharging its results to its sudden death. AGM chargers have built-in microprocessors that readily adjust to the requirement of the AGM battery.

Wrap Up

Hopefully, we have shared enough details with you regarding car battery reconditioning and its benefits. If you would like to know more, we highly recommend you to visit Ez Battery Reconditioning Review. Different flexible courses are available for you to choose from.

Each course includes various step by step guide in reconditioning different batteries in the market. If you plan to do a battery reconditioning business, then this is an excellent course to grab.

For your comments, questions, and suggestions, please feel free to write it in the comment section below. We read through all your comments and questions. Likewise, we will do our best to give substantial answers to it.

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5 thoughts on “Reconditioning Car Battery”

Donnie Cole

August 4, 2020 at 6:44 am

How long will a battery last when you refurbish it
Reply
- Kevin Miller
  
  August 6, 2020 at 6:45 am
  
  1 to 4 years maybe more or less.
  Reply
Balan Visva

August 6, 2020 at 6:56 am

How do you know at what voltage to discharge the battery to for capacity? Why not go lower than 10.8 V? Is this common practice?
Reply
- Kevin Miller
  
  August 6, 2020 at 6:57 am
  
  10.8V is a default cut off voltage of the charger. That’s already pretty low. Repeated discharge at this voltage will permanently destroy the battery.
  Reply
Ted Schoberg

October 1, 2020 at 12:59 pm

Yes, this is a Good one
Reply