Dead cell test procedure for Lead Acid Battery's

[KraftyPg]

............

 

[Krankin]

I use the turkey baster at home


also a disclouration of the cell electrolyte from a clear colour is a givaway also.

 

[KraftyPg]

You're roast turkey must taste pretty average

 

[Krankin]

You're roast turkey must taste pretty average

Na silly...I have a couple of "lets be friends" living next door.

 

[KraftyPg]

Oh well that makes sense but it also conjures up some terrible images.

 

[Krankin]

think we leave that one alone...this is a family show.

Back to dead cells.

 

[KraftyPg]

Dead battery cells, lets not get them confused with dead brain cells or this thread will be inundated with the wrong sort of cells proving just how dead brains cells operate.

 

[Krankin]

Dead battery cells, lets not get them confused with dead brain cells or this thread will be inundated with the wrong sort of cells proving just how dead brains cells operate.

 

[terryc]

Err krafty, that doesn't work exactly. It really just measures the voltage difference between the fluids in two cells, so you are really testing one plate in one cell and another plate in another cell.

In any case, the battery is fritzed anyway as there is bugger all useful that you can do with it unless you can bridge that cell out and you are using a specially designed swtchmode power supply off the battery so it bumps the 10V up to 12.2v or whatever.

 

[KraftyPg]

Err I beg to differ.

.

 

[the_bluester]

I have to admit that I have never thought of plonking the multimeter leads in the electrolyte!


I would test the theory myself but I don't even have a meter at the moment, I turned my nice old Fluke on a few months back (Not even measuring something at the time) and it let the smoke out and that was that. I have not got around to a replacement yet. I REALLY want a Fluke Scopemeter but I am having trouble justifying that to myself, leta lone the minister for finance.

 

[KraftyPg]

Nah buy a cheap as shit DSE one for such purposes, it can be thrown in the ute anywhere and forgotten about and a little acid on the leads wont ever be an issue.

 

[Cooper]

This will confirm that one or possibly all cells are down. Allowing you to rule out other problems if your stuck in the bush as I think its 10.5v needed for the car to start but dont quote me on that one.

Still if your battery does go to shit in the bush then you failed to prepare :S. Or if its flat well its obvious. Your better off getting a no maintenance battery as they rarely fail. Like ever.

 

[KraftyPg]

Not sure about the 10.5 v but you're exactly right it's just a test you can preform anywhere that might give you some indication of what is wrong, just like sticking your tongue across the terminals is a test, although not as easily achieved.

Not trying to prove you wrong because it's easy to quote 3 words and make someone sound wrong, but maintenance free/gel cell etc all have failure rates, they might not be as high as lead acid but they can fail. (Ha if you believe the idiot at my Battery Power place all gel cell battery's other than his blow up to twice their size in six months)

 

[Cooper]

Hahaha blow up? Batteries short circuit and melt down. What a silly fella.
Yeah I know they do fail but no where near the rates of the others due to enclosed cells ect. Everything fails, it not economical for them not to

 

[Old.Tony]

Not sure about the 10.5 v

It's really not so much the voltage available, but the current that can be delivered. A clapped-out battery that is sulphated to hell might show 10.5V on a multimeter across the terminals but as soon as you load it the volts will fall away to nothing.

but you're exactly right it's just a test you can preform anywhere that might give you some indication of what is wrong, just like sticking your tongue across the terminals is a test, although not as easily achieved.)

Mate, if you can ever stick your tongue across the terminals of a car battery, you'll be an instant sensation with anyone of the fairer gender (and suitable age).

 

[Krankin]

just like sticking your tongue across the terminals is a test,

And I'd like to see that

 

[Krankin]

It's really not so much the voltage available, but the current that can be delivered. A clapped-out battery that is sulphated to hell might show 10.5V on a multimeter across the terminals but as soon as you load it the volts will fall away to nothing.

Thats right,

even have seen batts show 12 and bit volts but dead as a door nail under load.

 

[the_bluester]

Yup, had one last week. Had to replace the battery in the better halves R51. The only thing I could check it with seeing the fluke was dead was with the bench oscilloscope on DC coupling and 2V a division. Now that is desperate!

Sitting static it showed 13 odd volts after charging it for ages and it died in the bum to about 10V within seconds of starting to crank it. Have known it was coming though, I did not expect to get the last winter out of it.

 

[KraftyPg]

Bridging the terminals with your tongue can be done with the same leads that the cell test is done with, if the tongue test reveals nothing amiss then you can taste the acid and see if it's OK as well. It's a dual test procedure.