How To Recondition A Car Battery That Won't Hold Charge

How To Recondition A Car Battery That Won’t Hold Charge

by

Jeffrey
August 10, 2022
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You’ll need to replace your car’s battery at some point during its lifespan, especially if it has served its purpose.

It begins to lose its ability to recharge your vehicle as time goes on.

If you don’t replace it with a fresh one, it might grow swollen and cause damage to your car’s engine.

In that case, we should know How To Recondition A Car Battery That Won’t Hold Charge?

However, because the expandable batteries with poor characteristics are prone to this issue, it is not as difficult to resolve.

If your automobile has a strong but damaged battery, there is an easy [technique for reviving its potential].

The process I’ll show you, known as reconditioning, is rather simple.

There are several phases you must complete as directed to achieve success.

Reconditioning your vehicle battery is not difficult; all you need are some supplies, TIME, and a car battery.

It’s a win-win situation: it reduces your costs and protects the environment.

It will seem no different than a freshly purchased battery once you do it correctly.

Furthermore, you may make money by selling it.

So, let’s get this party started.

Here is How To Recondition A Car Battery That Won’t Hold Charge.

6 Easy Steps to Repair a Car Battery That Won’t Charge

Before we begin, you should have the following items on hand.

When you’re working, keep your eyes open and cautious.

Step 1: Get Rid Of The Dust

To begin, check your car’s battery for dirt.

Dirt accumulation might sometimes cause electrical problems.

I’d also recommend making a baking soda solution.

Take a bowl and some baking soda and mix them together until combined.

The mixture should resemble a dripping paste before being poured into the mold.

So, if you don’t know much about the battery, start by looking for rust on the terminals.

Different battery manufacturers have varied terminal sizes, making it necessary to understand every element of your device.

If there is any corrosion on the battery terminals, clean the machine with steel wool or a wire sponge (your choice).

To clean the car battery’s terminals or posts, use a brush to scrub them.

If you find tough stains, try steel wool instead.

The foam may be observed near the posts while cleaning.

If anything, don’t worry about it.

It’s quite natural, and this foam occurs as a result of some chemical reaction; it is very safe.

After two rounds of cleaning with baking soda, dry the unit completely.

Step 2: Check Your Cell’s Voltage

Follow the instructions carefully.

You won’t need to look very hard for it, and you can get it right away at your local hardware store.

Now, as you know, a battery has two terminals.

One is called positive, while the other is referred to as negative.

So turn off your car and connect the voltmeter’s clips to the battery’s terminals for a reading.

Check the voltmeter to see what it reads.

If you read less than 12.6 volts, it means the battery wants your attention.

Consider replacing the battery if it goes down to 9.5 Volts.

You must once again connect things up.

Attach the clips of the voltmeter to the corresponding ports of the battery once more.

Turn on your accessories for this test, such as the speakers, lights, and so on.

If your voltmeter indicates a new voltage of 10 volts or more, and yet your car’s battery is still functioning properly when you turn it on, then you may consider replacing it.

Step 3: Remove the Cell Contents

Put on your apron or a protective towel and your safety glasses for this step.

Don’t forget to put gloves on, as batteries contain dangerous fluids that can cause skin irritation if exposed to them.

Then do exactly as instructed.

Remove the cell caps using your screwdriver.

After that, remove the components from the battery and safely store them for quick retrieval.

Then, place the plastic buckets near the battery.

Set yourself up carefully before slowly tilting the battery and dumping all of the fluid from each cell into a bucket.

Place the cell back where it belongs after emptying it.

Then, in the acid bucket, add half a pound of baking soda.

You may increase the amount of baking soda in the acid since it aids in balance.

Step 4: Remove the Dust

To end the dust, you must now prepare a second mixture of baking soda and distilled water.

To combine the baking soda with the regular water, add half a gallon of water.

Open the caps and turn on the solution’s power using a funnel, then replace the caps.

Gently shake your battery to clean out any liquid that might have accumulated inside it.

Finally, remove the caps and dump the harmful liquid into the bucket.

Step 5: Charge the Battery

Remove the cell caps.

If you don’t remove the battery caps, the liquid within may be heated up and begin seeping out of the units.

There’s a lot of pressure when things get hot, and if it isn’t relieved, it might lead to serious injuries.

After removing the caps, connect the battery charger’s positive and negative terminals to the cell’s positive and negative poles securely.

Only the leads should be connected, with a sufficient gap between them and the charger.

Allow the battery to charge. With regard to most specialists, it takes around 36 – 48 hours for a cell to fully recharge.

So you have no option but to let it rest.

We’ll test the battery after it has been recharged.

It’s a lot of electricity, and if it catches fire, it might explode.

Charge your battery in a well-ventilated area or an open space to minimize the risk of an accident.

Step 6: Check The Recharged Battery

It’s now time to test your recharged battery’s voltage.

To begin, make the same connection as in step 2: connecting the positive and negative leads of the voltmeter to the corresponding cells of the battery.

Suppose the voltmeter shows you a reading of 12.43 volts; voila!

You’ve made it.

If the cell’s voltage is lower, however, continue charging it for another 12 hours.

Get your load tester if you want to check the battery’s status.

You may also use a voltmeter; it’s up to you.

However, if you wish to utilize the voltmeter, reconnect the caps and connect it to your car.

Then turn on the fog lights but not the automobile.

Allow the lights to stay on for a couple of minutes, then take a reading with the voltmeter.

The battery should read at least 9.6 volts.

However, if you get a lower reading, it indicates that your battery still has work to do, my friend.

You may either do the cycle treatment for the battery or not.

It will fail if it provides you with a voltage of 9.6 volts, or it will offer a voltage of 9.6 volts.

The procedure entails putting pressure or a load on the component by turning on the automobile’s accessories for a few minutes.

After that, you must remove the battery and complete the process again.

You may have to cycle the battery unit up to four times before you get the desired reading of 9.6 volts.

The procedure is finished when you’ve completed all of the steps.

If you don’t get the required voltage, it’s possible that your battery is faulty.

How To Recondition A Car Battery That Won't Hold Charge

Conclusion

It isn’t difficult and everything happens rather quickly, with the exception of charging.

However, if you’re doing it, make sure you take all necessary precautions.

Components in batteries are hazardous and should be handled with care when working with chargers and voltmeters.

Please accept my apologies for the late response.

I hope this post has been useful.

If you still have questions, search Google for more information.

All the best to you!

Jeffrey

Jeffrey Bryce is an experienced motorcycle rider with years of experience caring for motorcycles. His natural fondness for motorcycles have made him come up with LetsGoForARide.com, which is dedicated to answering and teaching you how to care for your bike with the care it requires. LetsGoForARide is the one of his important lifework in reaching out to communities of motorcycle enthusiasts on how to take care of their bike and choosing the correct spare part.