what is battery reconditioning AND how to recondition a car battery?

Lots of people want to know what is battery reconditioning. If everyone knew restoring a battery the world would be a cleaner place. Which as I’ve said before is everyone’s responsibility.

The best thing about recondition car battery is you get to save yourself money whilst also helping protect the environment. How to recondition a car battery here Everyone is a winner, well apart from the battery manufacturer but of course, every battery eventually dies and needs replacing.

What is Battery Reconditioning?

Battery Reconditioning is simply bringing a bad battery back to life and usefulness again. Ever had a dead rechargeable battery that won’t last more than an hour of being charged? Or a battery that simply won't take a charge anymore? By reconditioning the battery you can fix these problems and use the battery again.

Other terms you may of heard of “Battery Restoration” or “Rejuvenating Batteries” are the same as battery reconditioning. Either way you are restoring the battery back to nearly its original condition. I say “nearly” because no battery will last forever and even with correct and regular reconditioning eventually that battery will die.

Or course battery reconditioning only works on rechargeable batteries. Single use batteries should sealed a bag and discarded as soon as they die. Do yourself a favour and buy rechargeable batteries. Yes, they cost more initially but in the long run, they are more cost-effective.

Top Reasons Why You Should Learn How to Recondition Batteries:

• The top reason. It will save you a lot of money.

• Reconditioning batteries is VERY easy to do. Anyone can do it!

• Recycling batteries is very green and will slow down further damage to the environment.

• It’s a fun and interesting hobby. Everyone you know will be interested in your DIY project.

• Get good at it and you can even start making money from battery reconditioning.

If you do learn how to recondition batteries, you can tell all your friends and family how it’s done and help them save money too. You can even start making yourself extra cash by reconditioning people's unwanted batteries and selling them. Most people discard their car batteries as soon as the battery stops holding a charge.

Or the second it doesn’t start their car straight away it's replaced for a hefty cost. You don’t have to be one of these guys anymore you will know how to fix dead battery in car and save yourself money.

We found that so many people would dispose of their batteries when all that was required was a little love to get the battery back up and firing again. Of course, the man at the garage has no problems helping them with this when really, he should at least mention that their battery can be reconditioned.

We’ve already shown you how to recondition 12v battery. And this method will allow their old discarded battery to hold a charge again and potentially last another 2-3 years!

The only reason not to learn how to recondition batteries:

The only reason you shouldn’t be learning how to recondition batteries is if you’re not prepared to learn the SAFE working methods of battery reconditioning. It’s fact that the materials used in battery production are dangerous. Not only to you but also to the environment.

The sulphuric acid in your standard car battery is dangerous and it needs to be handled with responsibility and care. And the correct methods of disposal which is what you’ll learn at the Battery Reconditioning Lab. With all of our guides, we provide stand-out safety tips to ensure you feel safe through the whole process.

So here at Battery Reconditioning Lab, we invite you to stop throwing away your old batteries and start reconditioning them for further use. The process is easy and the benefits completely outweigh the costs. The tools and materials to get started are common and cheap. In fact, you more than likely already have the required items inside your home.

Reconditioning Batteries Is Easy:

I couldn’t be any more straightforward with this one. The main reason people don’t recondition batteries is that they automatically think that it's going to be a long process and may be out of their technical skillset. The fact is this simply isn’t true. With some types of batteries, the process can take a while. But generally, the process itself is short and does not require any real technical knowledge. Providing you can read and follow instructions you can manage it. There are some more advanced reconditioning methods that do require you to be able to solder or have some basic electronics knowledge. But that shouldn’t stop you from learning battery reconditioning.

The method depends on what battery you are wanting to recondition. But the most common types of batteries can nearly all be reconditioned without the need for soldering or knowledge of electronics. If you can solder and have played with electronics before then battery reconditioning will be a breeze for you.

Types of Reconditioned Batteries:

All Types of batteries can be reconditioned. Depending on the type of battery the process may change slightly. Which is to be expected but you can recondition:

• Lithium Ion batteries.

• NiCad rechargeable batteries.

• NiMH rechargeable batteries.

• Lead Acid car batteries.

• AGM and Gel-type batteries.

So pretty much any battery can be reconditioned providing it's rechargeable. The size of the battery does not matter either. Sizes AAA – F can be reconditioned batteries. And larger ones like car batteries, forklift truck batteries solar panel batteries, etc. Can all be reconditioned and bought back to life. So they can hold a charge again, Have higher capacity/voltage.

You can still recondition maintenance-free sealed batteries also but you’d be required to drill into each cell. So keep that in mind when purchasing a car battery. I prefer flooded batteries that aren’t sealed. So I can top up the electrolyte and perform easy maintenance to extend the battery lifespan.

Basic Tools Required To Recondition Batteries:

If you only plan to recondition common batteries that you’ll likely have laying around the house. Then you won’t need any real specialist equipment. The main things you’ll need are:

• Safety Glasses – An absolute must-have

• Rubber Gloves (don’t want battery acid on your hands)

• Screwdriver. (flathead, or other if the battery is encased)

• Voltmeter. (very useful and not too expensive to buy)

• Battery Charger/s. (depending what on type of batteries you’re reconditioning a quality battery charger for that type is required)

• Spare USB Cable. (a cut USB cable can be easily used to give certain types of batteries a voltage boost)

• Distilled Water, Epsom salt, etc. (chemicals needed when making your own electrolyte.)

• Toothbrush, Steel Wool, Sandpaper, etc

Some more advanced reconditioning methods may require:

• Battery load tester.

• Soldering iron plus solder wire.

• Battery Hydrometer.

• Terminal/post cleaner. (used to remove corrosion from the battery posts)

• Desulfator.

• DC power source.

You can see the basic tools required for reconditioned batteries are mainly items you’ll have already. So there isn’t a big investment before you get started.

Battery Reconditioning Methods:

Battery reconditioning methods vary. From replacing the batteries electrolyte completely to deep charge cycles. Depending on the size and type of battery that you’re going to recondition the method will change. Batteries mainly stop working due to a build-up of corrosion on the plates. This is caused by the chemical reaction that happens inside the battery. And cant be avoided.

Most of the battery recondition methods revolve around removing this corrosion. But also some batteries suffer from the “memory effect” or voltage depression. This can happen when the battery is discharged too far or not cycled correctly. The voltage and capacity of the battery are lowered causing it to appear dead. The good news is that bringing a battery back from the dead is an easy process.

Example battery reconditioning methods:

• Electrolyte replacement.

• Deep cycle charging.

• Cell replacement.

• Jumpstart with the alternate power source.

When To Recondition Batteries:

There are times when you should recondition batteries and times when you shouldn’t. Most of the time you can recondition a battery. And it's good to do this, It can save you a lot of money. If your battery is failing to hold a charge for a significant amount of time or won't charge at all then you should recondition it. This will hopefully bring it back to life and save you from having to replace it. For example, if your car battery no longer starts your car consistently. Then it's time to recondition that 12v car battery so it does start your car 100% of the time. There’s nothing worse than an unreliable battery. Especially in your car.

When Not To Recondition Batteries:

Times when you shouldn’t recondition batteries are as follows:

1. You don’t have the correct safety equipment to work with a battery. I cannot stress how important this is. Do not try to recondition batteries without safety glasses and gloves. Battery acid is dangerous stuff and will burn anything it comes into contact with. Also, batteries can explode, leak, and get very hot.

2. The battery shows signs of being badly damaged. If the case or exterior of the battery has been battered, cracked, and is leaking then you need to dispose of that battery correctly. It's an unsafe battery and reconditioning it isn’t going to make it safe again. Dispose of it.

3. After several successful reconditioning cycles. If you’ve successfully reconditioned a battery 3 times or more then you should consider replacing it. Each time the effect of reconditioning has diminishing returns. And eventually trying to recondition the battery can do more harm than good.

How Long Reconditioned Batteries Last:

Depending on the type of battery that you’ve reconditioned you could get years of more life out of it. Car batteries for example can last another 12 months back from the dead. Simply by replacing the electrolyte with distilled water and Epsom salt. You can then further recondition this car battery another 2-3 times adding up to 3 years onto the life of the car battery. Of course, this does depend on where you live and how often you drive. But it's just an example. Your rechargeable battery packs for power tools can see another year of life easily after battery reconditioning. The same goes for rechargeable AA, AAA batteries, etc.

Generally, a reconditioned battery will last a few more years. Depending on its type and what you use it for of course. You’ll find that often dead batteries aren’t actually dead and are nowhere near the end of their lifespan. Simply an issue has been raised from accidental misuse.

How much Can You Save From Reconditioned Batteries:

If like me you own a lot of power tools you’ll know the battery packs for them aren’t cheap. For some years I’ve saved hundreds by not having to replace all my batteries. Even if you just recondition your car battery you’ve saved yourself over $100 straight away. Generally, the average person can save hundreds a year by reconditioning batteries. Consumers in the United States alone spend over $11 billion! yes $11 billion! on batteries each year.

Why You Should Recondition Batteries:

You should recondition batteries because of two main reasons. 1. The savings you will make each year by not constantly replacing your batteries. 2. To help the environment. As you should be aware batteries contain toxic materials which are bad for the environment. And the amount of them that end up in landfills (over 3 billion in the US only) are surely having a bad affect. The lead, cadmium and mercury, etc. (all toxic to nature) penetrate the soil and could easily end up in the water supply. Here at Battery Reconditioning Lab we believe that it is everyone’s responsibility to clean up the planet. And getting more out of your batteries before you recycle them is a good start.

Conclusion

So now you know 10 things about reconditioned batteries that you didn’t know before. I hope you act on this and start to recondition your batteries. If you have any questions please comment down below, I’ll get back to you asap. And if you found this article interesting or helpful please share it with your friends.