jerry gollnick

I have a "restoration Delco battery in my NCRS car. It was new for judging about 8 years ago and then I parked the car in storage and haven't driven it for 7 years. The car has been inside a heated garage the entire time. I'm getting the car ready to drive again and when I checked the battery water level in the cells( it has removable caps) I found the cells were dry. Can I refill the cell with water and charge, or refill with acid and charge or....?

karkrafter

Probably not gonna work.

Nowhere Man

there was a write up in the NCRS Restore years ago how to put anther newer battery inside a repro case

pop23235

Never jump to conclusions without data!
First, I'd remove the battery and fill with distilled water.
Give it a day or so, then I'd put it on a charger, say 20 amps for a few hours. At least until it starts taking current as it isn't likely to initially.
Third, I'd put it on a specialty high tech charger to desulfate and maintain for a while - the charger should tell you how long.

CTEK is the one!

I have one about 12 years old that fits your exact situation except it wasn't dry when I pulled it. It's still good. If this doesn't work, new battery.

HS Vette

Westlotorn

Why are the cells dry? Was it on a battery tender that overcharged it and boiled out the water? They generally don't leak or if it did something under the battery will be rotten.

jerry gollnick

Its just sat for 7 years. It's vented so... evaporated?

karkrafter

It wouldn't have lasted for seven years if you drove the car every day..why would you expect to be 'good' after it sulfated for seven years? And 'restoration' batteries are NOT quality batteries to begin with. Go to Wal-Mart get a VP series battery for $48 and a battery topper and be done with it.

GTOguy

God, I wish Walmart still had $48 batteries. The one that's 10 years old in my '67 GTO was $29, and it's stlll going strong. Their cheapest batteries in 2016 are over $100, with core! To the OP: You can add distilled water and put it on a 2 amp trickle charger for about 24 hrs and see if it works. You have about a 10% chance of success. I've had identical batteries fail in 4 years and last 14 years....so anything is possible!

Bobonthis

Try to add distilled water and put battery in parallel with a known good battery and use a CTEK Multi US 4.3 until the voltage reaches over 10 volts on the old battery. Then remove the known good battery from setup and continue charging your old battery for a few days. If this doesn't work battery is toast. Ctek chargers do not overcook a battery and will remove sulfation from plates. This is in my opinion your best bet to restore a battery.
The charger can be found for between $65 to $80 on ebay - well worth the investment as you can leave it on battery during winter/storage etc.

johngandersonjr

I bought one of this guys units a couple years ago cause my kids power wheels 12v batteries were always junk over winter.

http://mikeysklar.blogspot.com/p/da-...esulfator.html

It actually works. I had some batteries that were dead for years and they came back. just need to remember to only fill the batteries about 60% of the way. I made that mistake and had acid all over

karkrafter

Ah... but my GTO buddy they do..they do!


http://www.walmart.com/ip/VP-26-Battery/47308801

GTOguy

Ahhhh! I just spent $125 on a 27F for my Tundra. Walmart didn't carry the F, but their 27 was $118. Maybe CA has crazy environmental charges, etc? Anyway, thanks!

LouieM

"Maybe"? More like "for sure"!

babbah

Walmart batteries are now $100 for the good ones. The cheaper ones are junk.
I prefer Odyssey batteries. They last 10 years :thumbs

karkrafter

No battery lasts 10 years when they are 'dead' after 6 months and spent the next 9 years sitting...


Is a $48 battery the same as a $200 odyssey battery, logic says no.


But My 396 Chevelle starts fine with that $48 'junk' Wal Mart battery. And I've used 10 over this last winter without issue. If you can get 10 years out of a battery, even a $200 battery, well you have been blessed by the battery gods..I'm happy to shell out $48 every three years....

Kerrmudgeon

At my battery store they sell this pink liquid for just this purpose. You put some of it in each cell and fill it with distilled water and charge it. Don't know the name, but it's for restoring batteries and it worked for me a few years ago. I forget the name of it but it looks like pepto bismal.

MikeM

You are playing with yourself if you are trying to revive a battery like that that was junk to start with.

babbah

They don't die in 6 months. Try one, you'll like it, and you won't have to buy a battery every three years. And made in the USA

karkrafter

To clarify...the OP said his battery sat 7 years...I'm saying even the 'Best' battery will not survive sitting 7 [or nine] years discharged, and it will discharge in a matter of months [6?] just sitting in a car in the cold. If you have to ruin a new battery, better to ruin a $48 battery than a $200 battery..in my opinion.