Recover Dead Battery using 555 Timer IC, really?! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: Chriss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 10:29:06 am
content: Hi!I stumbled into this interesting video about "Recover Dead Battery using 555 Timer IC".Here is the link on YT:https://youtu.be/i_yFhI1JRDMIs this really doing the job?What you think about such of device, is it worth to build and try?Thanks.

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 11:38:44 am
content: Lead Sulphate formation as an amorphous or fine microcrystalline microporous layer in the pores of both anode and cathode plates is a normal and essential part of the battery chemistry during a discharge cycle. However if the battery is left discharged, the Lead Sulphate can form solid crystals and the crystals can grow resulting in an insulating layer without significant porosity (a so-called 'sulphated' battery) and the crystal growth displaces the spongy lead or lead oxide matrix of the plate. *IF* you succeed in re-dissolving the large crystals it leaves a void because due to their low conductivity, the lead sulphate to lead or lead oxide charging reaction can only occur where the crystal is in contact with the microporous lead/lead oxide plate filler or the lead grid of the plate skeleton, so tends to form a consolidated layer between the crystal and the plate. It doesn't (and can't) magically bring back the microporous structure the plate originally had so there is permanent loss of surface area and thus discharge current capability.Also there is a high risk that the crystal growth will have compressed the spongy matrix weakening its bond to the grid, and in floded batteries this results in loss of electrode material from the grid, and a build-up of shed electrode material in the bottom of the cell till it eventually shorts out. AGM batteries cant easily shed electrode material due to the close proximity of the separator to the plate, but instead it forces the plates apart (and the battery starts to bulge), and chunks of it effectively disconnect from the grid as they shrink when the pressure from the crystals is removed. This concentrates the electrochemical action on the remaining electrode material and any exposed grid surface, resulting in its more rapid degradation.There is evidence that pulse charging provides some benefit in recovering from the early stages of sulphation, before the crystals have grown large enough to become non-porous and displace electrode material, which may help significantly extend the life of traction and deep cycle batteries and slightly extend the time that a battery can be left discharged without damage (by hours, not days).Whether or not that circuit is effective (or at least as effective as any other pulse 'desulphator') depends on the waveforms and the pulse current with respect to the battery capacity. You'd have to do a lot of research and examination of prior art to determine if its any good and what range of battery capacities its good for. At least it has the benefit of being cheap!

author: Chriss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 16, 2023, 09:16:56 am
content: I supposed also that this process is not so simple as it is telling in the video.I'm not a battery expert but whenever I come across such and info or "solution"I'm thinking "what will happen if all the dirt is falling down on the bottom of the battery, it will probably short out the grid's...".I can remember the time when I could clean\spill the battery and all that dirt what come out...After refilling again all was perfect.But today all that same car batteries are told "without maintenance".

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 16, 2023, 09:22:55 am
content: all you need is a few good men to restore a battery. When I saw that video is when I figured out that gluing sealed batteries into products is just a stupid idea. If you can replace thats good, if you can fix it on the street its even better.They really should get some gloves and work in a tub that they can collect hazardous waste in, but the point stands.. (2$ a day salary does not help)

author: Chriss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 16, 2023, 09:25:53 am
content: "Ultimate lab!"I always wondering how simple they do thinks.I don't understand sometime how that really works.Or do we are overcomplicate sometime our job?

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 16, 2023, 09:28:47 am
content: well we would have a problem with all that lead and acid splashing around, but I suspect some low low low shipping and logistics prices come from the fact that this kind of thing is possible. At some point you want the truck of grain pretty badly.But seriously gloves

author: mikerj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 16, 2023, 11:42:40 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on January 16, 2023, 09:28:47 amThe skills and work ethic are admirable, and I'm far from a safety nazi but but it does feel like they are making this operation as risky as possible. The guy wearing sandals whilst ladling out molten lead 6 inches from his feet is uncomfortable to watch.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 16, 2023, 07:41:10 pm
content: ehhh the physical injury thing is one thing, but the toxic lead is probobly worse in the long run. Its kind of unique to their battery gig, the other things, literary everyone there has to deal with in their job (not getting smashed/burned/stabbed).

author: Chriss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2023, 10:59:35 am
content: However, whenever I watch such of video like this above, I feel somehow sorry for that people who are living that way, but the other hand, I don't know if all theknowledge I have about physics, electronics, chemistry etc. are really working that way as I learned it at the school?Or is that only a way to control the knowledge of average peoples and them also through their life.Here I'm thinking about politicians, world economic leaders etc...

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2023, 07:31:51 am
content: well there is always the fact that their boss is making more then them and safety is not totally unavoidable there. Because there are plenty of rich people all over the world with villas, sports cars, etc making money off not buying those joes gloves... strong internal problems.. can't make it too much of your problem because you know some where down the line over there you got people complaining that there is a guy with too many raises, too many bonuses, to much royalties or whatever. Like its known that warlords rob UNICEF and other aid organizations, thats extremely beyond anyone's control in another country. Best you can do as a engineer is like not specify plutonium alloys inside of equipment that you know is going to end up being serviced in those kinds of conditionsKinda scary to think about what will happen with those portable reactors they keep advertising make it to the third world (corporate cradle to grave responsibility? lol). The fifth element fuel cell scene comes to mind, when the $03.50/day nuclear technician jobs start appearing

author: Conrad Hoffman
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2023, 05:41:22 pm
content: People have been hawking battery rejuvenators since batteries were invented. Hope springs eternal, but they just don't work very well. There's no current, voltage, pulse shape, duration, duty cycle or incantation that will change that.