conditioning batteries

[Jeffrey Joseph]

First I want to thank all of the speakers and background helpers for all the hard work involved in the conference. Way to go.
I got back and got work padded down so I could take time to look at my wheels and of course all coils wound in repulsion mode. I already matched transisters and resisters; static ballance the wheels.
I rewired coils and ready to go. Set up 50amp hour gell batt source to charge 35 amp times 5 batts in parallel. I replaced the 50amp batt with charged 50 amp batt as they came down to around 12.25 volts
charged in radient mode for two days charge batteries are around 13.30 volts. I drop four of the batts from the bank and the single charge batt go up to 15.30 rather rapidly. I take the next batt in the bank and charge it by itself and it goes up to 14.40 rather rapidly. The last three all around 13.30 so I charge the three over night. First one by itself goes to 15.30 next goes to 14.20 next goes to 13.80.

My wheel at home I set up charging a 35 with a 5amp hour and 7amp hour battery. the 5 went fast and when the 7 amp batt got down to 12.20 I shut it down and went to bed. Tha next morning I put the 7amp back on and the charge batt ran up to 15 rather rapidly.
My question1; what are we doing to condition a battery.
question 2; what is the procedure for setting up batteries to condition.
question 3; can you condition used battries? AS they say in Hawaii ; If Can Can ,If No Can No Can
Thanks again for all you do. Happiness and Joy Jeffrey Joseph

[BobZilla]

Hi Jeffrey,

My question1; what are we doing to condition a battery.

The main thing you are doing is removing sulphate buildup on the plates. There is another process in play which changes the electrolyte but the main thing is the sulphate. Over time a battery will build up a layer on the plates which will decrease the capacity of the battery. As the usable plate surface area decreases because of the build up it looses it's capacity. This is a normal effect of the battery discharging. When you condition the battery with Bedini tech you are hitting the plates with high voltage impulses which dissolves the buildup and reverses it to become acid again which mixes back into the electrolyte. The result is that you return the plate surface area to it's original state, gaining capacity.

question 2; what is the procedure for setting up batteries to condition.

You want to charge and discharge the battery many times over. Generally speaking you will start to see noticeable changes after about 10 cycles. Never discharge the battery at a rate higher that it's C20 rate and never below 12V, better to keep around 12.2 or so. Try to get a data sheet for your batteries but a guess for the size batteries you are working with is not to exceed about 1/4 amp.

Depending on the condition of the battery you may not get it to charge all the way up to 15V at first. Watch the voltage and if it climbs rapidly and the starts to drop back, it is done. You may only get 13.5, 14, whatever, just watch for the signs that it is done. As you get it conditioned it will eventually start to go all the way to 15V. Make sure you do not dry the cells out. The process will produce hydrogen gas by converting the water through electrolysis. You must maintain the water as you loose it to off-gassing. Flooded batteries are easier to work with in this respect but I regularly work with AGM batteries, once and awhile I put an eye dropper full of water in each cell to replenish.

question 3; can you condition used battries?

Absolutely! Not all used batteries can be recovered though. If it has physical damage such as bad connections internally or warped plates you can not recover it. The majority of what you will find can be recovered if you work with the battery. Make sure it has water and don't expect it to work like new on the second charge. It takes many cycles but you can restore them to like new performance. I have restored some that would run down flat in just 5 minutes when I started. Once you cycle at least ten times you will notice the run time will improve, just keep at it and it will become like new.

Good luck----Bob