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On Thu, 27 Apr 2000, Tony Duell wrote: I have recovered, at least partially, some small lead-acid gel cells (small UPS batteries). I've done 3 and one came out like new, one just good, and one borderline OK. I usually do it over a few days at work. The basic method is this: 1. Put them across a *current-limited* power supply, set to 2 or 2.5 times the battery voltage, current-limited to C/10 amps. (that's 1/10 the amp-hour rating). Initially it will draw negligible current, but since the voltage is so high it will start to bust through the sulfate and current will rise. Eventually (a few minutes to a an hour) you'll start to current limit. When the voltage drops down to near the nominal battery voltage (perhaps several hours) go to step 2. 2. Take the battery off charge and leave it sit a minute or two. Read the voltage across it. The lower it reads, the more shorted cells you have. If it's less than half the nominal, consider giving up. Otherwise go on to step 3. 3. Charge at C/10 (or even up to C/5) for 2 hours, then put a dead short across the battery. (I use about a foot-long piece of #16 wire with the voltmeter across it to see how much current it's putting out. As the battery improves you will start to pass a LOT of current so be careful.) The dead short will use the energy in the good cells to blast out the shorts in the shorted cells. Leave it shorted for 10 or 15 seconds. Put it back on charge for a few minutes, then take it off for a minute. Read the voltage again. Repeat step 3 until.... 4. When your voltage is up near the nominal battery voltage, and the battery is able to put out a healthy amount of current (50 to 100 amps under dead short is not unrealistic), let it charge at C/10 for 10 or 12 hours. Then let it sit overnight or so. If the voltage stays up, congratulations, you're done. If it drops, try charging at C/10 for a few more hours until the battery is good and warm. You might still have some shorted cells and the heat and gassing will circulate the gel a little. It this doesn't qualify as battery abuse then I don't know what would. :-) It's a procedure that's technically hard on the battery, but it's already dead, right? As usual, look out for gassing, excessive heat, and sparks at the terminals. And if it blows up don't call me :-) Richard Schauer rws(a)enteract.com

Mike Ford wrote: Yes, I will be going down. John has decided not to attend; seems there is another show in Europe (VCF Europe) going on at the same time and TRW lost out :). Space G22. For anyone not aware of TRW in So. Cal. (is that possible?), it runs from about 7:00am to 11:30am in the parking lot near Marine and Aviation Blvd. It used to be in El Segundo but they moved it a couple of hundred yards and I don't know the city it is in off hand. See you down there!

ard Hi Tony They probably cheated on the wire. The insulation on the primary wire is suppose to melt, shorting turns. This is suppose to cause the incoming fine wire, that leads from the lugs to the primary, to burn open. This is what they are tested to do but like anything, some purchasing agent may have seen that wire x was cheaper at company xx and made the change without realizing the reasons for using a particular wire. These are the kinds of problems that the ISO stuff was suppose to stop but it seems it is only good for lawers that back track booboos. Since UL can't look at every unit shipped, the entire thing is subject to human error. Dwight

adapter would could be convinced to sell The real adapter, which puts out 1.5 amps, will only spin the HD if the battery will hold a charge. If it won't you need to use at least a PB 100 adapter, and probably no more than that.