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**Hpdovoxm** · 08-29-2012, 02:31 AM

I've tried this years ago with the additive tablets that I think are based on Epsom salt.

There are some related tips here http://www.ehow.com/how_4855050_reco...tery-home.html
and in a video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfIPNjX8W7E
and http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/additives

My experience was that there was very little noticeable difference. After a few weeks I gave up and replaced the battery. Usually it's at the beginning of cold weather when you notice the turnover is slow, and it just gets worse as the weather gets worse.

The best thing you can to do extend battery life is to make sure it's always charged according to guidelines for the battery technology. The manufacturers usually have application notes available that go into great detail. Lead-acid batteries need to be charged with a carefully regulated voltage which may also need to be adjusted for temperature. Allowing the cells to go over voltage results in outgassing which is bad for the cells and can cause explosions. Charging under voltage because of the nature of the cell results in insufficient charge. Allowing lead acid cells to drop below a certain voltage encourages rapid sulfation and drastic loss of capacity, so it is essential to maintain their charge, keeping checks on batteries in storage and applying a top-up charge at intervals. Driving habits where you make short trips without any longer trips that allow the battery to properly recharge can shorten the life of the battery (as well as fouling spark plugs) - it can take approx 20 times the starter turning time which of course can vary. Could be up to 10-15 minutes to ensure a full charge. If a battery is already run down it could take 30 minutes, and you normally need to be running at normal RPM, not idle RPM.

08-29-2012, 02:31 AM	#11
Hpdovoxm Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 523 Senior Member	I've tried this years ago with the additive tablets that I think are based on Epsom salt. There are some related tips here http://www.ehow.com/how_4855050_reco...tery-home.html and in a video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfIPNjX8W7E and http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/additives My experience was that there was very little noticeable difference. After a few weeks I gave up and replaced the battery. Usually it's at the beginning of cold weather when you notice the turnover is slow, and it just gets worse as the weather gets worse. The best thing you can to do extend battery life is to make sure it's always charged according to guidelines for the battery technology. The manufacturers usually have application notes available that go into great detail. Lead-acid batteries need to be charged with a carefully regulated voltage which may also need to be adjusted for temperature. Allowing the cells to go over voltage results in outgassing which is bad for the cells and can cause explosions. Charging under voltage because of the nature of the cell results in insufficient charge. Allowing lead acid cells to drop below a certain voltage encourages rapid sulfation and drastic loss of capacity, so it is essential to maintain their charge, keeping checks on batteries in storage and applying a top-up charge at intervals. Driving habits where you make short trips without any longer trips that allow the battery to properly recharge can shorten the life of the battery (as well as fouling spark plugs) - it can take approx 20 times the starter turning time which of course can vary. Could be up to 10-15 minutes to ensure a full charge. If a battery is already run down it could take 30 minutes, and you normally need to be running at normal RPM, not idle RPM.
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