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Battery additives

Yesterday's Tractor Forums
T

Tom N MS

Well-known Member
Any good or bad experiences--not trying to bring one back to life-just wondering if would help or hurt my battery that mostly sits and tractor seldom gets ran like it needs....Tks
 
Never seen one that helps any and I have talked with guys who have owned battery shops for decades and they have all said nothing helps. Butthat said I have a battery here from 2005 that when I got it it was dead but I charged it up and it has been a good battery in every thing I have put it in. Why I do not know but hey it still holds a charge and does it job
 
If the additive stuff did what they claim it will di, it would bee some good stuff it seems but not surprised it is just another snake oil..I'd say the battery you have had since 05 has been a good one..does it have a brand name on it?? Tks
 
I think the best you can do is install a battery tender.

Keep it connected to the battery when not using the tractor, it will keep the battery fully charged and ready to go,

My best advice
 
I don't know of any additives but keep battery terminals clean and put a battery maintainer on it when not in use. When battery is low on water I add battery acid instead of water.
 
I think the only way to help a battery is either to run it and make sure your charging system is working right or put a trickle charger on it so it will keep it full charged. That's what I use for the winter months since I don't start them much. If you have a battery you can check the cells then make sure its kept full of water. Years ago there was a fellow local that dealt in used cars. If his battery was low he would add baking soda. Quick short time fix ( NOT RECOMMENDED ) for the moment . The 66 rag top I bought from him lasted about a week then just died. It didn't slow down. just quit. Word got around though.
 
If the tractor sits for over 30 days, it is best to disconnect the ground strap. AS stated, invest in a good battery maintainer. Don't assume it will be okay to hook up and leave alone. Check on it now and then. It's been known that mice, cats, rats, snakes, birds, and other critters like to harbor in these old tractors and can knock off a connection easily.

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Tim Tks--I have a quick no wrenches needed disconnect and I do keep it disconnected..propr to that it had a slow drain on it thru the alternator-even with the fancy dancy diode that is suppose to prevent such things..Yea critters will get wherever they decide will be home...and they steal too..My Brother started missing tools-some pretty heavy tools--found most of them in the corner of a pump house where rats had decided they needed them in their bed...
 
They do work--I keep one on two Motorcycles all the time.....Had a cheap one go bad few yrs ago and I blame it for ruining the battery-it might not but it was cooked out bone dry..Little scared of them but everything has risk of malfunction..Thanks
 
I'd think baking soda would be the last thing to ever add to a battery--dont understand that thinking at all.
 
Use to but got lazy and scared of tenders after one malfunctioned and got very hot and boiled out my battery--anyway, you are righttwo on MCs and a 65 Mustang here now--I think I have another one already on hand--getting cold here again so will be good time to hook it up today..Tks
 
Why??????? Acid doesn't evaporate only water hence the reason the proper procedure is to top off with distilled water.
 
The new battery maintainers that I have has a section of wire that bolts to battery and hangs out where ever you want it to and has a plug from charger that plugs into that plug hanging out. The ones I have these plugs plug in tight and it takes some effort to pull apart. I would be more afraid of something chewing through the wires.
 
(quoted from post at 19:08:51 01/01/16) Tim Tks--I have a quick no wrenches needed disconnect and I do keep it disconnected..propr to that it had a slow drain on it thru the alternator-even with the fancy dancy diode that is suppose to prevent such things..Yea critters will get wherever they decide will be home...and they steal too..My Brother started missing tools-some pretty heavy tools--found most of them in the corner of a pump house where rats had decided they needed them in their bed...
Click to expand...

That's a negative of the diode they will leak a small amount of voltage. They also have a voltage drop across them but that does not affect the application were you are using it other than it does build up heat. That's one reason I like to use a ignition switch that has a accessory terminal.. Its a little more work but eliminates little things that becomes a big thing like a drain on the battery...
 
battery tender PLUS

not cheap, but like most things in life, you get what you pay for,

so far its been a good one and I have had no problems leaving it hooked up for long periods of time.

when I go to start the vehicle at least the battery is ready to go,

my old Kawasaki Drifter 1500cc would not start unless the battery was at full charge, the Battery Tender Plus kept it that way.
 
" just wondering if would help or hurt my battery that mostly sits and tractor seldom gets ran like it needs"

Nope.

No magic elixir in a bottle.

If you can't run it every 30 days, get a high quality float charger. Not a trickle charger; that's a good way to kill a battery. And a cheap float charger isn't much better. Pay the bucks & get one that will work w/o damaging the battery. Or starting a fire.

I've been using Battery Tender float chargers now for about 15 years. You can hardwire them to the vehicle & they have an in-line fuse. I've got 6 tractors, a golf cart & a 29 Ford & all of them have a battery tender hooked up 24/7. Starting quickly in winter sure is nice, as is the 8+ years I get out of the batteries by keeping them fully charged.

http://www.batterytender.com/
battery%20tender_zpsmdydvdg1.jpg

75 Tips
 
I buy Carquest batteries.they are very good. The battery in my 9n will be 9 years old next month.

I have two battery maintainers.one Carquest and one NAPA.
Something happened to the NAPA one. It didn't shut off once and boiled the battery. I stopped using it. The Carquest is still working fine.
 
Will have to check at closest town and see if the Carquest is still there,,,Usuallyway high on their stuff when I use to deal with them some yrs ago Normally had to order everything-seldom had it on the shelf..
 
Mine has a switch with access..so might b wired wrong or something-been yrs since I messed
with running the wires..
 
Makes it handier--got it that way on MCycles--just have to be sure u get wires right on the battery so they are not crossed when u plug em in..
 
Looks like a Deltran--thats what I have on the MCs except mine are the smaller ones with leds to let u monitor at a glance,,
 
Been good one..I buy good many walmart and adv auto batteries for forklifts at work..Both seem about equal..I did hate to see our local Napa close though--I liked their batteries and stuff,,
 
I'm not a believer in snake oil.

The best thing you can do to assure maximum life of your tractor battery is to fully charge it every 4 - 6 weeks during the off season.

Dean
 
Tks--headed to hook it up..about 40 something this morning--too cold for us Southerners to be messing with anything..
 
You do know that there is only 3 or 4 companies that make batteries but sell them to each store with a different look to them but for the most part are the same when it comes to what they are good for
 
For over a hundred years now, the entire telephone system has been run on batteries. In order to get the longest life out of them Bell labs determined that floating them a bit higher than their nominal voltage was the best policy. For a twelve volt battery the float voltage should be 13.8 volts. This reduces crystallization between plates. Our battery plants at work are 48 volts, we float them at 52 volts. Each battery is the size of waste basket, all strung together in big racks.

Jerry
 
First of all I use the Schumacher battery maintainers that Wallmart sells, they cost $19.95 and are 6 or 12 volt. I've had good luck with these. Next I never believed in battery additives but 4 years ago I bought a farmall 300.a week after I bought it I went to start it and the battery was too low to start it. It looked fairly old so I removed it and installed a new one. I had heard of a battery additive sold by jc Whitney called charge it. I ordered a bottle and put some in that old battery I removed from the 300. I charged it up and put it in my old 78 ford pickup that I use for hauling brush and going to the dump. It is still starting that truck. Maybe I just got lucky!
 
I don't know why either. I have been told by other car dealers its a quick fix. not a lasting one. Some car dealers don't care as long as they get it sold. That particular dealer took a lot to the car auctions. He is still in the business today but with the type of batteries they have now he probably cant do that anymore. They only had to last 36 hours. I have also been told that if you have a battery that loses charge pretty quickly you can empty it and put in new acid and use a trickle charger to bring it back if your battery isn't dead and it will last for awhile if you keep it fully charged. Personally I would just get a new battery and keep a tickle charger on it. They say theres only 2/3 places that makes batteries. I think the no account ones are sent to walmarts as the last couple I bought there sure didn't last long. so I don't buy theres anymore. We have an orchelns farm and home here and I have had good luck with there batteries. im sure everyone has there preference.
 
Tom.........ya got that rite......baking soda NEUTRALIZES acid. What do they use in lead batterys??? Sulfuric ACID!!! (H2SO4) .......chemical Dell
 
DO NOT leave a float charger connected for long periods of time.

That said, an automatic battery MAINTAINER may be left connected indefinitely.

Dean
 
When you lose liquid in battery you lose some of the acid with it. I was told this by a battery dealer and an auto supply years ago. The only trouble is battery acid is a pain in the neck to store.
 

Used to have a problem with my battery going dead in between uses. I mean like using the mower in summer and using the box blade in winter. The tractor would sit maybe 4 to 6 months at a time.

I installed the Harbor Freight battery disconnect switch a couple years ago and have always been surprised when I hop on the tractor and the battery is almost like it has just been charged.

image_12541.jpg
 
Good to hear a positive report--if it works it works..some of the thingsthey claim it does make sense..
 
Guess I've been pretty lucky with AZ batteries and the Wally World ones have done ok in forklifts at work--Next one will probably be a Napa..would use Deka if had supplier nearby but I don't..
 
Yea, I use baking soda water to clean off/neutralize acid not give it a boost..Well I guess I learned something today..
 
Precisely Tom!......I don't know why anyone would have told him that.......bubbling and the complete destruction of that battery would result immediately!
 
Yea I guess some have more plates or thicker plates--different guts to some degree I have always thought..
 
I bought the two prong trailer light connector one time and had them all butt connector spliced together then saw I had the wires crossed..carelessness..
 
I brought a few of these and plan to install them on the negative side. I made a brack for one but got buzy and never got back to the project.

http://www.harborfreight.com/heavy-duty-battery-cutoff-switch-66789.html

You can get them that are keyed remove the key and hide it...



http://www.amazon.com/Cal-Term-41860-Switch-Battery/dp/B0007MCTQ4

I have a few I use to chase down battery drains like you posted and tried'em I don't like them because you have to get to the battery to connect/disconnect them... I'M to lazy I recon :lol:
 
I always run nterstate batteries. The two in my 886 chore tractor were 9 in October. I'm sure I've jynxed it now! That tractor has two 12 volt batteries, a strong alternator, and it starts easy. I always see just how long I can go with them on barrowed time.
 
I have one of the switches that the key can be taken out. Its on my Farmall 450 and great to keep kids from starting tractor if not around tractor.
 
I don't think I've ever heard of any battery additives but I was once charging a 12 volt battery. I had it sitting on a box that I thought would hold it all right but the box crumpled up and the battery fell over on it's side spilling out most of the acid.

I went down to the auto parts store and bought a container of battery acid. I dumped out what was left in the battery and filled each cell up again. There was just enough acid in the container to fill 6 cells in a twelve volt battery.

I put the battery back on the charger and it charged up real nice and lasted another 4 or 5 years or so with no problems.
 
Yes exactly, it naturally evaporates a small bit of water, but not the acid thus why you only replenish the watet
 
with a few battery explosions in my past.......
bad battery?....throw it in the junk where it belongs.
(lotsa boom energy in those little containers)

cheap? I see a lot of battery posts about buying big $ batteries.
A cheap lawn tractor battery has more than enough to start
our little low compression 4-bangers....if you are 12v :)

battery disconnects? always a good idea.
If you don't want to create one, the one Hobo posted is good...and cheap.
google
drag racing battery disconnect switch
and stop by a car site like Jegs, or Summit and you will see every style imaginable.
 
Jerry9N, that Telco plant voltage is 52.08V, 2.17V per cell with 24 cells. One of my jobs was checking them on a routine basis so that sticks in my mind as that's what the float voltage was adjusted to. Just kidding as nobody cares about the .08 volts. If the AC supply to rectifiers dropped off the battery voltage would dip and then come back up to 48 volts as batteries assumed load. I think the batteries were good for 20 years or so. Specific gravity was also check regularly and was indicative of battery condition. I think I had 6 banks of 24 batteries to routine so it would take quite a bit of time.
 
I clean a battery of the slime that can collect on top and neutralize it with baking soda. It is conductive and slowly discharge. Take a digital meter and you can read a voltage across the slimy acid that creeps across the top of a battery, it will create a small current.
 
Have had disconnect on it for several yrs-best thing I ever did..charged the battery @ 2
amps all night last night and put a maintainer on it today...NO additives..
 
(quoted from post at 00:16:03 01/01/16) Any good or bad experiences--not trying to bring one back to life-just wondering if would help or hurt my battery that mostly sits and tractor seldom gets ran like it needs....Tks
Click to expand...

When a lead acid battery discharges it leaves a sulfate deposit on the plates which causes the current flow as designed . When the battery is recharged the sulfates move back to the solution to make a stronger concentrate of sulfuric acid . If left in a discharged state too long the sulfate crystals harden and the battery becomes weaker from [color=red:fc644c5f12]sulfation[/color:fc644c5f12] . I can't see any additive that would help one cycle without hindering the other cycle ( charge / recharge ) If a battery will be revived it will be from a long slow recharge . A quick recharge will not be as effective on dissolving the plaque .

I leave my old batteries on the charger overnight and pour out the acid before sending them to be recycled . The cloudy acid will settle overnight and leave a clear solution in a gallon pickle jar . I have heard that only "Water" evaporates and that's all that needs to be replaced , but I have seen a many rusty battery trays . I do not know how to read what concentration of the sulfuric acid is but I don't think adding water or used acid will have much effect . The used acid is free in my case and I just have a hard time paying for water .

Here is a paragraph from wikipedia for what it's worth .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead–acid_battery

Starting batteries
Main article: Automotive battery

Lead–acid batteries designed for starting automotive engines are not designed for deep discharge. They have a large number of thin plates designed for maximum surface area, and therefore maximum current output, but which can easily be damaged by deep discharge. Repeated deep discharges will result in capacity loss and ultimately in premature failure, as the electrodes disintegrate due to mechanical stresses that arise from cycling. Starting batteries kept on continuous float charge will have corrosion in the electrodes which will result in premature failure. Starting batteries should be kept open circuit but charged regularly (at least once every two weeks) to prevent [color=red:fc644c5f12]sulfation[/color:fc644c5f12].
 
Just for fun search ebay for battery additives....I have bought MCycle batteries where you
had to add the acid and u are right they have it measured out to the last drop-no extra..
 
Good practice I think.....I always turn off the gas and run it till it quits, then turn key to off and remove the key..key is kept out of sight but near the tractor...and out of reach of little one(Grandson)_ that could climb a 99 ft tree with no limbs.
 
Thanks Everyone--had lots of responses and I learned a lot--Thanks again----O By the way-I have no plans to use a battery additive based on shared info Tks..
 

I have never been sold on a sloooow charge and probably never will be... I put the hammer to them 20 to 60 amps if it will not come back to life in 30 min I am not going to waist my time and use my equipment/energy up. That's the world they live in the world were they they are expected to operate in... Bounce back to life are go to be recycled I don't have time for a wish and a hope preform are die...

I have two puters on 12V automotive battery back ups only so the system can shut down when there is a power outage safely...
 
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