Home         What's New         Products         Manuals         Technical Documents         Contact Us         Support         Links         Buy    



View as PDF

Killing Batteries

There are many ways to kill batteries ...even very expensive batteries. Below are a few ways to treat batteries ...NOT!

  • Overcharge the battery by applying a voltage above 13.8 Volts for extended period
  • Undercharge the battery by never charging it beyond 13.8 Volts.
  • Discharge the battery and leave it that way for a few days or weeks.
  • Let the battery sit unattended without charging for 3 weeks or longer.
  • Repeatedly discharge the battery beyond the optimum 50%.
  • Slosh the battery around when it is deeply discharged.
  • Boil enough electrolyte from the battery that the plates are exposed to air.
  • Periodically add more acid, or unpure water.
  • Use a ferroresonant charger in a liveaboard situation.
  • Sock the battery with a high output alternator that produces more than 40% of the Ah capacity of the battery.
  • Mount the battery where it regularly gets above $90^\circ $ F.
  • Charge it hot until you can't even touch the case anymore.
  • Use a big inverter on a small battery and run the inverter until it cuts out from low voltage.
  • Freeze the battery in a discharged state.
  • Use a starter battery in a deep cycle application.