Hook jumper cables to a good battery and the bad battery. Apply a 5 amp charger to the good battery at the same time. If that doesn't work then it's junk.
Saving a dead battery?
- Thread starter 88AZSS
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It sucks ruining a battery and if you can't get it recharged and feel confident with it is not worth worrying about getting suck someplace....plus a weak battery puts extra strain on the alternator
I was told never to zap a dead battery with a high amperage charger. Those big chargers you see in gas stations are for fast charging a relatively healthy battery that was run down by an idiot. The correct way to resuscitate a dead battery is with a charger that will give short pulses of low amps. That way it has a chance to de-sulfate the plates. Once that is accomplished it will change over to a more robust charge. Modern smart chargers will do that.
UPDATE: I am faced with a dead battery that took an entire quart of distilled water. I am amazed it even worked at all in this state. Seems to be taking a charge. Then I wondered if it needed the acid replaced and I did a quick search. Unbelievably Amazon, Advance, NAPA, etc still offer QUAL brand acid in a 6 quart container. It can only ship via hazardous material carrier so best to get some at a local store. I guess you need to ask for or order some as they don't keep it laying around in plain sight for good reason.
Bought battery acid at OReilly a couple years ago. Got another 18 mos out that battery.
I love stories like that! My best ever was a battery someone tossed in the parking lot where I worked. It was an old Sears Die Hard with a semi-transparent case. I could see that it was super low on fluid and probably replaced out of ignorance. I took it home, flushed it out, refilled with new acid, and got 5 years out of it. I am hoping this one will take a full charge but if not I'll do the acid thing.
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