I think this battery is toast

[Zorba]

I have been using the CTEK 7002 for at least 10 years. Recovered several batteries I thought were toast. Recovered one that was at 5v and that battery is still going strong months later. Both regular flooded and AGM. The CTEK is also the most recommended charger in the Porsche and BMW groups (AMG batteries with heavy loads from those German car electronics).

Interesting. I had a conventional battery last over 10 years in my MBZ. I finally pre-emptively replaced it. Weeks later, I had an electrical issue that deep discharged the new one. I knew right then that the new battery wasn't going to last 10 years. It didn't. It crapped out after about 3...

 

[CreepinDeth]

Yes, all the fancy stuff works with those, too.



According to the battery charger companies, that is old thinking. Apparently, the reason for the life being shortened is the formation of lead sulfate crystals on the surface of the plates, preventing electron transfer. They claim that applying pulses of high current to the battery will break the crystals from the surface of the plates, allowing electron transfer to occur. Here's the charge profile from my CTEK charger's manual (note the current pulses during the desulfation stage):

View attachment 445526

This fancy charger is not a dumb device. It's controlling current and/or voltage at various stages to put the most charge on the battery and then maintain the battery in good shape.

I'm still a bit skeptical about it because it's been very hard to confirm what the charger is actually doing. It has a limited number of LEDs, and I've never seen some of them lit, so I don't know if it's really doing what it's supposed to. Of course, I could put a voltage/current logger on it and review that data, but I have too many other projects...

This is correct.

This is why when they stopped producing desulfating chargers for awhile, it was a real pain in the ass.
I'm glad to hear it's been back on chargers because it's a necessity.

Some shared experiences, my college phase I had a 1998 Lexus ES300 bought 10 years old, and I had that OEM battery last 14 years.
You guys may not believe it, but I'll also tell you I bought a 1997 Lexus ES300 for my mother and that battery lasted 11 or 12 years.

Toyota makes higher quality systems, and not sure who made those batteries but they were taken out and "Reconditioned" a few
times to get them to last that long. But never seen any other make & model come anywhere near it. My wife's mothers Lexus ES330
went 10 years but we didn't recondition it like we did ours.

 

[sab]

Back in the day, when lead acid batteries were very simple and could be rebuilt, my farmer grandfather used Epsom salts to revive sulfated batteries.

Now that is old school genius right there...

 

[MountaineerTom]

Mine was still in Desulfate this morning when I left for work at 7:00 am.

 

[MountaineerTom]

Mine was still in Desulfate this morning when I left for work at 7:00 am.

Yeah, I don’t know If that’s good or bad. Longer than I expected, by far. The manual says it will stop after 24 hours if it fails.

Either way, I’m at work until 8:00 pm and then me and my coworkers from our line are going out to eat. We’ll see where it’s at sometime after that.

 

[CreepinDeth]

I would take it out of desulfate mode after work.
It's not a good sign, that's for sure.

All you can do now, is try to see if it will take a full charge and then get it tested or test it yourself if you have the right tools

 

[BlueC]

The CTEK is also the most recommended charger in the Porsche and BMW groups

I became aware of them via Jay Leno.

NOCO does multiples. If I was to replace my CTEK, I would buy a NOCO (costs a lot less).

Is that simply based on cost?

 

[BlueC]

Back in the day, when lead acid batteries were very simple and could be rebuilt, my farmer grandfather used Epsom salts to revive sulfated batteries.

Now that is old school genius right there...

I've actually seen that done, well not rebuilt, but cleaned/flushed and refilled.

 

[explorerlyon]

I became aware of them via Jay Leno.



Is that simply based on cost?

When I purchased by CTEK 7002, it was $95. Now its $180. I see a lot of boat guys using NOCO for multiple batteries in their banks and speak highly of NOCO, so I would try that, But.....my CTEK has been impressive for many years.

 

[MountaineerTom]

Well, yesterday morning I figured out why it was in Desulfation so long. I didn’t hit the Start button. I thought it started automatically. Anyway, once I figured that out, I did the Repair and Desulfation again. They were both complete very quickly.

Left it on the 15 amp charge for about 24 hours. It was at 12.97 volts this morning when I checked it with a Foxwell BT-705 Battery Analyzer that I have. It showed 155 CCA (850 CCA battery) and recommended replacing battery. Took it to Advance Auto Parts and had them test it. They showed 190 CCA and also recommended replacement.

Well…crap. Time to do some shopping.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

How long did it last? My first battery made by Odyssey was close to 11 years old when it finally failed. My current Twin brother Northstar, an offshoot of Odyssey that even uses the same battery case, is going on 7-8 years.

 

[MountaineerTom]

How long did it last? My first battery made by Odyssey was close to 11 years old when it finally failed. My current Twin brother Northstar, an offshoot of Odyssey that even uses the same battery case, is going on 7-8 years.

6 years and 4 months since I installed it, so I got some time out of it.

I don’t mind buying a battery, I just hate that my mistake caused me to have to buy a battery.

 

[MountaineerTom]

Thinking about getting one of the group 34 / 78 X2 AGM batteries from batteries plus. Apparently made by Northstar also.

 

[sab]

Thinking about getting one of the group 34 / 78 X2 AGM batteries from batteries plus. Apparently made by Northstar also.

I almost got one of those during the height of Covid-related supply-chain issues, but managed to find an actual Northstar instead. I know that doesn't help you, but I did see good things about the Batteries+ version, and they do appear to be a re-badged Northstar battery.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Thinking about getting one of the group 34 / 78 X2 AGM batteries from batteries plus. Apparently made by Northstar also.

If it's made by Northstar it'd be an equally good battery, I'm really happy with mine. I really can't tell any difference between it and its twin-brother from Odyssey other than the labels.

 

[MountaineerTom]

This will do.

 

[CreepinDeth]

I kinda suspected it was a SNAFU based on the desulfation not ending.

Either way, glad ya got a replacement.
I'm unfamiliar with that brand and based on the cost, I'm sure you got a waaaaaay higher quality battery there.

https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/sli34=78agmdp
For those of you that have run these, is it worth the premium VS your average 3-7 year Interstate battery ??

 

[sab]

I kinda suspected it was a SNAFU based on the desulfation not ending.

Technically, it didn't end because it never started (per Post #70).

 

[MountaineerTom]

I kinda suspected it was a SNAFU based on the desulfation not ending.

Either way, glad ya got a replacement.
I'm unfamiliar with that brand and based on the cost, I'm sure you got a waaaaaay higher quality battery there.

[URL][URL][URL]https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/sli34=78agmdp[/URL][/URL][/URL]

For those of you that have run these, is it worth the premium VS your average 3-7 year Interstate battery ??

Supposedly, it’s a Northstar battery made for Batteries+. There was a 10% off (up to $30 max) coupon for ordering online and picking up in-store.

 

[MountaineerTom]

Couldn't finish the install the other day because my battery hold down block cracked. Ordered a Dorman piece from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NF18MDS/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Bolt was in backwards just like some of the reviews state and it was a good bit longer than the original. I just removed the bolt that came with it and reused my OEM bolt, installed from the right direction.

For some reason, the battery sit a little looser once tightened down compared to the Odyssey. I had some thin rubber sheets, so I just cut a piece out to make a mat to sit in the tray. Snugged up tight, but I'll keep an eye on it. Jeep fired up strong.