Paul's how NOT to convert a Metro

[watt-a-mezz]

Originally Posted by thatguitarguy

And if you spend much time moving all that lead around, you could grow up to be the governor of California (if you have an accent)

No Thanks, California is broke and burnin! Anyway, after I got them into
the battery box, that was enough. I wanted to use sams club 8v for the rest.
Those 113lb monsters are still holding charge. after two months of sitting.
Pretty good for used. Watt

[thatguitarguy]

Originally Posted by vpoppv

I successfully converted a battery to alum. I took a battery that wasn't able to start a car after a charge. I dumped out the acid and filtered it with a coffee filter. I rinsed the battery out with water. I put the acid back in, gave it a charge, and still didn't get it to start a car. I dumped out the acid again, rinsed it again. I then mixed a 1.9oz container of Alum (aluminum sulfate; spice section of grocery store for $2.97) with 32oz of distilled water. I had to heat the water for 30 seconds in the microwave to dissolve it completely. I put the mixture in the battery. I had to put an additional ~20oz distilled water to fill the battery. After this, it only showed 11.48v. I charged it. After charging it still only showed 12.02v. After sitting overnight, it showed 11.98v. First, I put it on my 84 Dodge van with a 360 V8. It wouldn't turn over, but I kept trying. After that little( uhmmm huge) load, it read 11.54v. I then took it to a Geo Metro, plopped it in, and though it has been sitting for a week, it turned over fairly well and started. This is the original battery from my first Geo (the one I converted) that the owner strongly recommended I replace way back then. It is a 450cca battery (I didn't know they made them that small!) that is dated '04. While it can now be used to start a car, I wonder about the efficiency. I imagine the alternator would keep trying to charge it since it registers lower voltage. Mileage would probably suffer....

I've never heard of this, and I'm intrigued. I have plenty of batteries that I can play with, and if they can be brought back from the dead, it would be cool to have a heard of zombie batteries.

Does the alum replace the sulfuric acid, or is it added to the acid? Does the solution freeze? How long do they last? Is there a website?

[vpoppv]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Think about who's bringing the floor scrubber batteries to the recycler. You need to cut out the middle man!

Exactly!

Originally Posted by thatguitarguy

And if you spend much time moving all that lead around, you could grow up to be the governor of California (if you have an accent)

Actually, the thought has crossed my mind about becoming the governor of Oklahoma. I had serious thoughts of a personalized plate: "FUTRGOV".....
I know, has nothing to do about what one looks like after lifting tons of lead...

Originally Posted by thatguitarguy

I've never heard of this, and I'm intrigued. I have plenty of batteries that I can play with, and if they can be brought back from the dead, it would be cool to have a heard of zombie batteries.

Does the alum replace the sulfuric acid, or is it added to the acid? Does the solution freeze? How long do they last? Is there a website?

Yes, it replaces the sulfuric acid. One of the reasons I did the conversion is that, supposedly, alkaline batteries are much more tolerant of the cold; i.e. it holds voltage better. Also, (again, this is what my research has found, not actual experience yet) they last unused much longer. Here's one of many links:
Sepp Hasslberger: How to convert a Lead Acid Battery into an Alkaline Battery

Now, here's my take on the whole thing. It's a lot of work. You have to deal with lead (dangerous), and sulfuric acid (dangerous). With the sources I have found for batteries, it simply is not worth the effort for the most part. If I have a bad battery, it's much easier to get a good one and sell the bad one (at a tiny profit). That said, the reason for the experiment is to:
1) use a battery that is small, light, and convenient (I have access to mostly big deep cycle only- not really starting batteries)
2) have a battery that can sit for extended periods without degrading (my ICE has become obsolete because of my daily EV use. Also, I have many project cars that sit for a long time)
3) if this works out well enough, I could have cold and sulfate resistant batteries.

So the idea was to have good batteries that might also work in an EV. As it turns out though, I don't think that alum conversion is so great for an EV because the battery's resultant voltage is lower after conversion.

As I typed this, I went out on the coldest day of the season, to the car that has been sitting for 3 days unused, and it cranked for a good while and started. This was a battery that could not turn over a car before after a full charge. I bought some more alum, and I have a marine group 27 battery to try it on, but as I mentioned, it might not be worth the effort. It IS however a good weapon to have in the battery recycler's arsenal....

[thatguitarguy]

I'm off the grid and trying to minimize the use of my generator. I have 90 watts of solar panels and a few deep cycle batteries bought in the last year, but if I can get life out of old batteries, I want to see if it's worth the effort in order to increase my battery bank. Solar panels and batteries aren't cheap. My inverter probably won't be happy with lower voltage, but the lighting and DC motors that I have, I think, are less picky about lower voltage. Thanks a lot!!

[Christ]

Is there a website? I'm very interested in the alkaline conversion... how does charging work?

[vpoppv]

Originally Posted by Christ

Is there a website? I'm very interested in the alkaline conversion... how does charging work?

I posted a link, but really you'll get tons of info with a google search "battery alum conversion". Charging is the same, but a lot of the web links talk about discharging and recharging- stuff that an EV is really good at doing

[vpoppv]

It was Christmas today: Santa Clause sent me a battery desulfator by Wizbang. I installed it on my weakest battery. It shows 12.02v after commute.....

[vpoppv]

I got some pretty bad financial news through a call at 2:30 A.M. this morning. Needless to say, I developed quite a headache at work. But when I got home, this was waiting for me:

CURTIS PMC D.C MOTOR CONTROLLER 1209B-6402 - eBay (item 120501403293 end time Dec-03-09 14:11:32 PST)

Well, it works......Does that mean that I can say the conversion cost $192.78??

[Christ]

Originally Posted by vpoppv

I got some pretty bad financial news through a call at 2:30 A.M. this morning. Needless to say, I developed quite a headache at work. But when I got home, this was waiting for me:

CURTIS PMC D.C MOTOR CONTROLLER 1209B-6402 - eBay (item 120501403293 end time Dec-03-09 14:11:32 PST)

Well, it works......Does that mean that I can say the conversion cost $192.78??

It's ok, dude.. It won't take long to save up that $20 again. :P

[vpoppv]

Originally Posted by Christ

It's ok, dude.. It won't take long to save up that $20 again. :P

LOL....If only....But it's just money: I still have my health.....

PS: I asked a fortune teller the other day if women will always be interested in me for my money. She said: "Yes...that'll be $5 please......"