Anti-lead sulphate pills

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 8:51 am

No, it's not the old trouble.

These are for the battery. Apparently they extend battery life and performance by removing and reducing lead sulphate build-up on the plates. Does anyone know whether they work? And is there a sound basis for the science?

FWIW, I bought some and chucked them in the (at least) 2-year old battery that came with the car. After my starter problems I've mistreated teh battery with lots of starts but no long runs. It's been charged out of the car twice, and I wonder whether the tabs will make a difference.

Oscar

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 8:58 am

The battery reaction is lead becoming lead sulphate and producing electricity. Apply electricity - and lead sulphate becomes lead.

The lead is not in sheet form but in a sponge held in plates. The problem is the crystal size - ideally the lead sulphate crystals will be small - which gives maximum capacity. However they can become larger and dislodge bits of the lead etc - causing damage - and its this sort of thing that eventually causes it to fail.

As for the pills - I suppose they are a bit like oil additives - some swear by them and some swear at them. How much are the pills - how much is a battery - is it worth it or will it make you feel you are looking after it.

Doz · Post by **Doz** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:51 pm

I used to keep my Mini alive with these when batteries were expensive and I was a student ... in the end I turned the battery upside down , tipping the contents into a glass bowl, let the sh1t settle out of it whilst I "washed" the battery out under the tap!!! ... syphoned the acid back in and bob's yer uncle... after a good charge it outlasted the car!!! There was a lot of nasty gunge in the bottom ...

ah , those were the days ... no money , and it got cold in the winter back then !!

Stewart (oily!) · Post by **Stewart (oily!)** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:31 pm

Bicarbonate of soda (baking powder) does the same thing, a teaspoon in each cell followed by a good trickle charge can help if the battey is not too far gone, I like Jeremys rinse out idea too I have used that before now, it helps to gently bump the battery whilst flushing it out, an old battery will wait for a good frost before letting you down.
Stewart

Doz · Post by **Doz** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 7:49 pm

Stewart (oily!) wrote:Bicarbonate of soda (baking powder) does the same thing, a teaspoon in each cell followed by a good trickle charge can help if the battey is not too far gone, I like Jeremys rinse out idea too I have used that before now, it helps to gently bump the battery whilst flushing it out, an old battery will wait for a good frost before letting you down.
Stewart

Jeremy?

Stewart (oily!) · Post by **Stewart (oily!)** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 7:53 pm

My apologies Doz, not even had a drink yet!

Stewart

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 4:32 pm

Yeah well they were a waste of money, as the battery carked it.

I think I'll source a Xantia alternator and stick that on. Anyone had any experience of this?

Vanny · Post by **Vanny** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:34 am

xantia alternators aresnt a straight bolt on bolt off afair, they have a different crank pulley (6pk belt though one or other of the bx's has this me thinks) and have a totally different bracket bolted onto the bottom of the engine, they are held in a fixed position and unlike the BX there is an aditional tensioner (or two) for taking up the slack! It shouldn't however be too difficult to mod the Xantia alternator to take the 'normal' belt (or just slap a 4pk/5pk over it) and do something clvere with the top mount hole so it can be adjusted in the same way as the standard BX item!

Or fit a Xantia engine

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:01 am

What kind of blithering idiot would fit a Xant engine into a BX? You'd have to be out of your mind!

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:36 am

Tried to get a ZX alternator (its huge) on my BX TD when I was having trouble - and it doesn't fit - as its a bigger diameter. Eneb mild mods to the BX brackets wouldn't solve the problem.