Hawkers AGMs back from the dead?

[NDT]

I have 4 Hawkers, about 4 years old, with 1.8 volts in each. They have been sitting like this for at least a year. Is there hope to bring them back? What type charger and what voltage/ amp rate?

 

[ke5eua]

Is that 1.8 in each cell or total battery?

If total battery I'm afraid not, under 9v is the danger zone.

 

[NDT]

Total battery.

 

[ke5eua]

Total battery.

Yeah that's way to low. Even if you got it up to 12v it won't hold it for long.

Plate are discharged to much.

I've heard about using epson salt and distilled water to bring them back to life but 1.8 is a really big AA.

 

[phil2968]

Get a desulfater. Google it.

 

[ke5eua]

Get a desulfater. Google it.

Supposedly that is what the epson salt is supposed to do.

 

[SCSG-G4]

Hawkers are sealed, how would you get the salts in?

 

[ke5eua]

Hawkers are sealed, how would you get the salts in?

Good point, I'm thinking about the old 6tl batteries.

 

[jw4x4]

By FAR, the best battery charger out there in the Noco genius. They are truly "Wicked Smart". I have the G4 and it is the best charger I have ever owned or used. They are not cheap, but in the long run will save big. Batteries are expensive, and I have to keep up with 10 or so.

 

[Jeepsinker]

I have a couple of the extreme brand desulfating chargers and they are pretty good at saving batteries. If you have four batteries discharged like that you may save one or two.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

I had two hawkers that were new in 2004. Nothing was done to them for 6 years. They also read 1.8 volts each. A month each on the battery minder from northern tool and they are still at work start the truck every time.

 

[ca1517]

Good luck, I have the 5000.00 Pulse-Tech Pro HD, and it will not save one that far gone.

 

[Suprman]

Put them on 30 amp charge for 36 hours and see what happens. You cannot trickle charge them back that low.

 

[phil2968]

Read the whole page, follow some of the links. Cheap compared to batteries.
http://www.impactbattery.com/blog/2013/02/battery-desulfators-do-they-work/

 

[fuzzytoaster]

So far out of the 8 hawkers I've had 7 good to go after some time (24 hours per) on a smart charger. Two of those were at .4V so it's possible to save them but they may be at reduced capacity to some extent. Here's some info off the manufacturer's site to charge them, I followed it. Don't go over 15V or you will cook them. Also here's the charger I used:

Schumacher SC-10030A SpeedCharge -

http://tinyurl.com/p7megty​

1-6. DEEP DISCHARGE RECOVERY PROCEDURE

1. If a battery is heavily discharged, usually due to a low current drain, it is said to be in a deeply
discharged state. This becomes apparent when the OCV is less than 10 volts.

2. Constant voltage charge, using a standard charger set at 14.25v +/-.25v. Restrict the
maximum available current to 5 amps, initially the battery may appear as if it is not accepting
charge, (this is due to the sulphation barrier that builds up within a deep discharged battery)
but after approximately 20 minutes the current should begin to flow. Doc Ref : 2602-0052 Rev 00
This is the safest method of recovery but can take 36 hours or more to fully recover the
battery.

3. Perform a Capacity test in accordance with para 1-7. A battery that provides less than 300
Minutes (100%) duration but in excess of 240 Minutes (80%) is still suitable for use and may
benefit from additional charging.

4. If the discharge duration is less than 240 Minutes, it may be assumed that the battery is unlikely
to be recovered and it should be rejected.

 

[4x4 Forever]

Give the Battery Minder a try, what's 60 clams compared to 4-600 clams?
The 2012 model works great on my flooded batts, they make the 2012 for AGMs as well.

 

[NDT]

Thanks all, I suspected these batteries were a different animal from the wet 6TLMF's and the like.

 

[dependable]

I have brought back weak 6TAGM s with a Bosch C-7 charger. Fairly inexpensive and has settings for AGM (absorbed glass mat) as well as conventional batteries. Has a 24V setting too, which is nice.

 

[Suprman]

There is a mil issue document detailing how to charge the Hawkers. It was posted a while back on a battery thread if you search for it.

 

[emmado22]

Hawkers LOVE high amp charging. (unlike SLA batteries) Search for old posting on here about charging them. It has been covered before.