New and used Lead acid battery charging differences

[Mithun_K_Das]

What is the difference between charging a used lead acid car battery and a new lead acid car battery of the same rating?



I found some battery chargers with a select switch like: new battery / used battery.

So what is the difference between these two type of battery charging?

Say battery rating is: 12V/4Ah Lead Acid Battery.

 

[BradtheRad]

The switch may be a choice between a high or low charge rate. Perhaps the manufacturer says an old battery cannot take a charge as well as a new battery? Therefore you should charge an old battery at a lower rate, for a longer time?

Or, could it be similar to the switch on my battery charger, Auto/Manual?
'Manual' provides 10A continually.
'Auto' reduces current down to a small taper charge, as battery reaches full voltage.

 

[d123]

Hi,

Could it be, and I guess I'll get it the wrong way round, because I'm just going on something I remember loosely I've read in other threads about lead acid batteries, that "old battery" has a stronger pulse to clean up whatever it is that builds up on the plates, is it sulphate or somesuch?, whereas "new battery" wouldn't need such a strong charge pulse as the plates are new/clean?

 

[Mithun_K_Das]

This is the front panel of the battery charger. Here you can see there is a selection of New Battery and Old Battery. Now what is the explanation of this?

- - - Updated - - -

Also when the boost charging is required? In used battery or new battery?

Here is another image:

 

[BradtheRad]

Your photo shows the charger has a number of features. Therefore it could be a 'smart' type which sends pulses to an old/used battery (as post #3 suggests). That is reported to be a strategy used to desulfate the plates. Sulfation commonly happens to batteries which sit idle for a long time, discharged.

By adding a 'new/used' switch, the manufacture can claim 'our charger brings new life to your old used batteries.' There may even be a kernel of truth to the claim.

 

[d123]

Hi,

"Boost" may be another way of saying "fast charge", it may charge at a higher current, which I'm not sure is very good for the battery if done repeatedly. I've seen an electronic lead acid battery charger that has normal rate or fast rate of charge options.

 

[aashitech]

May be this "new/old battery selection" is actually an external user control to select two set points for battery charging current and battery upper level charging cutoff point... as per my experience as the battery ages , its ability to achieve higher terminal voltages during charging degrades .... a new battery might achieve a stable level of 14.2 volts when charged BUT as it ages it may not be able to achieve this level (this being set as battery high side charging cutoff level) resulting in charger pushing in bulk charging current for much longer times which may also results in water depletion in the cells and gassing ... so in this case it will be wise to bring down" charging cutoff level " to say 13.8 volts and also reduce the bulk charging current by say 10/20% so that battery will be less stressed resulting in extended life period .... hope you got my point ...

 

[Warpspeed]

Here is the company web site:
http://www.metafabindia.com/battery.html#
I suggest you direct your questions to them, they supply contact details.