The story of the XC100-P begins here: Recently a friend of mine was sharing a story about how he needed to get a new battery for his skid loader.  He explained how he always had to jump start the vehicle and when he turned the engine off and came back the next day to finish the job he would have to jump it again. It would not start under its own power if it sat for more than a few hours.

The Miracle Charger: PulseTech Xtreme XC100-P

He figured a new battery would cost an arm-and-a-leg and was complaining how difficult it was to get in to where the battery was located to change it out. Since I am a "battery guy" he new I would be able to help him find a battery and would take care of him honestly.  And that is exactly what I did!

His story sounded like there could be a sulfation issue occurring.  Sulfation is the result of the natural processes within lead acid batteries.  As the batteries age and go through their cycles, sulfur crystals will come out of solution and harden on the lead plates.  This reduces surface area for the chemical/atomic reaction of the electrolyte and lead and prematurely kills the battery.

I asked him if I could conduct an experiment that would potentially save him hundreds of dollars by not having to purchase a new sealed lead acid battery.  My plan:  attach the PulseTech Xtreme Charger.  This small, lightweight and waterproof charger uses patented pulsating charge algorithms to dissolve the sulfate crystals and send them back into solution.  The 22-28 KHz  frequency pulses over a 1,000,000 times a minute and can restore seemingly dead batteries to near new condition.  He skeptically agreed and allowed me to attach the XC100-P to his battery.

We left the charger attached to his battery for about two weeks before he needed to use it one Friday afternoon.  Reluctantly, Jumper cables in hand, he went to start the BobCat...and vroooom!  It started right up, as though it were brand new.  Still a skeptic, he said there is no way it will start come Monday if the charger is left off.  Monday came and we walked out to the loader and....vrooom!  It started right up.  "Ya, but it will drain down by weeks end..." Friday...vrooom!  Later again on Friday vrooom!  Monday, vrooom!  At this point I felt I needed to solidify his faith in the technology and asked him to keep turning the loader on and off until he got tired of doing so.  About 10 or 15 cycles later he pops out of the cab beaming--utter astonishment plastered across his face he says, "It works better now than when I bought it! This thing is amazing!"

It has now been nearly 2 months since attaching the Pulse Tech XC100-P Xtreme Charger and he has had absolutely no issues with the battery.  And yes, he is now a believer in this miracle desulfation technology and tells his story to every one willing to listen.  PulseTech also makes multi-bank and onboard versions, called the Power Pulses that work in conjunction with your existing charger.  These units come in 12V, 24V, 36V and 48Vand are perfect for golf carts, mobility scooters, cars, trucks, boats...well any application that uses a lead acid battery.  Check out the full line of PulseTech products at www.impactbattery.com.

XC100-P Story Update 1/16/2013:

It has now been over a year and half since first attaching the Xtreme charger to his Bob Cat. We noticed a couple weeks ago that the machine was starting a little slower--remember these batteries were thought to be trash when we first used the XC100-P in late May of 2011--so we put the charger back on the battery for a couple days. Once again the skid loader starts right up with no hesitation. We continue to sing the praises of Pulse Tech desulfating chargers.

Xtreme Charger Update 6/21/2013:

As the construction industry begins to rebound, my friend is now using his Bob Cat 2 to 3 days a week. For a while there it was being used in frequently and for short amounts of time to simply help a neighbor unload stuff. The best part, he has not had to change the batteries yet! He put the charger on a couple weeks ago for 3 days. The batteries are starting to sound sluggish, but are not anywhere near the shape they were in 2 years ago. We think the batteries will make it through 2013, meaning the XP100-P will have added 3 additional years to the 5 year old batteries that were thought to be at the end of their life cycle. Not a bad investment eh?

Do you have more than one vehicle? or vehicles with different voltages? PulseTech has come out with a device called the QuadLink. This 4-station multiplier connects to your XP100-P charger and splits the desulfating charge between up to four 12 volt lead acid batteries. It will automatically rotate the charge every 10 minutes. The QuadLink can be purchased in a kit (see link above) or individually to be used with any charger that utilizes the SAE connector.

A question was posted over on Bob The Oil Guy regarding battery desulfators and whether or not they work. There were some interesting answers, much opinion and some real life examples of people using these devices. User 3311 must be a battery sales man as his response said "No they don't work. Electrical snake oil..." I would suggest the opposite is true.

User 3311 had a simplistic, but theoretically correct statement, in that the double sulfate chemical reaction occurring in lead acid batteries has two sides to the equation. During discharge non-crystalline sulfate matter is left on the plates and during charging this material is mostly transformed back to the starting compounds of lead, lead dioxide, and sulfuric acid (see a detail explanation of this on our FAQ questions: What is Sulfation?). However, it is not a perfect world and inevitably something will go wrong. Batteries left in a discharged state too long will see the non-crystalline sulfate matter harden into a crystalline form. Normal charging will no longer be able reverse this effect. Even batteries left on a trickle or float charge can eventually show a sign of sulfation as the process is not perfect and some material will not get converted back. Sad, but true. This is why sulfation is the #1 killer of lead acid batteries and why battery desulfators are sorely needed.

Back in the day, before the invention of AGM batteries, charger manufacturers would increase the voltage of the battery to try and break down the hardened crystals. This boiling effect would slough off some of the crystals as well as part of the active material on the plates. It would all end up in the bottom of the battery to slush around and cause problems in the future. The immediate effect would be noticeable, but the lasting damage would ultimately shorten the life of the battery. This method would have little or no effect on AGM batteries due to the tight weave of the fibrous matt. Battery desulfators come attack the issue in a different way.

PulseTech to the Rescue!

A few years back Pulse Tech patented a pulse frequency that would dissolve the crystalized sulfate and return it to its original form. And with that the first Battery Desulfator was born! The military was (and is) its primary customer. Their pulse frequency is a range from 22-28 KHz. That is roughly 22,000-28,000 pulses per second. The years of testing has produced empirical data that shows the effect on lead plates and validates their use as a battery desulfator.

The Technology behind Battery Desulfators

First let me dispel the differences between pulse charging and frequency charging which are often lumped together and used interchangeably. Pulse charging uses a burst of high voltage within the charge cycle as its primary tool to dislodge or shock the crystals into surrendering. Some of these pulses, though measured in micro-seconds, can reach as high as 60 volts! High frequency pulsing maintains low or traditional voltage ranges and adjusts the wave and amplitude according to the manufacturers specifications. Both techniques can be used congruently. Battery desulfators can be used on all types of lead acid batteries including AGM and Gel. [SIDE NOTE Do not use a pulsing charger on a lithium battery. These batteries have a built in battery management system (BMS) and are chemically different. A non-pulsing lead acid type charger can be used on a similar voltage lithium battery.]

There are 4 basic wave forms used. The original one is named after the patent holder and is called the PulseTech Pulse Waveform. This microprocessor controlled pulse rapidly rises in less than one microsecond to its maximum amplitude and gradually returns to zero. There is no abrupt stop, no battery drain and is controlled via a separate circuit independent of the charging circuit. Battery Minder uses a similar hybrid waveform where they combine moderately high voltage pulses with their short duty cycle.

The Sine Wave version fluctuates gradually between positive and negative charge. This pulse is much "softer" than the others and may have limited effect on the sulfate crystals. The upper voltage range must be carefully controlled to prevent overcharging and gassing.

The remaining two wave forms are the Square Wave and Negative Pulse Wave. The square wave is used by Battery Life Saver and by its design dwells longer in the maximum voltage range before abruptly returning to zero. The negative wave is the mirror image of the square wave but has the added concern that the charge is restricted during the down cycle of the pulse.

Players In The Market

Today, there are several companies offering some form of battery desulfator. They each approach the science a little differently and each claim theirs is the best. BatteryMinder is the next best known, after PulseTech and they use a sine wave pulse form. Like Pulse Tech, they have a broad range of desulphating chargers, solar panels and on-board units. Battery Life Saver makes on-board "battery rejuvenators" as they call them, which utilize a variant known as the square wave pulse. WizBangPlus is a smaller player in the market that uses frequency pulsing in the range of 0.8 - 1.2 KHz. We have never used or tested one of the WizBang units and do not know what type of waveform they use (i.e. sine wave, square wave, negative pulse wave, etc.).

Some people, in the forum post that prompted this article, suggested users should use a CTEK 3300 to satisfy their sulphation needs. We do not think the CTEK charger lives up to its claim and feel it should be avoided if desulfation is your goal. In fact several years ago [November 2010] when we noticed batteries did not seem to respond, we contacted Borje the president of CTEK and he agreed to purchase a XC100-P Pulse Tech charger to do a comparative analysis. After some dialogue we never heard back from Borje or CTEK and frankly got the cold shoulder. To us this suggested our results were validated and their product was indeed inferior. Otherwise we would have expected a report showing how they outshine the competition.

We Know Battery Desulfators Work!

I personally would avoid high voltage pulsers and stick to the frequency based battery desulfators. Putting up to 60V into a 12V battery, even if for only a fraction of a second, just does not sound like it will produce the best long term effect. There is merit to the combination of moderately high voltage pulses combined with a frequency pulsing that Battery Minder uses. Our testing of their products is not as extensive as with the PulseTech battery desulfators.

We have posted previously, stories of our own staff testing and using the Pulse Tech XC100-P charger. (Click here to read Chris's experience). We know first-hand battery desulfators work. As to which company has the best technology we will leave that decision up to you. Hearing your experiences with these devices and opinions that come from testing them are welcome. Please feel free to share your desulfation story and help make a believer of those who say it is nothing but snake oil.

For a full listing of the battery desulfation products offered by Impact Battery see our website http://www.impactbattery.com/battery-desulfators/

The story of the XC100-P begins here: Recently a friend of mine was sharing a story about how he needed to get a new battery for his skid loader.  He explained how he always had to jump start the vehicle and when he turned the engine off and came back the next day to finish the job he would have to jump it again. It would not start under its own power if it sat for more than a few hours.

The Miracle Charger: PulseTech Xtreme XC100-P

He figured a new battery would cost an arm-and-a-leg and was complaining how difficult it was to get in to where the battery was located to change it out. Since I am a "battery guy" he new I would be able to help him find a battery and would take care of him honestly.  And that is exactly what I did!

His story sounded like there could be a sulfation issue occurring.  Sulfation is the result of the natural processes within lead acid batteries.  As the batteries age and go through their cycles, sulfur crystals will come out of solution and harden on the lead plates.  This reduces surface area for the chemical/atomic reaction of the electrolyte and lead and prematurely kills the battery.

I asked him if I could conduct an experiment that would potentially save him hundreds of dollars by not having to purchase a new sealed lead acid battery.  My plan:  attach the PulseTech Xtreme Charger.  This small, lightweight and waterproof charger uses patented pulsating charge algorithms to dissolve the sulfate crystals and send them back into solution.  The 22-28 KHz  frequency pulses over a 1,000,000 times a minute and can restore seemingly dead batteries to near new condition.  He skeptically agreed and allowed me to attach the XC100-P to his battery.

We left the charger attached to his battery for about two weeks before he needed to use it one Friday afternoon.  Reluctantly, Jumper cables in hand, he went to start the BobCat...and vroooom!  It started right up, as though it were brand new.  Still a skeptic, he said there is no way it will start come Monday if the charger is left off.  Monday came and we walked out to the loader and....vrooom!  It started right up.  "Ya, but it will drain down by weeks end..." Friday...vrooom!  Later again on Friday vrooom!  Monday, vrooom!  At this point I felt I needed to solidify his faith in the technology and asked him to keep turning the loader on and off until he got tired of doing so.  About 10 or 15 cycles later he pops out of the cab beaming--utter astonishment plastered across his face he says, "It works better now than when I bought it! This thing is amazing!"

It has now been nearly 2 months since attaching the Pulse Tech XC100-P Xtreme Charger and he has had absolutely no issues with the battery.  And yes, he is now a believer in this miracle desulfation technology and tells his story to every one willing to listen.  PulseTech also makes multi-bank and onboard versions, called the Power Pulses that work in conjunction with your existing charger.  These units come in 12V, 24V, 36V and 48Vand are perfect for golf carts, mobility scooters, cars, trucks, boats...well any application that uses a lead acid battery.  Check out the full line of PulseTech products at www.impactbattery.com.

XC100-P Story Update 1/16/2013:

It has now been over a year and half since first attaching the Xtreme charger to his Bob Cat. We noticed a couple weeks ago that the machine was starting a little slower--remember these batteries were thought to be trash when we first used the XC100-P in late May of 2011--so we put the charger back on the battery for a couple days. Once again the skid loader starts right up with no hesitation. We continue to sing the praises of Pulse Tech desulfating chargers.

Xtreme Charger Update 6/21/2013:

As the construction industry begins to rebound, my friend is now using his Bob Cat 2 to 3 days a week. For a while there it was being used in frequently and for short amounts of time to simply help a neighbor unload stuff. The best part, he has not had to change the batteries yet! He put the charger on a couple weeks ago for 3 days. The batteries are starting to sound sluggish, but are not anywhere near the shape they were in 2 years ago. We think the batteries will make it through 2013, meaning the XP100-P will have added 3 additional years to the 5 year old batteries that were thought to be at the end of their life cycle. Not a bad investment eh?

Do you have more than one vehicle? or vehicles with different voltages? PulseTech has come out with a device called the QuadLink. This 4-station multiplier connects to your XP100-P charger and splits the desulfating charge between up to four 12 volt lead acid batteries. It will automatically rotate the charge every 10 minutes. The QuadLink can be purchased in a kit (see link above) or individually to be used with any charger that utilizes the SAE connector.

A question was posted over on Bob The Oil Guy regarding battery desulfators and whether or not they work. There were some interesting answers, much opinion and some real life examples of people using these devices. User 3311 must be a battery sales man as his response said "No they don't work. Electrical snake oil..." I would suggest the opposite is true.

User 3311 had a simplistic, but theoretically correct statement, in that the double sulfate chemical reaction occurring in lead acid batteries has two sides to the equation. During discharge non-crystalline sulfate matter is left on the plates and during charging this material is mostly transformed back to the starting compounds of lead, lead dioxide, and sulfuric acid (see a detail explanation of this on our FAQ questions: What is Sulfation?). However, it is not a perfect world and inevitably something will go wrong. Batteries left in a discharged state too long will see the non-crystalline sulfate matter harden into a crystalline form. Normal charging will no longer be able reverse this effect. Even batteries left on a trickle or float charge can eventually show a sign of sulfation as the process is not perfect and some material will not get converted back. Sad, but true. This is why sulfation is the #1 killer of lead acid batteries and why battery desulfators are sorely needed.

Back in the day, before the invention of AGM batteries, charger manufacturers would increase the voltage of the battery to try and break down the hardened crystals. This boiling effect would slough off some of the crystals as well as part of the active material on the plates. It would all end up in the bottom of the battery to slush around and cause problems in the future. The immediate effect would be noticeable, but the lasting damage would ultimately shorten the life of the battery. This method would have little or no effect on AGM batteries due to the tight weave of the fibrous matt. Battery desulfators come attack the issue in a different way.

PulseTech to the Rescue!

A few years back Pulse Tech patented a pulse frequency that would dissolve the crystalized sulfate and return it to its original form. And with that the first Battery Desulfator was born! The military was (and is) its primary customer. Their pulse frequency is a range from 22-28 KHz. That is roughly 22,000-28,000 pulses per second. The years of testing has produced empirical data that shows the effect on lead plates and validates their use as a battery desulfator.

The Technology behind Battery Desulfators

First let me dispel the differences between pulse charging and frequency charging which are often lumped together and used interchangeably. Pulse charging uses a burst of high voltage within the charge cycle as its primary tool to dislodge or shock the crystals into surrendering. Some of these pulses, though measured in micro-seconds, can reach as high as 60 volts! High frequency pulsing maintains low or traditional voltage ranges and adjusts the wave and amplitude according to the manufacturers specifications. Both techniques can be used congruently. Battery desulfators can be used on all types of lead acid batteries including AGM and Gel. [SIDE NOTE Do not use a pulsing charger on a lithium battery. These batteries have a built in battery management system (BMS) and are chemically different. A non-pulsing lead acid type charger can be used on a similar voltage lithium battery.]

There are 4 basic wave forms used. The original one is named after the patent holder and is called the PulseTech Pulse Waveform. This microprocessor controlled pulse rapidly rises in less than one microsecond to its maximum amplitude and gradually returns to zero. There is no abrupt stop, no battery drain and is controlled via a separate circuit independent of the charging circuit. Battery Minder uses a similar hybrid waveform where they combine moderately high voltage pulses with their short duty cycle.

The Sine Wave version fluctuates gradually between positive and negative charge. This pulse is much "softer" than the others and may have limited effect on the sulfate crystals. The upper voltage range must be carefully controlled to prevent overcharging and gassing.

The remaining two wave forms are the Square Wave and Negative Pulse Wave. The square wave is used by Battery Life Saver and by its design dwells longer in the maximum voltage range before abruptly returning to zero. The negative wave is the mirror image of the square wave but has the added concern that the charge is restricted during the down cycle of the pulse.

Players In The Market

Today, there are several companies offering some form of battery desulfator. They each approach the science a little differently and each claim theirs is the best. BatteryMinder is the next best known, after PulseTech and they use a sine wave pulse form. Like Pulse Tech, they have a broad range of desulphating chargers, solar panels and on-board units. Battery Life Saver makes on-board "battery rejuvenators" as they call them, which utilize a variant known as the square wave pulse. WizBangPlus is a smaller player in the market that uses frequency pulsing in the range of 0.8 - 1.2 KHz. We have never used or tested one of the WizBang units and do not know what type of waveform they use (i.e. sine wave, square wave, negative pulse wave, etc.).

Some people, in the forum post that prompted this article, suggested users should use a CTEK 3300 to satisfy their sulphation needs. We do not think the CTEK charger lives up to its claim and feel it should be avoided if desulfation is your goal. In fact several years ago [November 2010] when we noticed batteries did not seem to respond, we contacted Borje the president of CTEK and he agreed to purchase a XC100-P Pulse Tech charger to do a comparative analysis. After some dialogue we never heard back from Borje or CTEK and frankly got the cold shoulder. To us this suggested our results were validated and their product was indeed inferior. Otherwise we would have expected a report showing how they outshine the competition.

We Know Battery Desulfators Work!

I personally would avoid high voltage pulsers and stick to the frequency based battery desulfators. Putting up to 60V into a 12V battery, even if for only a fraction of a second, just does not sound like it will produce the best long term effect. There is merit to the combination of moderately high voltage pulses combined with a frequency pulsing that Battery Minder uses. Our testing of their products is not as extensive as with the PulseTech battery desulfators.

We have posted previously, stories of our own staff testing and using the Pulse Tech XC100-P charger. (Click here to read Chris's experience). We know first-hand battery desulfators work. As to which company has the best technology we will leave that decision up to you. Hearing your experiences with these devices and opinions that come from testing them are welcome. Please feel free to share your desulfation story and help make a believer of those who say it is nothing but snake oil.

For a full listing of the battery desulfation products offered by Impact Battery see our website http://www.impactbattery.com/battery-desulfators/

Start Using The Battery Management Program Today

It is time to recover batteries that appear old and worn out using the Battery Management Program (BMP) created by PulseTech and tested and approved by Impact Battery and many real world business' just like yours!

In this months edition of Pulse Talk, we highlight a trucking company from south Texas and the Kentucky Army National Guard (Pulse Talk May 2015 Edition).

Rush Trucks Inc.

Richard Andrus, of Rush Trucks laments "The BMP works and is easy to use. I don't understand why everyone doesn't have it!" You see, this Houston based trucking company has reduced the number of new batteries being purchased by 85% and has saved over $41,000 over the past 7 months! The Battery Management Program used by Rush trucks and offered by Impact Battery paid for itself in less than 3 months.

Kentucky Army National Guard

After using the BMP, the Kentucky Army National Guard reported a 90% reduction in year-over-year lead acid battery replacements. They also indicated that they gained one man-year of available productive time. That is one full year of battery replacement & maintenance related labor cost wiped off the slate and free to use on more important tasks.

Learn more about PulseTech's BMP today and call the experts at Impact Battery to start experiencing the savings these smart institutions have discovered first hand. Whether you are recovering 4 batteries or 400 batteries, the BMP can be modified to fit your needs. Call 866-668-3163 today.

Want to know what product helped make Rush Trucks Battery Management Program so successful? Click here to see details about the SP-5 Solar Pulse desulfating solar panel used on the roofs of Rush Trucks. These panels come in 3 primary sizes and have an extremely low profile and are virtually unbreakable! Their unique and patented pulse controller will keep batteries strong and healthy for years to come.

PulseTech There is No Comparison

PulseTech’s SC-12 Recovery Charger is an essential component to creating a highly successful Battery Management Program (BMP). Not only does it allow users to reduce hazardous waste generation by desulfating and recovering ‘dead’ batteries, the SC-12 recovery charger will achieve immediate cost savings. Dramatically reduce your new battery budget by extending the life of existing batteries, efficiently restore & recover old batteries and decrease battery related maintenance and installation costs. There is no other charger on the planet that can compare with how the SC-12 desulfates batteries so they can accept, store and release maximum power.

The Battery Management Program

So what exactly is the Battery Management Program (BMP)? The BMP has three aspects: test, recover/charge, and maintain. Testing is not only good for analyzing a suspect battery but also should be used regularly to discover battery and system issues before they become a problem. PulseTech’s line of enthusiast and commercial grade desulfating chargers will recover and charge many batteries once thought to be worthless junk. With semi-regular use they will also “freshen up” batteries that are beginning to show signs of weakness. For batteries that are new or have been recovered and are awaiting their turn to enter service you should use a special high frequency patented pulse maintainer to keep the batteries fresh and prevent sulfation from creeping back into the picture. For remote applications or batteries already pressed into service you can install onboard or solar pulse maintainers. When using BMP you will realize tangible cost savings nearly immediately and will continue to enjoy lasting returns on your investment.

SC-12 Recovery Charger at a Glance

The SC-12 Recovery Charger has been designed with portability in mind. It is built into a black HPX Plastic enclosure measuring roughly 25” x 20” x 9” (LxWxH) and can easily be carried to remote desert locations or to your customers place of business. The variable 100-240 VAC input means it can be used anywhere in the world while the max AC amp draw of 15A (at 100 VAC) means most any household electrical outlet can be used to provide power. Each of the 12 independently controlled charge channels provide 6A max output current with a max output bulk voltage charge of 14.8 volts. The SC-2, SC-6, and SC-12 Recovery Charger can be used on any type of lead acid battery including wet, sealed AGM and Gel.

Recover Batteries Previously Thought Dead

In July, we heralded the SC-12 Recovery Charger as an indispensable component to a successful Battery Management Program (BMP). For August’s Pulse Talk segment we are introducing its baby brother, the new SC-2 Recovery Charger.

The SC-2 Recovery Charger is the perfect complement for smaller fleets and maintenance bays and pays for itself with the recovery of approximately 9 batteries! The PulseTech line of chargers desulfates batteries so they can accept, store and release maximum power. SC-2 is completely safe with no possibility of overcharging or overheating.

Don’t Replace Batteries Recover Them!

Did you know that Pulse Tech has 25 years of documented success with the military? In fact TACOM Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC), formerly known as Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) of the United States Army has completed numerous tests (for the sake of competition) to try and discredit, debunk or marginalize the technology. In every case they could not disprove the patented Pulse Technology invented by Carl Gali did not play a significant role in recovering batteries previously thought to be dead. For that reason, the US government is still Pulse Tech’s biggest customer and most ardent supporter of BMP. The program supports corporate and municipal sustainability goals, has a positive IMPACT on the environment and produces documented money savings.

SC-2 Recovery Charger At A Glance

The SC-2 Recovery Charger is physically 75% smaller than the SC-12 suitcase charger measuring 14.5” x 11.75” x 6.25” and weighing around 10 lbs. It has two isolated 12 volt output channels each with a max current output of 6 amps. The SC-2 can be used around the world as the input voltage range is 110-240 VAC and its max input current is 2.5A. The SC-2 Recovery Charger sports several indicators: Battery Disconnected, Bad Battery, Recovery Charge, Pulse Charge, Charge Complete, Reverse Polarity, and Temperature Shutdown.

To learn more on Sulfation visit our Frequently Asked Questions page or click over to dedicated blog page which discusses and compares various technologies and provides real life accounts of how these chargers have been successful in restoring and reviving dead and tired batteries.

If you find yourself in a situation where you have several stored batteries needing to be maintained in peak condition, then you need the Pro-12-RP manufactured by Pulse Tech. The RediPulse Pro-12 is the best multi-channel battery maintenance system on the market. It will keep up to 12 lead acid based batteries of any type—sealed AGM, gel, conventional—in peak operating condition indefinitely. It is a must have product for automotive shops, battery resellers, and commercial fleet managers.

Battery Maintenance System Features

Since each of the 12 charge stations operate independently you can have multiple sizes, types and brands of lead acid batteries on the maintainer at one time. The Pro-12 has universal input ranging from 100 to 240 VAC and uses minimal AC current (140mAh Max). A coupled battery has to have at least 11.5V for the maintainer to recognize a battery is connected. Each lead is about 72” long while the actual Pro-12-RP case is only 7.25”L x 2.25”W x 1”H.

With this battery maintenance system, there’s no possibility of sparking between leads and an audible alarm sounds if a battery is connected improperly making it easy to verify it's installed correctly. The rediPulse Pro-12-RP is used in the maintenance segment of our highly successful Battery Management Program (BMP). To learn more follow the BMP link to our battery desulfation FAQ page.

Will the Pro-12 Charge My Batteries?

Since the charge rate is below 1 amp rotating through the 12 channels, the net charge rate per battery is not enough to charge them, but it will maintain their voltage and reserve capacity indefinitely. About once per second, it will travel through each output channel. If a battery is low it will put in a slight charge and pulse the battery before it travels to the next station. If the battery is full, it will pulse it to maintain it before moving to the next battery. Ask us to see if the RediPulse Pro-12 is ideal for your battery maintenance system.

In this month’s edition of PulseTalk, we will be exploring the PowerPulse onboard desulfators and how they should be used within a Battery Maintenance System (BMS). These tiny, yet powerful, devices help ensure peak battery performance and can extend battery life up to three times using patented pulse technology.

So How Does the PowerPulse Work?

The PowerPulse uses a patented pulse technology that reduces and prevents sulfation buildup on lead acid based batteries. The ongoing process allows the batteries to be completely charged and to give off a complete discharge. This constant equalization effect reduces internal resistance in the batteries, leaving them in like new condition.

You will save many man-hours needlessly replacing ‘spent’ batteries and will obviously not have to spend your hard earned cash buying new batteries as often. For batteries used in starting vehicles there is an added benefit; lower internal resistance means there will be less wear and tear on your starter and alternator.

How Do You Deploy the Power Pulse?

The PowerPulse onboard desulfators come in four standard voltages: 12V, 24V, 36V and 48V. They can be used with any lead acid based battery system including VRLA, Gel, Flooded and AGM batteries. You would then create an individual or series connection matching the above voltages. Ideally, you would want to deploy the PowerPulse on a battery system that is charged regularly as they utilize less than 2% of the battery’s own energy to operate. Over time, if the system is not regularly charged, the batteries will become discharged. This energy usage would be akin to a parasitic drain.

We like to use these onboard desulfators more in a preventative scenario vs. a restorative rejuvenating scenario. How does the saying go? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It seems far easier and less costly to prevent sulfation before it starts. Can they be used in both situations, most definitely yes, but we feel Pulse Tech has created better tools, mainly desulfating chargers, to more efficiently deal with the debilitating effects of sulfation. It could take the PowerPulse 2-10 weeks to reverse the effects of a heavily sulfated deep cycle battery while a desulfating charger could complete the task in 24-72 hours. In short, proper charging algorithms coupled with patented pulse technology are essential and time is money.

For more on this topic including reviews of other Battery Maintenance System components please see our PulseTalk category or jump over to our Sulfation FAQ Review page.

Sulfation and How to Prevent it

It is no secret that sulfation is the #1 killer of lead acid based batteries and that desulfators using Pulse Technology make an IMPACT. PulseTech, a company that produces desulfators, recently said, “After 20+ years, there is no doubt that our products will eliminate your battery problems and will make your batteries perform better.” However, there are still some much respected battery professionals that would argue differently.

John Fetter of Battery University wrote an article titled: Sulfation and How to Prevent It. In its simplest terms he correctly states that sulfation occurs when a lead acid battery is deprived of a full charge. So to help prevent sulfation from occurring, keep your batteries charged. In the comments section that follows the article, there is a lengthy discussion with valid questions and opinions raised by both sides of the desulfation argument. For those that like this kind of stuff it is an interesting read.

Also, if you are interested in a more detailed definition of sulfation that delves into chemical properties and battery processes please review our FAQ: What is Sulfation?

The quote below is from John’s article. It stuck with me and forced me to question what I have experienced and shared with many people over the years.

“Permanent sulfation sets in when the battery has been in a low state-of-charge for weeks or months. At this stage, no form of restoration is possible… Several companies offer anti-sulfation devices that apply pulses to the battery terminals to prevent and reverse sulfation. Such technologies tend to lower sulfation on a healthy battery but they cannot effectively reverse the condition once present.”

My Struggle With the Anti-Sulfation Pulse Technology Assumption

Many of you who have kept up with my writings over the years may recall the story of the Bobcat batteries and how the owner was ready to replace them after about 5 years of service. He was positive the batteries were shot and beyond repair. Even when left on a trickle charger full-time he would still have issues starting the machine and would inevitably require a jump at some point during the work day. If Pulse Technology could not “effectively reverse the condition” then why did he have such a dramatic change in the health of his batteries once he attached the XC100-P Pulse Technology charger? How is it that he is still using those same batteries a good 4 years after he was ready to dispose of them if “no form of restoration is possible”?

In response to John and many other experts, Rick Gregory over at PulseTech stated “Our patented Pulse Technology is proven to be the most effective way to desulfate a battery plate. That means that our products not only charge, but we also condition the battery while it’s being charged and restore lost capacity like no other product available. Quite simply, we make the best chargers and maintainers in the world.” He goes on to add, “Our products would be great if they were only battery chargers and maintainers like everybody else, but when we add our pulse, it’s revolutionary!”

Best chargers in the world! Revolutionary! Now that is a bold pronouncement.

Their Pulse Technology has been field tested by UHAUL, CAT, Tiffin Motorhomes, Questar Gas, Thermo King, Coke, Pepsi, Rush Truck Centers, Geneva Rock, Honeywell and a host of other prominent corporations. The US Army and Homeland Security are their largest customers. TACOM Life Cycle Management Command (A testing branch of the US military) spent over 10 years testing these desulfators and found them worthy of service. TS Product completed an independent study and scientifically proved the benefit of Pulse Technology charging compared to conventional charging. The pictorial evidence presented in the battery plate photo to the right is abundantly clear. After 480 cycles the Pulse Technology plates show next to no white sulfate crystals while the plates subjected to conventional charging methods are crusted over and begging for a new lease on life.

We are not among the naysayers! We have seen the benefits—some quite dramatic—and trust the research. Whether you use our solar powered, AC powered or self-powered products, the important thing is to start pulsing your batteries now and keep pulsing them all the time! You can reduce your battery expenses by up to 70% and save your company thousands of dollars in battery related costs, guaranteed.

The XC100: What Legends Are Made Of

The XC100-P can be used on motorcycle batteries, boats and yachts, RV’s and automobiles, solar systems—if it uses a lead acid battery the XC100 should be used to extend the batteries useful life. Depending on the size of your battery bank it can be used as your primary charger or as the systems desulfating maintainer. We have been singing its praises for years and it is the subject for this month’s Pulse Talk.

This Pulse Talk edition has a link to an article originally published August 2008 in Wing World Magazine. The article found on page 42-43 is titled: Xtreme Charge 5-Stage Battery Maintenance Charger and is written by Stu Oltman. Towards the middle of the article Stu made mention of a charger test he had completed in 2002 of five leading charger brands. I have not looked up that article, but I am going to assume that he too tested the Battery Tender Jr. and or the Battery Tender Plus (PN 021-0128). What I found so interesting is that his results mirrored what I had discovered during a charger test I conducted several years back.

My Layman’s Smart Charger Test

There were several chargers and brands used in my testing. In a nut shell, the well-funded and widely marketed Battery Tender chargers would indeed charge the batteries leaving them with about 12.8 to 12.9 volts (in my case, I was using sealed AGM lead acid batteries). But after a couple days the voltages on those batteries would drop back down to pre-charge levels ranging from 12.4 to 12.7 volts.

The interesting part was that the batteries where the XC100 was used, the voltages climbed to 13.0 to 13.4 volts. More enlightening was the fact that after a couple days the voltages were still sitting above 13 volts. In fact, after several weeks those battery voltages still had not fallen back to pre-charge levels and were maintaining their voltage beyond thirteen! Aside from the XC100, there was another charger that did not fall back quite as low; the Noco Genius 1100. It was able to get the peak voltage into the 13 volt range and the drop in voltage left those batteries at around 12.8 to 12.9 volts.
My curiosity was peaked and I decided to use the XC100 on the batteries I originally had the Battery Tender Plus and Battery Tender Junior attached to. Every single battery achieved 13+ volts and maintained those levels for weeks following the initial charge!

Real World Charger Testing

Around the same time my local search and rescue maintenance chief asked me what to make of them constantly needing to replace or work on their vehicles batteries. They were using several Battery Tender Jr. and Battery Tender Plus chargers. Their routine was to simply grab an available charging unit and place it on the target vehicle. I advised them to test each battery to create a baseline for which we could work from. Then I asked them to take note specifically which charger was on which vehicle and for how long. After some time a pattern developed. Those vehicles where the Battery Tender Jr was used had the worst issues. We introduced the XC100 into the mix and continued to use the Battery Tender Plus chargers. This new rotation solved the battery related issues and saved them money and wasted man hours.

Battery Warranties

As a battery company it is our duty to oversee warranties. As part of our due diligence when processing a warranty, we ask the user what, if any, charger was used. And if one was used, how often and how was it employed. The number one answer we receive is that they used a Battery Tender product. Of the users that indicated a charger was used, greater than 40% used a Battery Tender Jr. at some point during the life of the battery. Now that is extremely subjective and could simply be a testament to Deltran doing an amazing job at marketing and distributing their brand. Or related to that, it could be name recognition where people use ‘Battery Tender’ generically like you say Kleenex when referring to facial tissue. After all, they did invent the smart microprocessor controlled charger a couple decades ago. However, these customer statements also seem to support or at the very least add credence to the previous three stories.

I am fully aware these customer statements and the mentioned tests are not exactly scientific and are very much laymen. But as an industry insider hearing and seeing these repeated comments and results helps to form my opinion. There is no reason to doubt that in the court of public opinion this information would not be damning for the Battery Tender Junior. As a consumer, it would certainly aid me in my buying behavior.

Contenders to Replace the Battery Tender Jr.

For those of you that do not want to or perhaps do not have the funds to invest $75 in the XC100-P (PN 100x010) we have taken the time to search out and test other maintainer chargers. As mentioned earlier the Genius 1100 did a good job, but it falls in a midrange price compared to the XC100 and the charger mentioned next. The smart maintainer charger candidate that rises to the top as our Battery Tender Jr. replacement is the Schauer Charge Master CM1A. This 900mAh charger delivers results, looks similar in design, specs out near the same levels and is in the same $30 price range. It has done well for us on power sport sized batteries used in motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, lawn tractors or any Off Road Vehicle (ORVs). It is not a true desulfating charger like the XC100 and is a little more limited in battery sizes it can handle, but it certainly gets the task done and is extremely affordable. It is our Battery Tender Jr. (PN 021-0123) replacement charger of choice if you are not convinced the XC100-P is your go to charger desulfator.

The SC-12, SC-6, SC-2 Suitcase Chargers

To help clear the air right from the start, this Pulse Talk feature is not talking about built in smart phone charging packs found in newer luggage (although the idea is pretty ingenious). The recovery chargers we will be discussing today are the PulseTech commercial grade charging platforms build into convenient portable hard HPX plastic suitcases. These incredible desulfating chargers not only charge and maintain your existing batteries they will recover batteries that once were destined for or adorned the scrap pile!

The Doubters, Naysayers and Ill-informed

I have been told many times over that it can’t be done. Once a battery is sitting at an abnormally low voltage it cannot be brought back. Or once the capacity is gone the battery is trash; it has a memory and will be right back where it started within days. As with everything in life, there does come a point when it is time to throw in the towel. But all too often we give up to early. And the reason? We have not been using the right tool for the job.

Before I move forward to sharing the details of what every municipality, commercial fleet operator and companies operating heavy equipment should have in their workshop, let me direct your attention to the PDF attached to this post (clicking the image will make it much larger and easier to see). In the lower right quadrant you will see a chart representing the condition of some batteries. These 11 batteries were discarded by a large city in Texas and deemed useless. The SC-6 Recovery Charger was then attached and the results illustrated.

You will notice that 7 of the 11 batteries had starting voltages between 9V and 12V. The remaining 4 batteries had voltages in the low 12V range. Now remember the naysayers say batteries in this condition have dead cells and are trash. What did our test determine?
The Cold Cranking Amp (CCA) was also recorded to better represent the overall health of the battery. Several had single digit readings. Now those interested in making battery sales would tell you that there is no chance of recovering a battery in such a condition. Did the condition of these sample batteries change?

The Proof is in The Puddin’

In this case, 100% of the batteries were recovered! Batteries incorrectly diagnosed with a dead cell now maintain strong voltage. Batteries that barely moved the dial on the CCA test now appear healthy and ready to contribute.

Now will every stock pile of dead and dying batteries produce a 100% recovery rate? No, we definitely beat the odds on this one. Normally we get 7 or 8 out of 10 recovered and on rare occasion have seen only 3 to 5 recovered. When the latter occurs it is usually from an educated battery specialist of some sort utilizing best practices. They generally hand pick batteries they were positive would fail the testing vs. most shops that do not truly know how to properly take care of and diagnose their batteries and simply hand over the first 10 on the stack. So even when the cards are seemingly stacked against the suitcase charger, it still delivers impressive results.

Can the PulseTech Recovery Charger Really be That Good?

Yes it can. And yes it is.

The biggest objection I get from prospective buyers of the patented SC-2, SC-6 and especially the SC-12 Recovery Charger is the price. It always amazes me how narrow-minded we can get as consumers. If a product has a lofty price tag it most assuredly must be evaluated to determine if the price justifies the return on investment.

The questions to ask your self are:

• How many lead acid batteries do we currently purchase each year?
• What is the average cost of each battery?
• How much time do we spend troubleshooting battery related issues?
• What is the labor cost involved?
• How can we reduce our overall cost?

Asking your battery sales man for better pricing will only get you so far and ultimately will barely put a dent in the cash you spend each year replacing batteries. STOP the INSANITY. Someone once told me the definition of insane is doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results.

What if you could spend a little more cash up front in order to recoup that investment and add dollars to the bottom line well within a year?

You can! We offer a program called the Battery Management System (BMS) that we can tailor to your company’s specific requirements. In all honesty, some of you have large enough fleets that you could invest $20,000 or $50,000 or more to fully implement this program that utilizes the Pulse Recovery Chargers. That is not meant to scare the smaller entities away. Purchasing the right combination of tools for $700-$5,000 could be all you need to start saving thousands more over the next few months.

Depending on how extensive and quickly a company roles out the BMS, most will recoup their investment within the first year. Everything after that is gravy! Call us and ask how we can help you break free from the insanity.

I enjoy reading stories about how battery desulfators have saved users hundreds of dollars in replacement costs. It is worth spending the time reading blogs and other articles to keep up on what works and what is marketing hype. Every now and then I come across a person that has had a bad experience. It catches my interest, since I know desulfators work and have written extensively about it over the years. I am always curious as to what device they were using and the circumstances around what made the battery defective.

This past weekend I came across a guy going by the handle “johnk” that posted his thoughts on riceball.com back on January 28^th 2015. He purchased a WizBang Plus unit from eBay and after messing around with it for a while determined it did not work. He felted duped. So comically, he lists it on eBay to continue the circle of un-trust. It ended up being re-purchased by a gentleman claiming to be an electrician by trade who also felt he got scammed and reiterated it didn’t work since it didn’t make any noise. (Although I wasn’t aware that the level of sound an item produced was a criterion for if it worked. So hopefully there was a little more analysis then just sound. Personally I would prefer quite or silent over an annoying hum or buzz. I digress...back to the topic at hand!)

I have never actually tested one of these WizBang Plus units and cannot say definitively whether or not they DO or DO NOT work. I know the PulseTech desulfators like the XC100-P work. But that is not where I want to focus today. And I certainly don’t want to get sidetracked talking about how loud something should be.

The Internal Battery Desulfator Hypothesis

Johnk made a statement that jumped out at me. On the surface his logic sounds reasonable and the argument sounds compelling. However, I believe his conclusion is wrong. Here is what he said:

His conclusion is that battery companies would be adding desulfators to their batteries to save on warranties and thus lower costs. Again it sounds logical, until we dig deeper into the realm of batteries.

Aspect #1

First let me start with this fact: lead acid batteries must maintain a standardized group sizing, for example group 27. This designation keeps things uniform the world over and allows users to compare apples to apples and ensures your battery will physically fit.

There really is not room inside the battery to include circuitry. The space is maxed out to include as much lead as possible to provide the best possible power metrics. If you reduce lead content you will lower output.

If you could fit a desulfator circuit into the battery you would then need to find a way to seal it off from the interior of the battery where you have corrosive gasses and acid. If this can be accomplished the manufacturer would also need to find a way to properly ventilate the heat generated from desulfating.

Assuming all this could be accomplished, the manufacturer would need to spend millions of dollars to retool their factories and create new battery molds. This expenditure would not be feasible. Then there is the issue of electronics inside the battery. Electronics have a tendency to fail more so than simple battery physics. A failure in electronics could render a perfectly healthy battery useless.

Aspect #2

Aspect #2 is probably the driving force why battery companies do not promote desulfators. They will lose money. The selling and manufacturing of aftermarket batteries is highly profitable.

The average user does not properly take care of his or her battery. When the slightest hint of failure is in the wind many will go out and buy a new battery. Or they will take the battery to a technician who will feed on their fear and indicate they require a new battery. A small fraction will pursue a warranty. Upon which over 50% are misdiagnosed and very well could have been salvaged.

Do you remember the core charge many of you paid when you purchased your first battery? Aside from that being another way to make money, those cores are valuable. The lead in old batteries is cheaper to process and place in a smelter than to dig deep into the earth and mine for the raw material. If you reduce the amount of material going to the smelter because your battery is lasting longer you in turn increase the demand for lead. Simple supply and demand dictates that lead prices will go up; battery costs will go up; consumers will find ways to make their battery last longer. It will create a self-fulling prophecy of higher prices.

What incentive is there for the battery company to promote or install desulfators? There isn’t one! The time and money spent on R&D to come up with a concept design, is high. The cost to build or retool a factory and generate the new molds is high. The risk of overpricing the new high-tech battery may scare customers to purchase less expensive alternatives. The extended use and thus cannibalization of the raw material to produce the product drives your material costs through the roof. The loss of sales due to batteries not being purchased as frequently will severely dampen profits. Factories not running at full capacity means overhead skyrockets and people may get laid off.

Sulfation Is Real. You Need to Decide How to Respond

Having learned this dirty secret, what should you do? The incentive is for the newly educated to take action and take advantage of this rigged system. Use the ignorance of the masses and those content to follow the system blindly to aid your success.

We have written numerous education pieces, real world testimonials and FAQs on the topic of sulfation and best desulfators in the market. Read them, educate yourself. Ask us questions. Share your results. That is how we as a community grow and learn and save each other time and money.

To purchase a desulfator product visit our dedicated sulfation page in the Impact Battery store.

To learn more visit our FAQs or read some of our sulfation related blog posts including our PulseTalk series by following the links herein.

The other day my neighbor asked if I could recycle an old car battery they had sitting around. It had been left out to bake in direct sunlight and freeze in the winter snows. She indicated the car battery was brand new but never installed. Turns out the, Everstart 75-3N battery was left sitting outside their garage for over three years. I of course said we could recycle it and then I wondered if this starting battery could be restored? Despite the obvious 'abuse' and lack of use, would we be able to revive a battery that was severely discharged and had sulfated for 3 straight years?

Setting the Stage

About the same time as we took possession of this dead car battery an industry friend called and asked if we would be willing to test a new battery conditioner produced by Battery Preserver. I said sure, I would give it an honest assessment and had just the battery to test it out on! I had never heard of BatteryPreserver.com before and tried to do a little research into there products as I waited for the BP-APD1 to arrive. My first impression was that the site was a little lacking, but I am biased when it comes to analyzing websites. More about this device later...

When we got the battery back to our facility we were surprised to see that the electrolyte had not evaporated. The acid mixture still covered the plates; definitely not what we were expecting after sitting in the blazing sun for 3 years! The voltage reading on 10-10-16 was 8.6V which is about what we expected. Oddly, nine days later, after sitting in our climate controlled building prior to being charged for the first time, it read 8.28 volts. The only difference was that we had lead lugs screwed on the front mounted terminals vs. sticking the prongs in the threaded holes previously. In spite of this modest detail, the variance did strike me as rather odd.

The Everstart 75-3N is rated for 750CCA at 32 degrees and 600 CCA at 0 degrees. We were not able to find accurate amp hour capacity numbers for this BCI Group 75 battery which measures 9.10 x 7.10 x 7.30 inches. However, when we compared it to other batteries in this physical size and or quality range we determined it cannot be below 25Ah or above 48Ah. The high end of 44-48Ah coming from premium sealed AGM starting batteries such as Optima's 8022-091 RedTop. Also, for comparison, a similar sized sealed lead acid or deep cycle battery (not designed for starting) comes in at around 50Ah (UB12500-L2 measuring 7.72 x 6.50 x 7.17).

Charger of Choice: The Charge Master CM6A

To charge this Walmart battery for the first time we decided to use the Charge Master CM6A made by Schauer. This brand of charger has a really good low voltage detection that seems to consistently beat competitors claims. We decided to remove the lead based side mount auto stud posts once the initial charge sequence was completed. We would replace them with The Battery Doctor solid brass dual threaded extenders. The idea was that this should help us later when we attached the desulfator which has eyelets.

At 10:59AM we connected the CM6A to the battery. We took regular voltage readings the rest of the day and monitored a steady increase in voltage. The voltage stayed below 13V until almost 2:00PM. Within an hour it had gone up another half volt and read 14.30 at 6:00PM when we left for the evening.

When we arrived back Monday the 31st we disconnected the charger and recorded a reading of 13.30 volts. We used PulseTech's 390PT Battery Analyzer to garner a simulated Cold Crank of 642 CCA. We were not expecting this initial reading to be so high! In any case we switched out the posts and attached the Battery Preserver BP-APD1.

Desulfator of Choice: The Battery Preserver BP-APD1

The dual threaded brass bolt we used was a standard power hookup for most all "GM" style side post batteries. They are 5/16" thread (8mm). The Battery Preserver eyelet is the exact same size--5/16" internal and 9/16" external dimension when measured with a ruler. To the unassuming person life should move forward without issue, right? Wrong! We could not get the eyelets to thread onto or fit around the brass studs threads. As long as no one touched them, we were barely able to get the eyelets to catch on the outer edge. This was not a confidence builder.

The BP-APD1 is an auto sensing 12-48V onboard battery desulfator. It measures 88 x 56 x 23mm and utilizes 20mA max working amps. Peak voltage is said to be between 60V and 100V with a frequency pulse of 10,000HZ. The auto cutoff for 12V batteries is set to 11.0 volts.

The desulfator correctly detected the presence of the 12V battery and indicated so by displaying the code C12. Within moments the unit started beeping while a red LED light flashed. The beeps seemed to follow a consistent pattern of 16 beeps at 1 second intervals before pausing for 4 seconds. I will be the first to express my displeasure with the high-pitched beeping. I could not stay and work in the same room.

The starting voltage when the BP-APD1 was attached was 12.95 volts. It was left on for a period of 3 days, which may not have been long enough when we consider other on-board desulfators take between 1-8 weeks to achieve noticeable results. During this time the battery dropped to 12.55 volts.

Did We Restore the Old Car Battery?

This is where things got interesting. The following morning we measured 194 CCA with the PulseTech 390PT Battery Analyzer. That is a 70% drop in cranking power! Thinking that can't be right I pulled out our 500A Carbon Pile load tester made by Universal Power Group. To use this device you have to dial in an amperage number that is 1/3 of the batteries known cold cranking amp or 3x the amp capacity. I selected 250 and 200 (one third of 750 and 600). The load voltages were 9.2V and 9.5V respectively. An automotive battery of this size should be coming in at a value well north of 10.0 volts under load.

The battery was placed back on the CM6A charger for about 5 hours and then retested. Even starting at full a 13.2 volts the CCA reading came in at 235 and the load voltages remained the same at 9.2V and 9.5V.

I was now getting concerned. Could this Battery Preserver have actually just destroyed the battery? It was time to dig deeper. I know that using only voltage and CCA is not the most effective measure of a batteries health. To gauge total health you need to evaluate the capacity.

To do this we used Pro Charging Systems BD6812 Battery Discharger. It can drain 6V, 8V and 12V automotive and deep cycle batteries. It records the starting voltage, time it took to fully discharge the battery to 10.5V, and total amps removed. Our first attempt at the end of the day November 4th took 30 minutes and 49 seconds and recorded 17 amps removed.

The Everstart battery was placed back on one of our favorite desulfating chargers, the XC100-P by PulseTech. Five days later we disconnected the charger and measured a voltage reading of 13.35V. The battery again loaded well below what we measured days earlier! The carbon pile loads came in at 9.2V and 9.6V while the digital version read 331 CCA.

It was at this point one of our newer employees walked by and suggested taking the brass lugs off and try taking a reading with the lead lugs. My initial thought was to chuckle, thinking the outcome should be about the same. But for the sake of consistency we did just that.

The brass terminal lugs were very warm to the touch. I would suggest much warmer than what I am used to working with. Moments after installing the lead threaded terminals we took some voltage readings. I couldn't believe my eyes! The carbon pile load numbers suddenly jumped to 10.2V and 10.4V while the digital reading indicated the battery now had 635 CCA. These numbers were consistent with what we recorded after the CM6A charged the battery for the first time.

The terminal type just opened up a whole new can of warms! We have touched on the importance of keeping your wiring uniform when paralleling batteries together because you don't want to create different resistance levels. I would have never imagined the terminal style would have such a major impact! The testing devices all reacted the same. The battery and testers did not change. The only difference was a few minutes of lost time and the brass/lead terminals. That raised a question of mechanic shops telling people there battery is bad when it may actually be fine. If the type of terminal interferes with the testers ability to accurately diagnose the battery then we have a huge problem on our hands! People are getting ripped off! We will have to investigate this further...

Back to the battery, we will continue to work with it to see if we can improve upon our initial findings. At this point the battery appears to be revived or at least on its way to being, dare I say, [fully] restored. We will put it in a vehicle and play around with the terminal type to see if we can determine if they have an impact in real life situations and not just on testing equipment. Stay tuned!

Start Using The Battery Management Program Today

It is time to recover batteries that appear old and worn out using the Battery Management Program (BMP) created by PulseTech and tested and approved by Impact Battery and many real world business' just like yours!

In this months edition of Pulse Talk, we highlight a trucking company from south Texas and the Kentucky Army National Guard (Pulse Talk May 2015 Edition).

Rush Trucks Inc.

Richard Andrus, of Rush Trucks laments "The BMP works and is easy to use. I don't understand why everyone doesn't have it!" You see, this Houston based trucking company has reduced the number of new batteries being purchased by 85% and has saved over $41,000 over the past 7 months! The Battery Management Program used by Rush trucks and offered by Impact Battery paid for itself in less than 3 months.

Kentucky Army National Guard

After using the BMP, the Kentucky Army National Guard reported a 90% reduction in year-over-year lead acid battery replacements. They also indicated that they gained one man-year of available productive time. That is one full year of battery replacement & maintenance related labor cost wiped off the slate and free to use on more important tasks.

Learn more about PulseTech's BMP today and call the experts at Impact Battery to start experiencing the savings these smart institutions have discovered first hand. Whether you are recovering 4 batteries or 400 batteries, the BMP can be modified to fit your needs. Call 866-668-3163 today.

Want to know what product helped make Rush Trucks Battery Management Program so successful? Click here to see details about the SP-5 Solar Pulse desulfating solar panel used on the roofs of Rush Trucks. These panels come in 3 primary sizes and have an extremely low profile and are virtually unbreakable! Their unique and patented pulse controller will keep batteries strong and healthy for years to come.

PulseTech There is No Comparison

PulseTech’s SC-12 Recovery Charger is an essential component to creating a highly successful Battery Management Program (BMP). Not only does it allow users to reduce hazardous waste generation by desulfating and recovering ‘dead’ batteries, the SC-12 recovery charger will achieve immediate cost savings. Dramatically reduce your new battery budget by extending the life of existing batteries, efficiently restore & recover old batteries and decrease battery related maintenance and installation costs. There is no other charger on the planet that can compare with how the SC-12 desulfates batteries so they can accept, store and release maximum power.

The Battery Management Program

So what exactly is the Battery Management Program (BMP)? The BMP has three aspects: test, recover/charge, and maintain. Testing is not only good for analyzing a suspect battery but also should be used regularly to discover battery and system issues before they become a problem. PulseTech’s line of enthusiast and commercial grade desulfating chargers will recover and charge many batteries once thought to be worthless junk. With semi-regular use they will also “freshen up” batteries that are beginning to show signs of weakness. For batteries that are new or have been recovered and are awaiting their turn to enter service you should use a special high frequency patented pulse maintainer to keep the batteries fresh and prevent sulfation from creeping back into the picture. For remote applications or batteries already pressed into service you can install onboard or solar pulse maintainers. When using BMP you will realize tangible cost savings nearly immediately and will continue to enjoy lasting returns on your investment.

SC-12 Recovery Charger at a Glance

The SC-12 Recovery Charger has been designed with portability in mind. It is built into a black HPX Plastic enclosure measuring roughly 25” x 20” x 9” (LxWxH) and can easily be carried to remote desert locations or to your customers place of business. The variable 100-240 VAC input means it can be used anywhere in the world while the max AC amp draw of 15A (at 100 VAC) means most any household electrical outlet can be used to provide power. Each of the 12 independently controlled charge channels provide 6A max output current with a max output bulk voltage charge of 14.8 volts. The SC-2, SC-6, and SC-12 Recovery Charger can be used on any type of lead acid battery including wet, sealed AGM and Gel.

Recover Batteries Previously Thought Dead

In July, we heralded the SC-12 Recovery Charger as an indispensable component to a successful Battery Management Program (BMP). For August’s Pulse Talk segment we are introducing its baby brother, the new SC-2 Recovery Charger.

The SC-2 Recovery Charger is the perfect complement for smaller fleets and maintenance bays and pays for itself with the recovery of approximately 9 batteries! The PulseTech line of chargers desulfates batteries so they can accept, store and release maximum power. SC-2 is completely safe with no possibility of overcharging or overheating.

Don’t Replace Batteries Recover Them!

Did you know that Pulse Tech has 25 years of documented success with the military? In fact TACOM Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC), formerly known as Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) of the United States Army has completed numerous tests (for the sake of competition) to try and discredit, debunk or marginalize the technology. In every case they could not disprove the patented Pulse Technology invented by Carl Gali did not play a significant role in recovering batteries previously thought to be dead. For that reason, the US government is still Pulse Tech’s biggest customer and most ardent supporter of BMP. The program supports corporate and municipal sustainability goals, has a positive IMPACT on the environment and produces documented money savings.

SC-2 Recovery Charger At A Glance

The SC-2 Recovery Charger is physically 75% smaller than the SC-12 suitcase charger measuring 14.5” x 11.75” x 6.25” and weighing around 10 lbs. It has two isolated 12 volt output channels each with a max current output of 6 amps. The SC-2 can be used around the world as the input voltage range is 110-240 VAC and its max input current is 2.5A. The SC-2 Recovery Charger sports several indicators: Battery Disconnected, Bad Battery, Recovery Charge, Pulse Charge, Charge Complete, Reverse Polarity, and Temperature Shutdown.

To learn more on Sulfation visit our Frequently Asked Questions page or click over to dedicated blog page which discusses and compares various technologies and provides real life accounts of how these chargers have been successful in restoring and reviving dead and tired batteries.

If you find yourself in a situation where you have several stored batteries needing to be maintained in peak condition, then you need the Pro-12-RP manufactured by Pulse Tech. The RediPulse Pro-12 is the best multi-channel battery maintenance system on the market. It will keep up to 12 lead acid based batteries of any type—sealed AGM, gel, conventional—in peak operating condition indefinitely. It is a must have product for automotive shops, battery resellers, and commercial fleet managers.

Battery Maintenance System Features

Since each of the 12 charge stations operate independently you can have multiple sizes, types and brands of lead acid batteries on the maintainer at one time. The Pro-12 has universal input ranging from 100 to 240 VAC and uses minimal AC current (140mAh Max). A coupled battery has to have at least 11.5V for the maintainer to recognize a battery is connected. Each lead is about 72” long while the actual Pro-12-RP case is only 7.25”L x 2.25”W x 1”H.

With this battery maintenance system, there’s no possibility of sparking between leads and an audible alarm sounds if a battery is connected improperly making it easy to verify it's installed correctly. The rediPulse Pro-12-RP is used in the maintenance segment of our highly successful Battery Management Program (BMP). To learn more follow the BMP link to our battery desulfation FAQ page.

Will the Pro-12 Charge My Batteries?

Since the charge rate is below 1 amp rotating through the 12 channels, the net charge rate per battery is not enough to charge them, but it will maintain their voltage and reserve capacity indefinitely. About once per second, it will travel through each output channel. If a battery is low it will put in a slight charge and pulse the battery before it travels to the next station. If the battery is full, it will pulse it to maintain it before moving to the next battery. Ask us to see if the RediPulse Pro-12 is ideal for your battery maintenance system.

In this month’s edition of PulseTalk, we will be exploring the PowerPulse onboard desulfators and how they should be used within a Battery Maintenance System (BMS). These tiny, yet powerful, devices help ensure peak battery performance and can extend battery life up to three times using patented pulse technology.

So How Does the PowerPulse Work?

The PowerPulse uses a patented pulse technology that reduces and prevents sulfation buildup on lead acid based batteries. The ongoing process allows the batteries to be completely charged and to give off a complete discharge. This constant equalization effect reduces internal resistance in the batteries, leaving them in like new condition.

You will save many man-hours needlessly replacing ‘spent’ batteries and will obviously not have to spend your hard earned cash buying new batteries as often. For batteries used in starting vehicles there is an added benefit; lower internal resistance means there will be less wear and tear on your starter and alternator.

How Do You Deploy the Power Pulse?

The PowerPulse onboard desulfators come in four standard voltages: 12V, 24V, 36V and 48V. They can be used with any lead acid based battery system including VRLA, Gel, Flooded and AGM batteries. You would then create an individual or series connection matching the above voltages. Ideally, you would want to deploy the PowerPulse on a battery system that is charged regularly as they utilize less than 2% of the battery’s own energy to operate. Over time, if the system is not regularly charged, the batteries will become discharged. This energy usage would be akin to a parasitic drain.

We like to use these onboard desulfators more in a preventative scenario vs. a restorative rejuvenating scenario. How does the saying go? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It seems far easier and less costly to prevent sulfation before it starts. Can they be used in both situations, most definitely yes, but we feel Pulse Tech has created better tools, mainly desulfating chargers, to more efficiently deal with the debilitating effects of sulfation. It could take the PowerPulse 2-10 weeks to reverse the effects of a heavily sulfated deep cycle battery while a desulfating charger could complete the task in 24-72 hours. In short, proper charging algorithms coupled with patented pulse technology are essential and time is money.

For more on this topic including reviews of other Battery Maintenance System components please see our PulseTalk category or jump over to our Sulfation FAQ Review page.

Sulfation and How to Prevent it

It is no secret that sulfation is the #1 killer of lead acid based batteries and that desulfators using Pulse Technology make an IMPACT. PulseTech, a company that produces desulfators, recently said, “After 20+ years, there is no doubt that our products will eliminate your battery problems and will make your batteries perform better.” However, there are still some much respected battery professionals that would argue differently.

John Fetter of Battery University wrote an article titled: Sulfation and How to Prevent It. In its simplest terms he correctly states that sulfation occurs when a lead acid battery is deprived of a full charge. So to help prevent sulfation from occurring, keep your batteries charged. In the comments section that follows the article, there is a lengthy discussion with valid questions and opinions raised by both sides of the desulfation argument. For those that like this kind of stuff it is an interesting read.

Also, if you are interested in a more detailed definition of sulfation that delves into chemical properties and battery processes please review our FAQ: What is Sulfation?

The quote below is from John’s article. It stuck with me and forced me to question what I have experienced and shared with many people over the years.

“Permanent sulfation sets in when the battery has been in a low state-of-charge for weeks or months. At this stage, no form of restoration is possible… Several companies offer anti-sulfation devices that apply pulses to the battery terminals to prevent and reverse sulfation. Such technologies tend to lower sulfation on a healthy battery but they cannot effectively reverse the condition once present.”

My Struggle With the Anti-Sulfation Pulse Technology Assumption

Many of you who have kept up with my writings over the years may recall the story of the Bobcat batteries and how the owner was ready to replace them after about 5 years of service. He was positive the batteries were shot and beyond repair. Even when left on a trickle charger full-time he would still have issues starting the machine and would inevitably require a jump at some point during the work day. If Pulse Technology could not “effectively reverse the condition” then why did he have such a dramatic change in the health of his batteries once he attached the XC100-P Pulse Technology charger? How is it that he is still using those same batteries a good 4 years after he was ready to dispose of them if “no form of restoration is possible”?

In response to John and many other experts, Rick Gregory over at PulseTech stated “Our patented Pulse Technology is proven to be the most effective way to desulfate a battery plate. That means that our products not only charge, but we also condition the battery while it’s being charged and restore lost capacity like no other product available. Quite simply, we make the best chargers and maintainers in the world.” He goes on to add, “Our products would be great if they were only battery chargers and maintainers like everybody else, but when we add our pulse, it’s revolutionary!”

Best chargers in the world! Revolutionary! Now that is a bold pronouncement.

Their Pulse Technology has been field tested by UHAUL, CAT, Tiffin Motorhomes, Questar Gas, Thermo King, Coke, Pepsi, Rush Truck Centers, Geneva Rock, Honeywell and a host of other prominent corporations. The US Army and Homeland Security are their largest customers. TACOM Life Cycle Management Command (A testing branch of the US military) spent over 10 years testing these desulfators and found them worthy of service. TS Product completed an independent study and scientifically proved the benefit of Pulse Technology charging compared to conventional charging. The pictorial evidence presented in the battery plate photo to the right is abundantly clear. After 480 cycles the Pulse Technology plates show next to no white sulfate crystals while the plates subjected to conventional charging methods are crusted over and begging for a new lease on life.

We are not among the naysayers! We have seen the benefits—some quite dramatic—and trust the research. Whether you use our solar powered, AC powered or self-powered products, the important thing is to start pulsing your batteries now and keep pulsing them all the time! You can reduce your battery expenses by up to 70% and save your company thousands of dollars in battery related costs, guaranteed.