The Ford Barn

1ton · 09-27-2017, 01:22 PM

My old Schumacher 6v/12v analog charger was the best. It gave me many years of dependable service until, one day, I loaned it out. That's what brought the need for a new charger. While I was not all warm and fuzzy about these new smart chargers, I bought one anyway. It is a Husky smart charger from the big box orange store, HD. I've been very happy with this charger and no, I will not loan it to anybody. Especially my brother.

1ton · 09-27-2017, 01:31 PM

FWIW My battery is used in a untitled, unlicensed 27 roadster bodied model a chassis that I sneak down for ice cream on occasion. That is the reason I'm reluctant to invest in a new battery.

H. L. Chauvin · 09-27-2017, 04:00 PM

Hi 1 ton,

In the 1950's J. C.Whitney used to sell a liquid battery conditioner by the name of VX-6 to add to batteries to extend the lives of new batteries and also to bring "DEAD" batteries back to life.

I am sure the battery manufacturers were not happy that this great product was offered.

I bought a six month warrantied used battery for my Model A back in the 1950's for $5.00, added J. C. Whitney's VX-6 to it and it lasted about 10 years.

This stuff really worked.

Often times I think the VX-6 company may have been bought by another company and they found it more profitable to use this same "V" formula and sell it in pill form by the name of Viagra.

Pete · 09-27-2017, 07:16 PM

For the chemists out there, the liquid battery recondintioner is mostly magnesium sulphate (epsom salt) whicch is much cheaper at the drugstore than the auto parts store.
One teaspoonful per cell and shake battery a little.
Used in conjunction with an AC pulse charger, you can save a lot a batteries long enough to get the car sold and gone.....lol

SAJ · 09-28-2017, 08:58 PM

Hi HL,
Do you remember Lee Petty used to be on the outer package of VX6 tubes, saying "I'd rather race without tires than without VX6 in my battery" or something similar. It was called "liquid cadmium" - I guess it was cadmium sulphate
The same product is now marketed by Solder-it called Charge-it, or was a few years ago when I last looked.
My company in NZ had a brand called Soldrit up until the 70's and I researched the use of Cadmium Sulphate in battery cells. But, of the many batteries tested, most had lost the plate paste into the bottom collectors (sludge traps) in the rubber cases and were shorted by this conductive sludge, so the cadmium sulphate did not restore them.
So we did not put "Soldrit pep pills" on the market. We did manufacture and market Soldrit Supersoder (using the American spelling - we call it "solder" here) and other products in tiny cardboard and tin cartons.
I just realised Solder-it company spells it our way. Are they Canadian perhaps?
SAJ in NZ

mantta · 09-30-2017, 11:36 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

The battery in my 1988 Grand Marquis was installed in June of 2000. It still works great after 17 plus years. It is an Interstate.

Patrick L. · 09-30-2017, 12:29 PM

Years ago as a kid with no money I would tip the battery upside down and flush it out well with warm water. Make sure the top is dry, add new acid and charge. Some would come and go for years, some not.

F.M. · 09-30-2017, 03:09 PM

In 1965 while in Da-Nang @ Marble Mountain with the Seabees 0f MCB-9 I ran the Electric shop for starters, Gen, & the battery shop as an E-3. (CMCN) While having very few new if any new batterys, we had many,many 10 gallon glass jars of PURE Acid.. My crusty old Chief seeing we were out of new ones and had a lot of dead ones, and many with melted posts.. He sent me to the cooks tent and was told to get two boxes of Baking Soda & a box of Black Pepper ??.. 1st Drain & flush battery two or three times while tapping the sides & bottom with a rubber mallet. Then add water to the top of plates & dump in a big load of Baking Sold & let it sit a couple of days.. ( FLUSH VERY WELL). Then repeat the whole thing one more time.. Again ( FLUSH ) .. Set upside down to drain & dry.. Add acid slowly & charge on the lowest setting you can.. In 1970 when I went back with MCB-1, I went to see my old shop now as a CM-2 and there were still some of my old re-done ones still in use as I marked each one I did.. Oh, The pepper, Chief said go get my Jeep & dump the pepper in the radiator it has a bad leak. Then go for a ride over to Da-Nang & back.. I did just that ( I thought he was nuts ) but found no leak when I got back and it never did again.. Never Question a Chief !!! I retired as one, CMC..

09-27-2017, 01:22 PM	#21
1ton Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: North Aurora,Il. Posts: 154	Re: reconditioning an old battery My old Schumacher 6v/12v analog charger was the best. It gave me many years of dependable service until, one day, I loaned it out. That's what brought the need for a new charger. While I was not all warm and fuzzy about these new smart chargers, I bought one anyway. It is a Husky smart charger from the big box orange store, HD. I've been very happy with this charger and no, I will not loan it to anybody. Especially my brother.

09-27-2017, 01:31 PM	#22
1ton Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: North Aurora,Il. Posts: 154	Re: reconditioning an old battery FWIW My battery is used in a untitled, unlicensed 27 roadster bodied model a chassis that I sneak down for ice cream on occasion. That is the reason I'm reluctant to invest in a new battery.

09-27-2017, 04:00 PM	#23
H. L. Chauvin Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 4,179	Re: reconditioning an old battery Hi 1 ton, In the 1950's J. C.Whitney used to sell a liquid battery conditioner by the name of VX-6 to add to batteries to extend the lives of new batteries and also to bring "DEAD" batteries back to life. I am sure the battery manufacturers were not happy that this great product was offered. I bought a six month warrantied used battery for my Model A back in the 1950's for $5.00, added J. C. Whitney's VX-6 to it and it lasted about 10 years. This stuff really worked. Often times I think the VX-6 company may have been bought by another company and they found it more profitable to use this same "V" formula and sell it in pill form by the name of Viagra.

09-27-2017, 07:16 PM	#24
Pete Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Wa. Posts: 5,408	Re: reconditioning an old battery For the chemists out there, the liquid battery recondintioner is mostly magnesium sulphate (epsom salt) whicch is much cheaper at the drugstore than the auto parts store. One teaspoonful per cell and shake battery a little. Used in conjunction with an AC pulse charger, you can save a lot a batteries long enough to get the car sold and gone.....lol

09-28-2017, 08:58 PM	#25
SAJ Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 514	Re: reconditioning an old battery Hi HL, Do you remember Lee Petty used to be on the outer package of VX6 tubes, saying "I'd rather race without tires than without VX6 in my battery" or something similar. It was called "liquid cadmium" - I guess it was cadmium sulphate The same product is now marketed by Solder-it called Charge-it, or was a few years ago when I last looked. My company in NZ had a brand called Soldrit up until the 70's and I researched the use of Cadmium Sulphate in battery cells. But, of the many batteries tested, most had lost the plate paste into the bottom collectors (sludge traps) in the rubber cases and were shorted by this conductive sludge, so the cadmium sulphate did not restore them. So we did not put "Soldrit pep pills" on the market. We did manufacture and market Soldrit Supersoder (using the American spelling - we call it "solder" here) and other products in tiny cardboard and tin cartons. I just realised Solder-it company spells it our way. Are they Canadian perhaps? SAJ in NZ

09-30-2017, 11:36 AM	#26
mantta Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Keweenaw Bay, MI (Michigan's Upper Peninsula) Posts: 218	Re: reconditioning an old battery Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) The battery in my 1988 Grand Marquis was installed in June of 2000. It still works great after 17 plus years. It is an Interstate.

09-30-2017, 12:29 PM	#27
Patrick L. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Largo Florida Posts: 7,225	Re: reconditioning an old battery Years ago as a kid with no money I would tip the battery upside down and flush it out well with warm water. Make sure the top is dry, add new acid and charge. Some would come and go for years, some not.

09-30-2017, 03:09 PM	#28
F.M. BANNED Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 385	Re: reconditioning an old battery In 1965 while in Da-Nang @ Marble Mountain with the Seabees 0f MCB-9 I ran the Electric shop for starters, Gen, & the battery shop as an E-3. (CMCN) While having very few new if any new batterys, we had many,many 10 gallon glass jars of PURE Acid.. My crusty old Chief seeing we were out of new ones and had a lot of dead ones, and many with melted posts.. He sent me to the cooks tent and was told to get two boxes of Baking Soda & a box of Black Pepper ??.. 1st Drain & flush battery two or three times while tapping the sides & bottom with a rubber mallet. Then add water to the top of plates & dump in a big load of Baking Sold & let it sit a couple of days.. ( FLUSH VERY WELL). Then repeat the whole thing one more time.. Again ( FLUSH ) .. Set upside down to drain & dry.. Add acid slowly & charge on the lowest setting you can.. In 1970 when I went back with MCB-1, I went to see my old shop now as a CM-2 and there were still some of my old re-done ones still in use as I marked each one I did.. Oh, The pepper, Chief said go get my Jeep & dump the pepper in the radiator it has a bad leak. Then go for a ride over to Da-Nang & back.. I did just that ( I thought he was nuts ) but found no leak when I got back and it never did again.. Never Question a Chief !!! I retired as one, CMC..