Sulfation Is Back Pressure, Falling Voltage Is Good

4,199 views · Published 5 October 2016 · 13:22 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: Aaron Murakami · 2016 · Science & Technology

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Aaron Murakami rejuvenates a six and a half year old car battery that was flattened by leaving the headlights on and will not turn the engine over at all. The explanation he builds the video around is that sulfation acts like back pressure against the voltage, the way a blocked tailpipe raises pressure on an engine, so a badly sulfated battery forces the charger's voltage up. This one climbs past 16 volts, peaking at 16.24, and he points out that the voltage then falling is the sign the battery is being repaired: as sulfation dissolves back into the electrolyte the solution becomes more conductive and the resistance drops. He notes the battery stays warm but never hot. About a day and a half later it settles, rests at 12.76 after a night off charge, and starts the truck.

Chapters
0:00 Left the headlights on
1:51 Out of the truck, and what it is
3:31 On the charger, and what to expect
5:13 Why voltage is what matters, not current
8:32 Overnight, at 14.32
10:08 The next day, at 16.24
11:30 Why the voltage now falls

https://emediapress.com
https://emediapress.com/energytimes

Posted 2016-10-05.

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