Dead drycell PC680 battery - any way to bring it back?

[youngsyr]

After going away on a 3 week holiday, I returned to find the Odyssey PC680 battery in my car had been drained completely by the security system on my car and wouldn't hold a charge at all. It will run the car if the car is jump started, but as soon as the ignition is turned off, you barely even get any lights on the dash when you turn the key again, even after a trickle charge followed by an hours driving.

Up to this point it had performed miraculously and had surprised me in just how much abuse it could take in terms of not driving the car for a week at a time and the engine firing on the first turn of the key, week after week.

So, is there any way to bring this battery back from the dead or is it only fit for the scrap yard?

Battery details:

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc680.htm

Edited by youngsyr on Friday 8th October 15:57

Edited by youngsyr on Friday 8th October 15:58

[Shaun_E]

You could try a battery conditioner such as Optimate or CTEK which claim to be able to restore a sulphated battery but it's probably beyond help.

[ladygooddriver]

Assuming it's out of warranty you need to do what Sean said. Try charging it on a computer controlled charger or conditioner. If they can't recover, probably nothing will.

They're a mixed bag I find. I've used a Red Top 20 for ten years. The first one lasted a year and was replaced under warranty. The second was similar and refused warranty but Demon Tweeks kindly stepped up to the plate as they supplied it, so replaced it. The third one lasted just over a year and I had to buy the next one. Don't ask me how because it's on the same bike and I look after it with an Optimate the same way as the others, yet this one is in its sixth year if my sums are correct!


Lady

[youngsyr]

I've heard mixed reports about them too, to be honest, but my previous one was positively herculean in its performance! Previous standard batteries would give up the ghost after just a few weeks of minimal driving/charging whereas the PC680 would survive longer and still be able to turn the engine over as well as seeming to be recharged from the alternator once you got going extremely quickly.

Once I had to jump the car after not having driven it for 10 days or so, drove it a mile to a petrol station expecting to have to jump it again after filling up, but the engine sparked to life after just a delay on turning the key.

I then promptly stalled it coming out of the gas station and it started again on the key!

I've just picked up a new one, so hopefully this one will be the same.

Edited by youngsyr on Friday 8th October 20:12

[Chiswickboy]

youngsyr said:

I returned to find the Odyssey PC680 battery in my car had been drained completely
Battery details:

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc680.htm

Edited by youngsyr on Friday 8th October 15:57

Edited by youngsyr on Friday 8th October 15:58

You are using a motorcycle battery in your car?

[youngsyr]

Chiswickboy said:

youngsyr said:

I returned to find the Odyssey PC680 battery in my car had been drained completely
Battery details:

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc680.htm

Edited by youngsyr on Friday 8th October 15:57

Edited by youngsyr on Friday 8th October 15:58

You are using a motorcycle battery in your car?

No, I'm using an Odyssey PC680 drycell battery in my car. Motorcycles also use them.

[Chiswickboy]

youngsyr said:

Chiswickboy said:

youngsyr said:

I returned to find the Odyssey PC680 battery in my car had been drained completely
Battery details:

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc680.htm

Edited by youngsyr on Friday 8th October 15:57

Edited by youngsyr on Friday 8th October 15:58

You are using a motorcycle battery in your car?

No, I'm using an Odyssey PC680 drycell battery in my car. Motorcycles also use them.

Ah! I see. It was because your link pointed to bike batteries that I asked.

Lead acid batteries can be (sometimes) recovered from deep discharge using new charging technology but I would have thought that your's needs replacing. With winter coming it mighn be worth investing in a new one.