Lead Acid Battery Restoration

I have seen a wrench dropped on a battery in a car, the battery top exploded, spraying acid everywhere. Never would I place anything metallic across battery terminals, even a dead battery; this was a repeated story from a 70 year old man 25 years ago. You know how some older folks like to tell the younger guys crazy stuff to see what happens......................No bridges need here on the Santa Fe River!

A battery load tester, and I still have one, does just about what the wrench does. You hook up the clamps. push a button and it more of less shorts the terminals together, to load test the battery. Smells funny and if the clamps are not on tight, can "spark a little".

FloridaAKM said:

I remember an oldtimer told me that you could take an almost dead battery & short the terminals with a large wrench till there was no power left (yes I know it is dangerous). Then you reverse the charge on the terminals & have a serviceable battery. No, I never did it because it seemed to be workable, but slightly insane!

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Your trying to change the laws of Physics ! The electrons flow from the negative to positive plates creating the current flow. They don't change just because you reverse the charge. Not unless you actually change the polarity of the lead plates. Since they are made from different materials of sponge lead I don't see that happening.