I assume there is no actual sign of the joints corroding or having melted
due to current drain or anything like that. It is indeed odd they have
broken if neither is the case.
Brian

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This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"George" wrote in message
...
Hello everyone,

I am in the process of resurrecting a lot of lead acid Cells that I washed
out, dried and sealed in the 1980's I shipped about 100 back to UK from the
Oil Company in the United Arab Emirates. Some time ago I heard about using
Alum, - Aluminium Sulfate as the electrolyte and I got about 30 - 40 cells
working, OK.

As I do not need them at the moment I emptied them again and cleaned them
out with rain water and some I actually removed from the plastic containers
to clean out the sediment that I thought must have stopped a few of them
from working. When I got them apart I discovered that some of the positive
plates had broken off where they were all connected together and where the
fat lead terminal went up to the top of the case. They had all fractured at
the same place, although the rest of the plates including the negative ones
seemed in very good condition. Only about 6 or 7 have fractured like this
and I do not know why. The other question is how do I repair them. I can
easily get at the fracture and I have filed the faces back to solid lead but
I wonder what is the best way to repair them, providing a low resistance
joint again.

Is it possible that solder, being a tin / lead mix will have a lower melting
point than pure lead? If so, it will be fairly straight forward. the other
way might be to drill small holes and clamp the pieces together with
stainless nuts and bolts. The electrolyte is probably not going to effect
the materials. Has anyone any thoughts about this before I start to
experiment. I am going to make up a bank of cells to feed an inverter to
provide a no break supply for a house. or to charge up during the day from
my solar array, (4Kw)

Any comments will be welcome. Thanks George.