You came to read this article because your AGM battery is either sulfated or you want to maintain your AGM battery properly. Or simply you just want some information regarding the AGM battery desulfation process.
But how different is this AGM desulfation process in these batteries when compared with normal lead-acid batteries?
Can you de sulfate an AGM battery easily?
This article explains you everything regarding AGM batteries and its desulfation process.
Firstly what are AGM batteries?
Before talking about the process of desulfation of AGM batteries, it is important to understand what an AGM battery is exactly.
So what is this AGM?
AGM stands for “absorbed glass mat”. This is a kind of rechargeable lead-acid battery, that has glass mats cushioning the lead plates inside the battery. Thus the electrolyte inside the battery is held properly by the membranes which are made of this fibreglass mat which act like a sponge.
Hence these batteries are also called membrane batteries or starved electrolyte batteries.
In these AGM batteries, the electrolyte inside is available in a dry or suspended state rather than the free liquid form.
Although these AGM batteries are not extensively used in all road vehicles, these are preferred by some people and used in many modern vehicles.
Various benefits such as low internal resistance, higher output power, lighter weight, extra life span make these batteries more preferable, in spite of the high cost involved.
Sulfation in AGM batteries
Like all other lead batteries, AGM batteries are also prone to sulfation. This is common.
Although prone to sulfation, they are less prone to this issue when compared with other flooded batteries.
As these AGM batteries are less prone to sulfation, they can stay in storage for longer periods of time before charging becomes necessary.
Testing AGM batteries for sulfation
You generally use either a hydrometer or a voltmeter to check your car battery.
In the case of sealed batteries like the AGM battery, it is not possible to test the AGM battery sulfation by looking inside it, as it cannot be opened like other unsealed lead-acid batteries. You also cannot use a hydrometer to perform the testing.
Hence you should measure the battery voltage to determine its efficiency. You should use a digital voltmeter to test an AGM battery.
Firstly recharge your AGM battery with a suitable charger and make sure that it is fully charged. Now leave the battery overnight in its resting phase before performing the testing.
Now use a digital voltmeter and measure the battery’s voltage without any load on it.
The condition of the battery can be known depending upon the voltage of the battery.
If the voltage is less than 12.4 volts, it indicates heavy sulfation and the battery cannot be recovered. But if the If voltage is 12.4 volts or more, it indicates that the sulfation is not severe and the battery can be recovered.
AGM battery desulfation
A suitable battery charger/ desulfator is required to deal with your AGM battery desulfation. This is the only best way to get rid of the sulfation inside the AGM battery.
But there is something important to remember. AGM batteries are sensitive to overcharging and need to be charged slowly. Hence using a regular battery charge may cause damage to these batteries.
Using the right battery desulfator which helps in effective charging and removal of the sulfation should be chosen.
The right desulfator breaks down the sulfur built up inside the battery and restores the battery capacity fully. There are a lot of best battery desulfators available in the market.
In spite of using the desulfation process, the sulfation inside might not be removed completely. Some times the sulfate deposits may get dissolved completely in a day. Whereas harder sulfate deposits take more time to get dissolved and may require more number of charges.
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