Sulfation

Causes:

• Battery stored for a long time
• Vehicle not used for a long time
• Loose belt in the vehicle
• Battery not charging due to fault in the vehicle's electrical system (Vehicle charging operating below 13.8 volts)
• Electrical leakage in the vehicle (e.g., trunk light, door light, subsequently added electrical devices, etc.)
• Discharged battery delivered to the customer without being fully charged by a rectifier
• Lack of converter or faulty operation in 24-volt vehicles
• Electrical systems in the vehicle left on (e.g., headlights left on)
• Imbalanced use (Consumers used for a long time while the vehicle is not running)

Removal of Non-Permanent Sulfate:

A discharged (sulfated) battery is charged with its own acidic water in a rectifier at a current (Amperage) equal to 1/20th, or 5%, of its capacity. The battery is considered charged if, while charging in the rectifier, it has reached at least 16.1 volts and the densities have reached 1.280 g/cm3.

Causes of Overcharge:

• High charge above 14.8 Volts in the vehicle
• Additional wiring installed in the vehicle's electrical system
• Discharged battery charged with high current above specification in a rectifier
• Addition of acidic water to the battery or draining of acidic water

Symptoms:

• High electrolyte densities in all cells
• Boiling in cells when loaded with a clamp voltmeter
• Overheating
• Decrease in acidic water levels due to overheating
• Shedding of plates
• Darkening of acidic water color
• Appearance of glass fibers on the acidic water surface
• Blackening under the plugs in the battery cover
• Vehicle headlights flickering when the accelerator is pressed.

Error types you may experience with your battery that fall under the "Not Covered by Warranty" definition in your warranty certificate, along with explanations, are provided below.

Within this group, the error definitions that depend on various conditions are, respectively:

• Sulfation
• Overcharge (Burnt)

How these errors occur and how you can protect yourself from them are described below. A sulfated battery, continuously losing capacity, will eventually perceive even a normal charge as excessive and will burn. However, a non-sulfated battery can also burn if exposed to an excessive charge. A sulfated battery can be saved, but a burnt battery is no longer usable.

If we examine the causes of sulfation and overcharge that may arise from the vehicle's electrical system in more detail:

1-Vehicle Charging System

1/a - ALTERNATOR-RELATED Today, vehicle charging systems provide values between 13.8-14.8 Volts as alternator output. If a charging system provides a charge below 13.8 V or above 14.8 V, it means the battery is either underfed or overcharged. In case of insufficient charge, battery sulfation (formation of sulfate crystals on lead plates – commonly referred to as hardening of the plates) occurs. In case of overcharge, the battery is likely to burn. Therefore, alternator outputs must be regularly checked during service inspections.

1/b - STARTER MOTOR-RELATED A loose starter motor belt, also part of the vehicle's electrical system, can cause insufficient charge output, leading to battery sulfation, which is a possible occurrence.

1/c - CONNECTIONS Corrosion at the battery terminals or on the connecting cables, or broken or damaged cables, can lead to insufficient charging. Regularly check your battery connection points (at least every 3 months).

2. Battery Discharge Due to Excessive and Uncontrolled Consumption in the Vehicle and Improper Charging

2/a - LEAKS OR CONSUMERS LEFT ON IN THE VEHICLE Due to internal leaks or consumers left on in the vehicle, the battery will be forced to operate outside its normal charge/discharge cycle. A battery that remains discharged for a long time and is not sufficiently and/or properly charged will first sulfatize and then, for the reason mentioned above, its plates will burn and begin to shed. For example, leaving the hazard lights on for a long time, leaving the headlights on, etc., will cause the battery to discharge rapidly.

2/b - VEHICLE NOT USED FOR A LONG TIME Even without leaks in vehicles, continuously active consumers (clock, etc.) in the equipment can cause consumption at a level of 0-100 mA/h, depending on the vehicle type.

2/c - SHORT-DISTANCE AND SHORT-DURATION VEHICLE USE When the vehicle is used for short distances and short durations, as mentioned in Article 2-2, batteries in vehicles will not operate for a sufficient time to replenish the discharged amount, and the discharge state will continue to increase, leading to the problems mentioned above in the battery due to permanent sulfation.

2/d - IMPROPER BATTERY PURCHASED FOR THE VEHICLE Vehicles are equipped with batteries selected according to their initial design conditions. If the usage conditions change (addition of extra lights, music equipment, etc., conversion of the vehicle to LPG, conversion of the vehicle to a commercial vehicle, etc.), the battery on the vehicle must be replaced and a suitable battery for the new conditions must be selected.

2/e - BATTERY WAITING FOR A LONG TIME UNDER HIGH TEMPERATURE High temperature shortens battery life. Leaving the vehicle without starting it for a long time, directly exposed to the sun, will cause the battery to discharge rapidly, and if not sufficiently charged (if heavily discharged, additional charging at an authorized service center is required), it will again lead to sulfation and then overcharge.

3. Improper and Untimely Battery Maintenance

If the battery installed in the vehicle is a maintenance-free or low-maintenance battery (120 Ah and above), the electrolyte levels of the battery cells must be checked regularly (every 3 months). Excessively low electrolyte levels (if the level drops below the plate) cause the plates to burn and the battery to overcharge.