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Marthe48

(17,105 posts)

5. A story from the good old days

Tue May 10, 2022, 12:30 PM

May 2022

My mother-in-law was too embarassed to tell the whole story and my brother-in-law finished it for her.

Her family lived on a farm in rural WV, in the 30s. They had a radio, and it ran on a battery they kept outside. Somehow, they heard that you could extend the life of the battery if somebody peed on it. So her brothers would pee on the battery to keep the radio going, until their parents got the money and ordered a new battery.

I don't know what kind of a battery it was, and have no idea what sort of chemical reaction occurred.

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14 replies

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Anyone try to rejuvenate a lead acid battery? [View all] Disaffected May 2022 OP

Yes, years ago. It was a waste of time. mahatmakanejeeves May 2022 #1

Yes but did you Disaffected May 2022 #3

Yes, electrolyte. It still didn't work. NT mahatmakanejeeves May 2022 #6

A lawn mower battery is $60 bucks tops at least round here. Alpeduez21 May 2022 #2

Hey, I have the time and Disaffected May 2022 #4

Supposedly, you can dislodge the internal shorts by firmly lowering (NOT DROPPING) the mahatmakanejeeves May 2022 #7

A story from the good old days Marthe48 May 2022 #5

I've heard you can keep electric fences in good operating order by peeing on them. NBachers May 2022 #9

That method also tests the electric fence audible alarm EYESORE 9001 May 2022 #10

Let the pros do it relayerbob May 2022 #8

Yeah, recycle it and go new... Wounded Bear May 2022 #13

Many battery chargers/maintainers have a periodic sulfation mode MichMan May 2022 #11

I think that's more for prevention rather than correction Major Nikon May 2022 #14

With small lead acid batteries taxi May 2022 #12