[Healeys] Lead Acid Batteries

[Bob Spidell]

Bob, thanks for the first-hand info.  I may be a conspiracy theorist, 
but it sure seems to me that in the name of 'shareholder value' corners 
are being cut anywhere they can be to reduce COGS, hence increasing 
managements' bonuses (think Takata airbags, GM ignition switches, 
etc.).  My main complaint is I've had several leakers, a couple of which 
were my mistake--overcharging or mishandling--but others weren't.  I 
prefer 'maintenance required' batteries because sometimes you can spot 
problems that may not be apparent with the sealed type but, overall, the 
sealed type are probably better built.

Bob


On 1/13/2018 3:34 PM, Robert Begani wrote:
>
> OK Guys I will give you my 2 cents on making batteries, since I have 
> actually been inside battery manufacturing operations world-wide  and 
> was a supplier of a key ingredient in the automated battery making 
> process.
>
> 50 years ago a key step in the battery making process was the hand 
> soldering of the straps between the cells with a very strong chloride 
> acid soldering flux.  The acid flux had to be cleaned off the straps 
> by hand because,  if the residue was left on the straps, eventually, 
> it would destroy the straps thereby reducing the life of the battery.
>
> Along came an inventor who created an automated procedure to solder 
> the straps which could have revolutionized the industry.  However, 
> they could not figure out how to clean the straps automatically until 
> they replaced the acid flux with a non-acid flux which allowed the 
> automated production to become successful. The maker of the machinery 
> sold the flux under their name, so as a young international sales rep 
> looking for more business in the lines he carried, I searched for 
> battery makers who bought the machinery outside the USA and convinced 
> them to buy the flux from the maker. Over the next 50 years, the 
> worldwide industry converted the battery making to use this process, 
> and other makers of the machinery were created.  Some were not 
> interested in buying our flux and created their own with questionable 
> results. Most of the time, I was successful in convincing the actual 
> users of the equipment to use our non-acid flux as the cost was a 
> minor part of the production process, until a bean counter would 
> disrupt the production by buying a local product on the cheap.
>
> The Johnson Controls battery making operation has been operating in 
> Monterrey, Mexico for over 30 years in cooperation with local firms. 
>  As the American automotive manufacturers produced more and more cars 
> in Mexico the battery makers in northern Mexico became larger and 
> larger. So I set up a distributor in Monterrey to supply many of the 
> battery makers (Accumuladores) in Northern Mexico including Johnson 
> Controls.  It has been over 10 years since I retired and my client, 
> the maker of the Non Acid Battery making flux, took over the 
> business.  Who knows what flux Johnson and other Accumulators are now 
> using!
>
> At any rate, almost all makers of batteries or the makers of other 
> products use the same or similar equipment and anywhere along the 
> production line, changes can create problems which they do not know 
> about until the rate of battery failure increases which may be 5 years 
> later. If Johnson Controls is not supplying batteries to GM, Ford, 
> Chrysler and so on of high quality and reliability in Mexico and the 
> cars are being sold in the USA and Canada, they would be in deep you 
> know what.  I do not know if Interstate Batteries are still being made 
> by JC or some other Accumuladores in Monterrey as I have no longer any 
> contacts in the business.
>
> I do know that I do not have to buy a new battery every September as 
> my father did for our 1953 Chevrolet Belair so the car would start in 
> the winter.  In addition, my 5 year old Duracell Battery bought at 
> Sams Club is still turning over my Healey, not because I drive it 
> every day!  It is because I charge it every 30-60 days to make certain 
> that sulfides on the plates do not reduce the life of the battery, and 
> the batteries on my 2 sailboats are lasting 5-10 years because of 
> using a particular battery charger which has automated that process.  
> I tend to think that much of the returns on batteries is the result of 
> limited use of the vehicle, and all those energy sapping sensors in 
> the new cars reducing the life of the battery.  Again, since I no 
> longer go to the IBMA (Independent Battery Manufactures Association) 
> yearly meeting, I impart to you what is going on in the industry today.
>
> Best regards to all,
>
> Bob Begani
>
>

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