I looked for some pics of cells to see what good and bad is suppose to look like.
Not many good ones out there. I can see from trying to take pics of them myself that they don't come out too good.
Well, one thing I read was that if there is a copper color that it means things are getting bad.
But I can't tell in these pics whether the wrong things are copper in color.
Can someone explain what is going on with these cells?
I hope these pics are good enough.

 

It seems like there is a weird thing at one side of the top of the cells. In some shots it's silver but in a couple cells it looks copper too.
Is that a connector between cells? Being copper in color, I take it that that might be bad?

 

Hi,
The reddish colored material is actually lead sulfate. It deposits over time as the battery ages. I've fairly seen this in a lot of batteries over the years. Make sure you don't leave these batteries idle and discharged for long or run down the batteries too often. I've had a few batteries that overtime due to deep cycles the sulfation becomes too high and causes the battery plates to bulge from the case and cause crack and leak acid.

You don't have to worry much unless you see a significant drop in its capacity. Plus make sure you use a good quality battery charger.

 

Thanks for the info.
Is the lead sulfate just in the one picture with the mass building up on top?
Or is there lead sulfate also in-between the plates as well?

 

Thanks for the info.
Is the lead sulfate just in the one picture with the mass building up on top?
Or is there lead sulfate also in-between the plates as well?

Yes, the lead sulfate coating should be across the inside part of the terminal as well as the plates. There is definitely sulfation. But I can't say for sure its causing the plates to bulge because the acid at the top makes it appear like a concave lens.

 

A cell can look fine on the top and still be junk all the way down form there.

Amp Hour load and draw down testing is about the only way you will find out if the batteries are actually still good or not.