The condition generally referred to as sulfation of lead-acid batteries is caused by persistent undercharging and/or by allowing batteries to remain in a state of discharge too long.

Lead sulfate will always be formed when lead-acid batteries are discharged and is automatically eliminated when the batteries are again fully charged. It is inherent in the lead-acid system that a relatively irreversible form of lead sulfate develops very slowly over time whenever batteries are not brought up to a full state of charge. If left unchecked this can render batteries unfit for use, but if caught in time a useful amount of battery capacity can frequently be recovered.

The sheer persistence shown by sulfation remedies that have been popularized over the last 90 years would seem to attest there has been sufficient success to merit ongoing user support.

The battery industry appears to have steadfastly criticised the claims made by sulfation cure promoters, while leading scientists, (references 1, 2 & 3), have described the remedies as generally without merit and disputed.

Sulfation remedies are bound to be attractive to users who are trying to recover as much as possible of the battery life that might otherwise have had to be forfeited as a result of adverse battery operating conditions.

It should be noted that Batteryvitamin is not a sulfation remedy and is not related to any known sulfation remedy.

FUNDAMENTAL DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

• Sulfation remedies seek to recover a maximum portion of battery life that would otherwise have been lost.

• Batteryvitamin seeks to extend the life of batteries beyond the normal service life expectancy.

REFERENCES:

1. VINAL, GW, "Storage Batteries", (John Wiley & Sons, New York, Third Edition 1940), p 145; (Fourth Edition 1955), pp 157-159.

2. BODE, H, "Lead Acid Batteries", (John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1977), p 238.

3. AD-X2 Battery Additive - From a Trickle to a Torrent (http://museum.nist.gov/exhibits/adx2/)