@all

I discovered this last week, but my method only works if the lead bridges between cells are intact, and it also goes without saying the plates should also be intact.
Over the years I have used many methods to recover Gel cell batteries, but last week I tried something completly different to my usual way of charging a Gell Cell.
I had picked up a 12v Henry 12AH Gell Cell battery at the local scrap metal place in Town.
Getting it home I grabbed the DMM and it measured low voltage,
I put a 12v tail light globe accross the Pos and Neg, nothing happened.
I put the GC on charge, about 8volts, I let it sit there for hours.
Retest ,,,, nothing.
Next day I tried to charge it with 13.7volts for hours, again, nothing happened.
Next day, I tried abuse charging it, at up to 28V dc, for a couple of minutes, nothing, zilch.
Then I put 20ml of water in each cell,
I reconnect the charger, the battery began to accept a charge, but would not go any higher.
At the point of dispare, I boiled the billy, for a cupa tea, then I grabbed my big syerange and sucked up the hot water from the jug into it.
I squrted in each cell 50mls of boiling water.
WELL, This battery came to life instantly, I could actually see the voltage coming up, I connected the charger, it accepted a charge and in a couple of hours, it powered up my tail light globe to a nice white glow.
What's going on here?
Do you wash your hands with cold water or warm water or Hot water?
Soap helps, but I think the hot water partly dissolved the glazing on the plates, and when this occurred, everything went back to normal operation.
I have not tried adding additives to hot water, you all can do that ha ha.
Hope this can help you as it did for me.

hooroo
jim