Basically the desulphate light comes on when the plates are (for want of a better word) coked up.
Imagine two stroke or diesel engine lazily doing it's job and never being worked hard, which they all enjoy and most importantly they all need!!
The optimate applys a discharge/charge programme which tries to coax some life back into the (coked up) cells. But to be honest it's probably close to it's last legs anyway. If it does manage to get it back to life I'd still start sourcing another battery all the same. Good luck
