Storing An Unused Battery

[Oka]

Is there any 'best' way to store an unused car battery?

Thanks

[ssicarman]

Clean it. If you are able to top up the electrolyte (with distilled water). Charge and either put a low amp charger on it every now and then or a very low amp battery tender charger. Do not store on concrete. The drier the storage area the better.

[Oka]

. . . Do not store on concrete. . . .

The garage would be the best place to keep so as to remember the processes.
Then You brought up something very interesting I have always wanted to ask that I do
but don't know. That is leaving battery on concrete. Please could you explain the issues?
Please try not to be too technical (if you can).
Thanks.

[Willy]

Best not to store a battery too cold for a long time.
Sulphuric acid and concrete don't go together well
Perhaps that's why it is adviced not to store a bettery on concrete.
Concrete can also become quite cold during winter.
Willy

[billr99]

Best not to store a battery too cold for a long time.
Sulphuric acid and concrete don't go together well
Perhaps that's why it is adviced not to store a bettery on concrete.
Concrete can also become quite cold during winter.
Willy

I've always heard that it is best to store a battery where it won't freeze and on a bit of board, ideally with an air space between the board and the floor. If the battery is kept well charged it can survive temps getting down to -40C+, but as it discharges from non-use that low temperature increases. I've seen a good, but fairly discharged battery have its electrolyte start turning to slush at -30C. Much more solid than that and you will have ice crystals start to degrade the lead plates.

Another reason to keep a battery off of concrete is that in a humid environment a battery sitting on a concrete floor will sweat with the moisture on the outside of the battery having a path to ground. This increases the discharge rate as a result. Getting up off the floor breaks the path, putting it on a board has the board act as an insulator for both the electrical path as well as allow for a bit more stabilized temperature.

Cheers,

Bill

[Antherzoll]

Getting up off the floor breaks the path, putting it on a board has the board act as an insulator for both the electrical path as well as allow for a bit more stabilized temperature.

Cheers,

Bill

Depending on which theory you believe in, Electron Theroy or Conventional Flow, the pixies are always trying to flow from one post to the other. If you had an electrode hammered into moist ground 10ft and you connected either the - or + post to it while leaving the other isolated or floating the battery will not discharge. It's the potential difference created between - and + in a battery's cells that causes current flow in a circuit, both need to be connected to complete a circuit. While dust and moisture on the battery's surface could allow for a path between both post, the self discharging that happens would attribute to a greater loss. As for stable temeratures, a concrete floor will not fluctuate as rapidly as air, by having it on a concrete floor it will maintain a more stable temperature. Sorry to be a smart ass

Keep it clean.
Keep it charged.
Keep the electrolyte topped up if it is not a sealed battery.

A battery tender would be best.

If batteries can survive under the hood in winter they can survive on a concrete floor in your garage.

[Willy]

If batteries can survive under the hood in winter they can survive on a concrete floor in your garage.

Assuming that the car used regularly, the battery is warmed up by the current flow and
the warmth in the engine bay. A long period in a (very) cold garage is not quite the same.
Willy

[Antherzoll]

You're right, the heat cycling that the battery endures from use is much harder on it. If fully charged and kept above it's freezing point a battery will keep for a long time as the cold will slow down the self discharging reaction.



-76F sounds pretty cold to me.