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Storing batteries on Concrete


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Since it is time to put my baby away for the winter, I will be removing the battery to insure it stays charged throughout the cold months. My dad always said you should never store a battery directly on a concrete floor for some unknown reason. I have stored it both on the floor and on something to keep it off the floor with no noticeable difference.

Do any of y'all know whether we should or should not place them directly on the concrete (basement) floor and why?

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Since it is time to put my baby away for the winter, I will be removing the  battery to insure it stays charged throughout the cold months.  My dad always said you should never store a battery directly on a concrete floor for some unknown reason.  I have stored it both on the floor and on something to keep it off the floor with no noticeable difference.

Do any of y'all know whether we should or should not place them directly on the concrete (basement) floor and why?

Not not not! It will suck it dry. I don't know what the scientific explanation is, but I have firsthand experience with this. My hubby did this when we were dating, he left his motorcycle battery on the garage floor overnight. He wouldn't believe me when I told him that leaving the battery on the concrete was the reason that his battery was dead. My father & his had to convince him that it was true. My dad always told me to never buy a battery at a store that had them on the floor & after seeing that I've been very careful about it since.

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This summer my dad told that about batteries not being able to be left on the garage floor. First time I have ever heard of it. He said something about how its grounded and that draws the power out of it...I don't know I just know he didn't want them on the floor.

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That's a myth.

Q: Is it true that concrete will drain batteries left sitting on it? (Morgan, Savannah, Georgia)

A: No. This myth had validity back when batteries used glass separators between the lead plates. Then, if you dropped the battery on a concrete floor, the glass separators cracked or broke, thus violating the solid barrier between the plates. That allowed the positively (+) and negatively (-) charged lead plates to touch and the charge leaked off through the connection.

Therefore, people thought that "concrete caused the battery to discharge when, in fact, it had nothing to do with it," says EverStart Batteries of Wal-Mart Stores.

Today's batteries use a polypropylene plastic case with paper (instead of glass) envelope separators to keep the (+) and (-) plates from touching. The paper separators are highly unlikely to tear even if you drop the battery on concrete. Indeed, concrete storage has its benefits — the coolness keeps batteries from discharging too quickly, especially in high-heat Sunbelt states.

Most lead acid batteries need charging every two to three months when not in regular use. Perhaps, neglecting this precaution helps perpetuate the myth.

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This used to be true, but not with modern batteries. In fact, putting a modern battery on concrete may actually help it last longer. See the following links (I hope I get them right)

Article 1

Article 2

Darn, I was too slow trying to figure out the link thing and YZThunp beat me to it...Anyway, what YZ said...

Edited by rts
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If that's true, what would cause a perfectly good battery to discharge overnight if it's not hooked up to anything in any way? I'm not saying that you guys are wrong, but I saw this one with my own eyes. What's more is that my father's family was in the auto parts business for many years, he knows & has seen a lot of this stuff firsthand.

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Storage of batteries WILL NOT be affected in anyway by storing it on concrete, it's a myth.

There is not currently a strong reason for avoiding contact of a battery with a concrete floor. The battery's contact with the concrete should not create a problem with the material in today' s batteries. If the battery is not clean, but has a surface layer of acid or grime which is conductive, the battery can be expected to self-discharge more rapidly than if it was clean and dry. Many years ago, the batteries were constructed with a wooden case around a glass jar with the battery in it. Any moisture on the floor could cause the wood to swell and possibly fracture the glass, causing it to leak. Shortly after the introduction of "Hard Rubber" containers, which were somewhat porous and of a less than ideal design, there was a chance of current to be conducted through the container of a high carbon content if the moist concrete floor permitted the current to find an electrical ground. These are two of the older reasons for not storing batteries on a concrete floor. There is no reference to avoiding storage on concrete floors in the Battery Service Manual published by the Battery Council International.

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If that's true, what would cause a perfectly good battery to discharge overnight if it's not hooked up to anything in any way?  I'm not saying that you guys are wrong, but I saw this one with my own eyes.  What's more is that my father's family was in the auto parts business for many years, he knows & has seen a lot of this stuff firsthand.

How long ago? Probably was an old fashioned battery. It's supposed to be fine place them on the concrete. I still put a piece of wood under them. :)

I'm doing an experiment this year. I always put my batteries in a warm basement, but don't charge them until I put them into use in the Spring. I have 2 batteries that are the same age. This year, one is going in the basmeent and the other is being left in the boat, disconnected.

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If that's true, what would cause a perfectly good battery to discharge overnight if it's not hooked up to anything in any way?  I'm not saying that you guys are wrong, but I saw this one with my own eyes.  What's more is that my father's family was in the auto parts business for many years, he knows & has seen a lot of this stuff firsthand.

How long ago? Probably was an old fashioned battery. It's supposed to be fine place them on the concrete. I still put a piece of wood under them. :)

I'm doing an experiment this year. I always put my batteries in a warm basement, but don't charge them until I put them into use in the Spring. I have 2 batteries that are the same age. This year, one is going in the basmeent and the other is being left in the boat, disconnected.

This was about 15 years ago (jeez, I'm dating myself :blush: ) & the battery was from a newer style motorcycle (rice rocket). It wasn't a bad battery, he had just taken it out to do some work on the bike. When you guys say "modern", what are we talking about? Last 5-10 years, or more like 50 years?

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There is no reason to take the battery off the boat at all except for ease of charging. I leave mine on the boat and just give it an occasional charge with no problems at all.

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If that's true, what would cause a perfectly good battery to discharge overnight if it's not hooked up to anything in any way?  I'm not saying that you guys are wrong, but I saw this one with my own eyes.  What's more is that my father's family was in the auto parts business for many years, he knows & has seen a lot of this stuff firsthand.

How long ago? Probably was an old fashioned battery. It's supposed to be fine place them on the concrete. I still put a piece of wood under them. :)

I'm doing an experiment this year. I always put my batteries in a warm basement, but don't charge them until I put them into use in the Spring. I have 2 batteries that are the same age. This year, one is going in the basmeent and the other is being left in the boat, disconnected.

This was about 15 years ago (jeez, I'm dating myself :blush: ) & the battery was from a newer style motorcycle (rice rocket). It wasn't a bad battery, he had just taken it out to do some work on the bike. When you guys say "modern", what are we talking about? Last 5-10 years, or more like 50 years?

I don't know. Probably since they took the caps away so you could check the water level, however long that's been.

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If that's true, what would cause a perfectly good battery to discharge overnight if it's not hooked up to anything in any way?  I'm not saying that you guys are wrong, but I saw this one with my own eyes.  What's more is that my father's family was in the auto parts business for many years, he knows & has seen a lot of this stuff firsthand.

How long ago? Probably was an old fashioned battery. It's supposed to be fine place them on the concrete. I still put a piece of wood under them. :)

I'm doing an experiment this year. I always put my batteries in a warm basement, but don't charge them until I put them into use in the Spring. I have 2 batteries that are the same age. This year, one is going in the basmeent and the other is being left in the boat, disconnected.

This was about 15 years ago (jeez, I'm dating myself :blush: ) & the battery was from a newer style motorcycle (rice rocket). It wasn't a bad battery, he had just taken it out to do some work on the bike. When you guys say "modern", what are we talking about? Last 5-10 years, or more like 50 years?

I don't know. Probably since they took the caps away so you could check the water level, however long that's been.

:lol: That bike's long, long gone. It was just one of those so-called learning experiences/affirmations in life that I clearly remember. I've been careful about storing batteries ever since, even though I'd been skeptical about my dad's advice on that one beforehand (although the other advice that he always gave about changing your timing belt every 100k I've never doubted :)).

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There is no reason to take the battery off the boat at all except for ease of charging.  I leave mine on the boat and just give it an occasional charge with no problems at all.

That's what I'm trying to find out. I'm getting tired of lugging them. I replace them afer 4 seasons anyway. They're still good when I buy a new one.

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There is no reason to take the battery off the boat at all except for ease of charging. I leave mine on the boat and just give it an occasional charge with no problems at all.

The place I store the boat at requires that the battery be removed. I'm guessing it's an insurance thing.

Mike

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There is no reason to take the battery off the boat at all except for ease of charging.  I leave mine on the boat and just give it an occasional charge with no problems at all.

That's what I'm trying to find out. I'm getting tired of lugging them. I replace them afer 4 seasons anyway. They're still good when I buy a new one.

The reason the battery "lose charge" on the floor is because your dropping the temp of the batt. If you look at a load tester, there is a temp min load chart. The colder it is the lower the Volt load will be.

You should not have to take your batterys out. Just put the battery on a trickel charger for a day once a month or so.

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Trickle charger would work just fine if the boat was not shrink wrapped, but unfortunately my baby has to sit ourside all winter and shrinkwrapping is a major necessity. Bummer.

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If that's true, what would cause a perfectly good battery to discharge overnight if it's not hooked up to anything in any way?  I'm not saying that you guys are wrong, but I saw this one with my own eyes.  What's more is that my father's family was in the auto parts business for many years, he knows & has seen a lot of this stuff firsthand.

I can't find the post (or even remember for sure which site), but I do remember a battery expert somewhere explaining Sudden Battery Death Syndrome. It had to do with the channels in the bottom of the battery case, designed to catch sulfates/etc. When the channels finally fill up, it shorts out the battery - Instant dead battery. Were you able to recharge yours, or was it done fer.

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i know by posting this it means the death of my batteries, but both my BU and Whaler batteries are from '00, and both have been stored on the garage floor for the winter since new.

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I didn't read through all the posts, but concrete won't drain a battery or cause it do lose charge. However it will lower the temperature of the battery which can cause a battery to have reduced output.

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