Storing a battery not in use

Gday Brew69

You can by a solar powered charge holder from auto shops, or just put it on a charger every month.

G'day Brew,
Just my opinion, but if it's a 'normal' lead-acid battery, I would suggest you don't store it on concrete (place it on a piece of timber etc) and preferrably keep something attached to it light a cheap flouro light etc. Also attach a DSE cheap voltmeter and keep your battery charger handy, giving a trickle charge every now and then. As an alternative to the voltmeter, get a multimeter (lots of other uses too) and periodically check the status of the battery. I believe you would also need to use a hydrometer periodically too.

However, if its a sealed battery (I have one on my work bench from the bank which was for the alarm back up system), they are capable of holding an excellent state of charge for several years. I've had this one on my bench for over 5 years and just use it to power a small drill/power tool (similar to a Dremel) and my old ARB compressor when the kids bike tyres need pumping up. An occasional hit with the battery charger every 6 months or so for about 24 hours and she's back up to peak level. I don't think it's be built well-enough inside to be able to cope with the rigors of corrogations etc.

Just my opinion....there are heaps of better informed blokes around than me.

Cya mate

Roachie

a concrete floor will discharge the battery, buggered if I know why but it does, I've tried it several times over the years.
sitting the battery on a piece of steel will discharge it too, that's why there is a plastic tray under the battery in the car apart from catching acid overflows, if you put a battery in a steel battery carrier without a piece of ply or rubber under the battery it will slowly discharge.

A normal 12v wet cell batt self discharges at 10/15% per mth ,,battery world /supa cheap/dick smith/tandy/ jaycar /ect all sell a small battery maintenance charger called "Battery Fighter Junior" ,costs round $40 ,,takes batt to 14.2v then trickle charge to keep at 13.2v in maintenance mode indefinitly ,,, also checkout
www.uuhome.de/williamdarden/carfaq.

Okay fella's, let's call the....MYTH BUSTERS!!!!

"Okay Jamie, today we're going to discharge a battery."

"Um, Adam, like through a cannon?"

"Duh, no Jamie, were going to do it the Aussie way...... with concrete!"

"What' like drop a concrete slab on it?"

"That sounds like a plan.........."Wolfie

I'll try and explain this as best I can.

The theory of batteries losing voltage on concrete goes back about a hundred years. It was when batteries were lead and acid inside a wooden box sealed with pitch (tar). If the pitch leaked the acid made contact with the concrete and the charge was thus siphoned out out into the concrete.

It simply doesn't happen anymore. Batteries are now sealed at the bottom of them and do not lose charge this way.

As Jim (diamond) said, it is urban myth.

Cheers,

Jim.

Brew,

I had a neighbour a few years back who was heavily into touring wiht his 4wd and camper trailer. Once a year he would hook up and head off for a couple of months.

On his return his routine was amazing. One day I cought him polishing his car. He had stripped everything ou of it seats carpet etc and was polishing the floor in the drivers footwell. It would have been a great car to pick up when he was upgrading.

What he did with his battery from his camper which was about 1000 years old was drain the acid and only refill it about a week berfore he set off on the next trip. HTen he would put it in the trailer and hook the charger to it for long slow charge.

My camper battery gets a little solar charger and has been going for about two years now and looks good for a bit more.

Duncs

Hi All,

I worked in a battery shop for 5 years and I think you will find that storing a battery directly on concrete (or thick steel) will shorten it's usable life purely from the fact that the concrete is cold.
Batteries in Cairns last longer than batteries in Tasmania.
Temerature plays a big part in the life of a battery and storing it in a place where it is in contact with constant cold temperatures can destroy a new battery in 6 months.
Most battery shops will have the batteries stored on conveyor belt rubber for this reason.
I have 4 batteries stored in my shed - A spare Supercharge calcium for the 4WD, A Delkor Marine for the Yacht, and 2 Delkor deep cycles for the yacht. These are all stored on a shelf with insulation rubber under them.

Cheers,
Brett

Hmmmm, ya learn something every day!!

Bilbo

This page answers the questions about concrete floors and colder weather

Hey Brew - sorry to offer concrete information when you've had so much expertise offered, but I bought a little battery charger from Bunnings for $50 or so. I hook up the caravan battery to it when we have to be off the road for more than a month, and it gives it a trickle when it drops below about 13v or so.

Great excitement going into the shed and seeing the red light come on about once a month to charge it up. That makes me think that a month is about the longest you should go without doing something. Might put it on the concrete floor to see if it has to chrge more often. LOL

Max