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Are batteries on cement bad?
By PaulM2, Section Storage Posted on Wed Mar 09, 2005 at 07:19:54 AM MST
Cement floor

Is there any truth to the idea that lead batteries will be effected by placing them on a cement floor? I've heard this from a number of people but really wonder about the truth of it. There must be lots of opinions out there. My batteries are in the basement on the floor.

Are batteries on cement bad? | 8 comments (8 topical)

Re: Are batteries on cement bad? (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by Psycogeek on Wed Mar 09, 2005 at 01:35:09 AM MST

there is science behind it, but i dont much belive it.

IMO some of it is a old wives tale, Because:
When you took old batteries out of a car, they put them on the cement, well :-)
When you did not attend to a battery it was on the cement, a discharged lead acid goes bad over time.
LA batteries dont last long anyways, by the time you came back to that battery you left in the garage, + not keeping it charged, it was ruined.
jarring a battery knocks the stuff off the plates of the old ones, which ruins it faster, every rechargable battery i have used doesn't like to be dropped either.
so
if you keep it charged, gently place it,keep the water in it, that would only leave this science that some chemical reaction from the cement messes with em, and i think its the least of the problems.

______
4. Do Not keep automotive batteries on a cement floor as this can cause them to drain more quickly (some people say this is an urban myth and others say it's not the cement/concrete itself but the temeperature difference between the concrete and the air in the room)
_______

ahh temperature diferentials??

to be safe what could possibly be the problem with putting them on a board?

Re: Are batteries on cement bad? (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by Ziggy on Wed Mar 09, 2005 at 02:10:56 AM MST

Actually , its far more important to keep a battery clean and dry on the exterior, than it is to be concerned about what material it is sitting on. Air temp and the temp of the surface the batteries are sitting on is a concern, regardless of the material and the closer they are to equal temprature, the better. However, any dust, liquid or particles left on a battery, the battery will slowly charge those particles and use it as a means of bleeding energy between the poles.

[ Parent ]

Re: Are batteries on cement bad? (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by drdongle on Wed Mar 09, 2005 at 05:33:09 AM MST

I read a article by a battery Mfgr. on this years a go, when placed on cement which is often hotter or colder that the surrounding air temperature, deferentials develop in the top and bottom of the battery which affect the batteries chemistry, and will in some cases accelerated discharge and plate sulfation.
Carpe Vigor, Dr.D

Re: Are batteries on cement bad? (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by ivandenisovich on Wed Mar 09, 2005 at 06:54:33 AM MST

I have a question about putting batteries inside of houses... For the last year or so I have been working on the conservation side of saving energy. I have insulated, caulked, sealed, replaced, etc everything that I could find. Now the little Jotul stove keeps the main living area nice and toasty, even when it is below zero outside. I have a small solar system (about 150 watts) and in the spring, plan to put up a wind genny. My concern is this, when the wind is cranking and the batteries are charging very fast, any H2 that is produced will hang around in the basement waiting for a convient spark. That would be bad. I don't want to put the batteries outside because it does get cold (last January we had two morning were it was -17). What are other people doing with there storage batteries? Thanks.
Paul, I'd rather spend my money on anything but oil.

Re: Are batteries on cement bad? (3.00 / 0) (#8)
by finnsawyer on Wed Mar 09, 2005 at 08:36:50 AM MST

Actually, the H2 will hang around the basement ceiling looking for a way to rise (to the first floor?). So you should vent it from the ceiling area.
GeoM
[ Parent ]

Re: Are batteries on cement bad? (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by Psycogeek on Wed Mar 09, 2005 at 07:04:17 AM MST

blowing them up in thier faces :-)
its not just the H2 its that you have seperated water into the H2 and the O and they just Love to go back together violentely :-)
i felt better when i found out some guy converting a car, did the same thing i did, and shocked (burned) himself with his high voltage array in the process.

when piddling with my electric mini-bike as a kid, i acidentally sparked around the battery, a few second later (after i got my brain working again) i ran to get the acid off my face. 2/3rds of the batterys cells had blown the top of the thing off, breaking the battery permanentaly for my uses.

the electric car people put in small computer type fans to vent, but then how often do they make sure they are brushless (no sparks) i think if you keep a flow of air around it should be ok. from what i read though, and DID, watch them sparks when connecting :-(

Re: Are batteries on cement bad? (3.00 / 0) (#6)
by ghurd on Wed Mar 09, 2005 at 07:35:23 AM MST

I read a long time ago the 'cement' thing is a myth based on the first batteries. I wish I remembered where, because there were some nice pic's of old batteries.

They were made of glass. Can you imagine what happens half dropping a 40 pound glass battery on cement?

The experianced man says "Don't set it on the cement." The young guy hears "Cement will ruin it".

I don't know.

The acid (or fumes?) will eat the cement if it has enough time. This I have seen.
G-
Ghurd.info

Re: Are batteries on cement bad? (3.00 / 0) (#7)
by DanG on Wed Mar 09, 2005 at 07:42:02 AM MST

Have you ever seen a skeet shooting target clay? The little frisbees that shatter when hit by pellets? That sawdust and resin composition is very similar to the early battery cases & reeked havoc by becoming conductive as the case grain opened up to become 'semi-permeable' allowing futz build up that would eventually electrically bridge cells from underneath, etc.

Are batteries on cement bad? | 8 comments (8 topical)

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