Batteries left sitting on concrete?

[bcp]

I'll bet most of us have heard that we shouldn't. Here's some information I found while looking for something else.


ASK THE EXPERTS: Batteries on Concrete | Home Power Magazine

"Many people have the impression that when batteries sit on concrete, energy "leaks out" or they are ruined. The short answer is that letting modern batteries sit on concrete does not harm or discharge them in any way. However, this legend is historically based in fact. "
...


Another link:

Yuasa Batteries - FAQ's

Bruce

 

[oosik]

Huh - interesting. I think I've heard that story somewhere. No problem with that here - I have no concrete floors.

 

[downsizingnow48]

This used to be a reliable family argument when I was small. My mother's brothers thought batteries discharged on concrete, my father's brothers thought they were being stupid.

 

[crazyal]

I lost too many batteries sitting on cement to fall for that lie. All the experts ever say is old rubber based batteries (I've never seen one) would drain but modern plastic ones are not at risk. Yet I have had it happen to me. Those same experts say that you don't need to let your car engine warm up for more than a few seconds to get oil flowing when cold out. The problem is none of those experts will come over and pay for a replacement engine or battery. Maybe in the south it's different but up here in the cold months things left on cement get cooled down and attract moisture. In that moisture will be any minerals that were in the cement. A simple test is to place a piece of steel on a cement floor and one on a board on the cement floor. The steel on the floor will rusted like crazy in the spring.

I would guess a sealed battery is probably a lot more resistant to being damaged. Between the cement, moisture, sulfuric acid, lead, and anything else that has deposited itself on the outside of the battery you have a whole chemistry set. The lead will oxidize. The cement will create calcium carbonate (a base). I can see multiple ways a battery could be drained. The moisture could create an electrical path between the terminals and the calcium carbonate could react with the sulfuric acid and turn the electrolyte in the battery into salt water (on a vented battery) seem like the two most likely off the top of my head.

 

[oosik]

The solution for you Al - don't set your batteries on concrete.

 

[Billrog]

I've had 2 battery's sitting on the concrete floor in my shop for the last 6 mons. checked them just yesterday to see if they needed topping up 1 had 12.68 volts the other 13.4 guess I have good battery's or a good floor. I had them both on a battery minder last June for a wk. each when I took them out of my fork lift.

 

[George2615]

Never had a battery go dead sitting on a concrete floor but have seen many go dead from parasitic drain across the top of the battery. Battery looked clean but I would get a voltage reading from the negative (or positive) terminal and anywhere on top of the battery. A good cleaning with baking soda and water cleaned it off and no more leakage.

 

[poncho62]

I'm old........My dad taught me not to set batteries on concrete. I still do it, maybe out of habit or maybe out of respect for my dad.

 

[LouNY]

I lost too many batteries sitting on cement to fall for that lie. All the experts ever say is old rubber based batteries (I've never seen one) would drain but modern plastic ones are not at risk. Yet I have had it happen to me. Those same experts say that you don't need to let your car engine warm up for more than a few seconds to get oil flowing when cold out. The problem is none of those experts will come over and pay for a replacement engine or battery. Maybe in the south it's different but up here in the cold months things left on cement get cooled down and attract moisture. In that moisture will be any minerals that were in the cement. A simple test is to place a piece of steel on a cement floor and one on a board on the cement floor. The steel on the floor will rusted like crazy in the spring.

I would guess a sealed battery is probably a lot more resistant to being damaged. Between the cement, moisture, sulfuric acid, lead, and anything else that has deposited itself on the outside of the battery you have a whole chemistry set. The lead will oxidize. The cement will create calcium carbonate (a base). I can see multiple ways a battery could be drained. The moisture could create an electrical path between the terminals and the calcium carbonate could react with the sulfuric acid and turn the electrolyte in the battery into salt water (on a vented battery) seem like the two most likely off the top of my head.

I set my batteries on a block of wood also, I've seen them sweating when on the concrete and they don't seem to on wood.

 

[Oaktree]

Huh - interesting. I think I've heard that story somewhere. No problem with that here - I have no concrete floors.

I first heard that story almost 50 years ago. No one could tell me why, but several people swore it was true. Until I bought my current place I never had any concrete floors either so it was a moot point. I will say that in spite of my skepticism, I do set batteries on a piece of wood "just in case".