# Long term lead acid battery storage



## watcher (Sep 4, 2006)

I've been thinking. . . there are a lot of reasons you might want to have a charged 12V battery stored for a while w/o having to tend it. Now years ago when you bought a new battery it was fully charged and 'dry'. When you needed it you just added the acid.

If you could find or make a dry battery how long it would store? I was thinking the weak point would be the acid deteriorating. Any chemist here know anything about long term storage of sulfuric acid?

I guess it could be possible for the lead plate to oxidize over a long enough period of time which would result in a dead battery. But packing it in a sealed O2 free environment would prevent this.


----------



## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Don't know how the battery could be fully charged without the liquid voltage storage in place, but I do know that certain dealers _will_ sell you a dry battery, which would last virtually forever, and you add the acid and the charging mechanics when needed.
Once a battery is filled and charged, tender, loving care could see 10 years, plus for dependable service, but it will be slowly deteriorating over time.

This is why I'm working toward water power. Anything collected above the overflow pipe is your battery, and it will never wear out....just get a bit thin during dry times.


----------



## Darren (May 10, 2002)

watcher said:


> I've been thinking. . . there are a lot of reasons you might want to have a charged 12V battery stored for a while w/o having to tend it. Now years ago when you bought a new battery it was fully charged and 'dry'. When you needed it you just added the acid.
> 
> If you could find or make a dry battery how long it would store? I was thinking the weak point would be the acid deteriorating. Any chemist here know anything about long term storage of sulfuric acid?
> 
> I guess it could be possible for the lead plate to oxidize over a long enough period of time which would result in a dead battery. But packing it in a sealed O2 free environment would prevent this.


http://www.batteryminders.com/batte...motive-Battery-Chargers-orderby0-p-1-c-3.htmlying

I worked in a shop where we would occasionally get a pallet of truck batteries and the accompanying pallet of battery acid in plastic containers in cardboard boxes. So I know batteries without acid are still available. FWIW, Exide made the batteries.


----------



## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

I'd stock half a dozen deep cycle batteries, if I could be certain they'd still be good, when the acid was added....



Forerunner said:


> Don't know how the battery could be fully charged without the liquid voltage storage in place, but I do know that certain dealers _will_ sell you a dry battery, which would last virtually forever, and you add the acid and the charging mechanics when needed.
> Once a battery is filled and charged, tender, loving care could see 10 years, plus for dependable service, but it will be slowly deteriorating over time.
> 
> This is why I'm working toward water power. Anything collected above the overflow pipe is your battery, and it will never wear out....just get a bit thin during dry times.


It's them dang droughty times that'll kill you. Had to bleed off my gravity flow water system last week... for some reason the head pressure here at the house slowly dies away... bleeding off the water out of the system, and recharging, works wonders. There's a good 25' of head on my system... hard to hold your hand over the 1" pipe when the pipe is separated to bleed out. "Could" generate power with a hydro set up... but the waters too precious right now, being 3' low (on a 35' deep reservoir).

Solar will still produce power... even if the battery bank is dead. Only problem, the power'd need to be used during production times... figure if things got that rough, I'd be out scrounging cattails, acorns, or grubbing a garden.... 'in the house' in the middle of the day, using electricity?... doubtful...


----------



## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Yup, that.

It won't be a world of convenience, after...... just root, hog, or die.


----------



## ghmerrill (Feb 22, 2011)

Could you have solar panels hooked up to a 12v well pump, that would run on sunlight and fill a holding tank for gravity fed water? Pump would work in the day, you could use the water at night, or for watering while you are doing other critical things....


----------



## FourDeuce (Jun 27, 2002)

Years ago they used to store and sell batteries dry, with the acid not poured in yet. They could be stored on shelves for years like that, but messing around with that acid could be hazardous. I ruined a few uniforms with the stuff when I first joined the Army.


----------



## Explorer (Dec 2, 2003)

I tried to find dry batteries this last spring, four or five different solar installers/stores. No one knew of anyone suppling them anymore. I live an an area with lots of full time solar users and stores.


----------



## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Don't know what your preference, but a friend of mine who manages a shop that sells Interstate was pretty sure he could order them in that way. Haven't put it to the test..... don't plan to be dependent on batts, after the fact.


----------



## Explorer (Dec 2, 2003)

I checked with our local Interstate delivery/salesman and he said not available. Some new gov't regulation made it too difficult.


----------



## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Surprise, surprise.


----------



## NewGround (Dec 19, 2010)

Explorer said:


> I checked with our local Interstate delivery/salesman and he said not available. Some new gov't regulation made it too difficult.


If you know some army types you could ask them... they may still be able to get dry batteries or even still have some left over from WWII, LOL

Barring that it is still possible to make your own lead acid batteries... Seems like I saw something about that in one of those magazines that sell old manuals like how to build a steam engine etc... They were invented once so maybe the patent office? Both lead and acid would still be available after the "event"...


----------



## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

In those big old heavy glass jugs acid should store well for a lot of years. . . .. 

Yes dry charged bats are still available . .But you have to go well above your local "salesman" to get the answers.

A recent 'conversation' with Jamie (the boss) at Surette battery said "yes they could be available"

Yes it would be very nice if I could afford the $15,000 for a back up bat bank for my system . . .
>>>(thats todays dollars . .what about fifteen years out?????)<<<


I can dream can't I ???


----------



## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

FourDeuce said:


> Years ago they used to store and sell batteries dry, with the acid not poured in yet. They could be stored on shelves for years like that, but messing around with that acid could be hazardous. I ruined a few uniforms with the stuff when I first joined the Army.


Your solar dealer can order em,Bud got a bunch last year.


----------



## stormrider27 (May 31, 2011)

booboo 

Do you know who the manufacturer is?

TIA
Storm


----------



## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

stormrider27 said:


> booboo
> 
> Do you know who the manufacturer is?
> 
> ...


I want to say SURRETTE but I will check for sure.


----------



## willbuck1 (Apr 4, 2010)

I've thought about a wind system to pump from a well to a holding tank and then drop down for electricity. Let it go back down another well after that and you wouldn't have to worry so much about water table issues. Essentially it is a wind system but with water for storage instead of batteries and most parts could be repaired in a blacksmith shop.


----------



## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

mightybooboo said:


> I want to say SURRETTE but I will check for sure.


He cant remember either,they are at farm and he is in town,he will check for us next time at farm,gonna be a couple months,trapped by health issues in town.They sent his solar guy dry batteries and the acid to fill em with.


----------



## BlueFlames (May 28, 2006)

Industrial Battery supply houses can get you "Dry Charge" batteries and 1gallon jugs of the acid. I just bought 4 deepcyle batterys yesterday from them here in Nashville. 
You have to slow charge the batteries for 24 hours to "activate" them. 

But they are certainly available.


----------



## watcher (Sep 4, 2006)

Funny I don't remember posting this but just a few months ago I was reading some history and got onto naval mines. 

Seems one detonation systems they used was a "Hertz Horn". The "horn" was a container of sulfuric acid. When a ship hit the mine the horn broke allowing the acid to flow onto an, until then, dry lead-acid battery which produced a current to detonate the mine. According to what I read this system worked even after the mine had been at sea for years.


----------

