Reusing old batteries?

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

Now stripping the insulation off of copper wires, that's a labor intensive job.

Not really, just toss it into the wood stove :-)

[roflwaffle]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

Batteries are too heavy to send overseas to melt down for lead. Shipping weight is also the reason your batteries are made near where they are sold.

I wish! I think the electrolyte is removed before it's shipped overseas, maybe it's disassembled too, but at almost 200 ton miles per gallon by truck, nearly 500 ton miles/gallon by train, and around 1000 ton miles/gallon by container ship, it's only a buck or two per battery in fuel costs to ship an old one to China and a new one back to the U.S. (~15,000 miles RT).

[Ryland]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

Batteries are too heavy to send overseas to melt down for lead. Shipping weight is also the reason your batteries are made near where they are sold.

It's not just the weight, but the cost of packing them up and having that toxic transport fee, the granite business I work for gets shipping containers of granite, we max out the weight and it's only half full, If I'm figuring it correctly, the cost of shipping a battery over seas would be around $6-8 before any of the hazardous material fees kick in, then add that same fee for shipping it back, yes it's cheap, but it's not free.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

Batteries are too heavy to send overseas to melt down for lead. Shipping weight is also the reason your batteries are made near where they are sold.

That lady by the canisters is recycling acid, anyway the reason for the massive spike in lead prices last year was due to china buying a huge amount of scrap lead out of the market.

So maybe your statement is 100% true in europe but here in the states no.

In fact my greensavers lead batteries are from china made from recycled lead.

[Xringer]

I keep old car batteries around for back-up lighting needs when the grid goes dark.
Don't need them very often, but it's really nice to have a few Amp hours stashed away.

I found these little chargers work pretty good..


Solar Tracker Project - EcoRenovator

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by jamminjimmy

Sorry for the long post.....
UNLESS the battery is physically damaged(shorted(dead)cell, leaking, etc....) the major cause of weakening power in these batteries is Sulfation.
Quote:
"WHAT IS SULFATION?:
When a battery discharges, lead in the plates combines with sulfuric acid to form lead sulfate crystals. The crystals are like insulators. The more you discharge a battery, the less capacity it has as the crystals begin to cover the plates and deprive plate area contact with the electrolyte."
So basically, the lead sulfate crystals "grow" onto the plates and act as insulators, increasingly growing and increasing restricting your

Yes all this is true, something you haven't mentioned is that the crystals can grow so large that they break the separators in the battery causing them to short out once you get them desulphated.

So although most batteries stop working because of sulphation, they may not work after being desulphated either, though I do have a set of my antique trojans on a desulphator right now, will see if they come back enough to drive 2.9 miles into work and 2.9more back.

And EDTA works well, especially with pulsing. best though to dump your acid before adding EDTA or the acid will become weak.

Cheers
Ryan

[koihoshi]

lol wow - i haven't logged on in a while - i come back and 3 pages later pretty much all my questions are answered. really good info in here.

[roflwaffle]

Originally Posted by Ryland

It's not just the weight, but the cost of packing them up and having that toxic transport fee, the granite business I work for gets shipping containers of granite, we max out the weight and it's only half full, If I'm figuring it correctly, the cost of shipping a battery over seas would be around $6-8 before any of the hazardous material fees kick in, then add that same fee for shipping it back, yes it's cheap, but it's not free.

How are you figuring it? According to the EPA the batteries are drained, then crushed, w/ the lead and plastic being separated before shipment IIRC.

[sid]

With regards to the battery pulse circuits mentioned earlier: I built a couple about 6 to 8 years ago and have been using them to extend the life of good lead acid batteries (all sealed, referred to as AGM in the business). I don't have a lot of confidence in them rejuvenating almost dead batteries, though.

[vpoppv]

In my experience, battery recycling is very hit or miss. The key for me has been to have a constant supply. On one hand, aside from a physical break, there are many different ways to revive old batteries, but most are kind of labor intensive- not to mention a little dangerous. Since I have a steady source, it is a simple matter of determining which batteries are worth trying to save and which are better off recycled. Luckily, I have found that most places will sell cores for less than the recycler pays for them, so it's always a win-win situation. Also, it is quite amazing how completely usable batteries end up being traded for new. I only have 1 new battery in my EV, and it isn't the best battery I have. The hardest part of battery recycling for me was finding places willing to sell or exchange cores.