How many here believed this?

[Brad Lustig]

"Storing a car battery on your concrete floor will kill the battery."

I have always heard that and abided by the rule, but it never made any logical sense to me. There was good reason for my doubt. It's not true.

http://www.interstatebatteries.com/www_2001/content/about_us/current/december_1999/1199_techtalk.htm

[Normspeed]

I heard it many times over the years and always thought it was an odd theory. Glad it's been de-bunked.

[62rebelP23]

i think the only basis that ever held truth was with the old rubber cases, but even then i think it was hogwash. batteries simply lose charge at a given rate regardless of how they're stored (properly!) unless they're under water or something. sealed batteries kept on trickle charge should last almost indefinitely IMHO.

[Plymouthy Adams]

this was a major practice in the old days to protect batteries...read this..todays cases are different thus NLA

Historical Basis

You see, the myth that concrete drains batteries does have some historical basis. Many, many years ago, wooden battery cases encased a glass jar with the battery inside. Any moisture on the floor could cause the wood to swell and possibly fracture the glass, causing it to leak. Later came the introduction of the hard rubber cases, which were somewhat porous and had a high-carbon content. An electrical current could be conducted through this container if the moist concrete floor permitted the current to find an electrical ground. The wise advice of the old days to "keep batteries off concrete" has been passed down to us today, but it no longer applies because of the advanced technology of today’s batteries.

[Mr. Belvedere]

Great! No more running around looking for scrap pieces of wood to put my battery on when its out of my car or trailer.

[Brad Lustig]

Honestly, it's probably going to be hard to break the habit...

[Norm's Coupe]

I've never heard that tale before. Really doesn't matter though. I never set a battery on the floor, unless I'm changing batteries. Then I'll put the old one on the floor and take the new one out of the battery box. If I take the battery out of the car for any other reason I always set it on a table or the workbench. That way, it's easier to put down and pick back up again. If I should need to charge the battery, I usually do that while the battery is still hooked up and in the car. If out of the car, it's on the table or bench again. Saves wear and tear on the back that way.

[62rebelP23]

something else might have been a practical point; freezing! if a battery was set directly on the ground or on concrete it might freeze more readily (in the right weather of course) than if it was on a wooden bench or table. the used car dealer i used to work for also sold batteries and if i recall he used to be adamant about keeping batteries off the concrete. he was a great fellow to watch as he repaired batteries. couldn't keep a decent pair of jeans working there though....

[claybill]

thats right....concrete keeps the cold longer...when storing batteries for hard winter months or overnight when below zero...put it on a block of wood for a bit of insulation....de bunk or bunk...that is a truism.

bill

[Rodney Bullock]

Don't question what the elders tell you:mad: just do it! No Batrays on di floor you hear! I don't care what that report says I will never put a battery on the concrete floor. I could very well get the BOOT in the BUTT;)

[Reg Evans]

I was just discussing this with my older brother last week.

He still believes the myth and I don't.

He's an old duffer though......7 years older than I am.

[BobT-47P15]

Oh, yeah. I always sat the battery on some wood........

Don't recall who said to do that, but I remembered.

[Normspeed]

Another one I used to hear was, (pre-unleaded) if you mixed regular and high test gasoline 50/50, you would get a higher octane rating than either one. I recall guys coming to the Shell station where I worked, filling jerry cans of that mix for the weekend drags. I can't see how that would really work though.

[Guest bizzycoupe]

It's funny that this question came up. I am now selling reconditioned batteries because of a arguement between a friend of mine and the garage he was selling the batteries too. He told the owner of the garage another friend of mine he was storing the batteries wrong on a cement floor and he told him he was crazy and wouldn't sell anymore of his batteries to keep peace I took them to sell. I think there was a reason with the old batteries but not with the newer ones. I store them on wood just because it's easier to pick up.

[Brad Lustig]

Another one I used to hear was, (pre-unleaded) if you mixed regular and high test gasoline 50/50, you would get a higher octane rating than either one. I recall guys coming to the Shell station where I worked, filling jerry cans of that mix for the weekend drags. I can't see how that would really work though.

Think about it. You mix 87 octane with 93 octane, that gives you 180 octane!!!

[Plymouthy Adams]

octane rating is usually misunderstood by consumer...the many ways of rating the octane content is confusing to all...the lower the octane number the more readily it is to ingnite...whereas a higher octane doen not ignite as easily therefore controlling the ignition better preventing pre-ignition..usually if your engine is less than 9 to 1 CR you will not really benefit from runnning high octane fuel...higher compression engines need this additive so as to not ping and remember the old days of the high-po engines..magnums (dodge) and Commando (plymouth) both the smae engine just different names by the way...these suckers would run if the engine was hot and you were setting the dwell with the distributor cap off....(dieseling if you prefer)

so in answer to the myth...sure we all have heard it..not sure if it is true or not..but if the low octane burns quicker...and the high octane ignites later..but has anti knock ingredients..maybe you are getting a better blend...

[Reg Evans]

"Think about it. You mix 87 octane with 93 octane, that gives you 180 octane!!!:D"

By God you're right Brad !!!

And then you could cut the 180 octane with 50% 0 octane water and still have 90 octane.

[Plymouthy Adams]

dang Reg..same octane twice the liquid mixture..by gally I think you're on to something here....me..I just buy all those things from JC Whitney that adds 10-20 percent fuel mileage and every 100 or so miles stop and drain the excess out of my tank...

[bob westphal]

The only reason I can think of to not store a battery on cement is that if the battery leaks acid, the acid will eat the cement.

[Brad Lustig]

You're right about that, Tim. People think that if they add premium fuel to their tank, it'll run better. A while back, yes, the premium was slightly cleaner, but they're probably causing more deposits in their combustion chamber due to incomplete firing of the fuel.

[Normspeed]

Magnets. The secret is the magnets...

dang Reg..same octane twice the liquid mixture..by gally I think you're on to something here....me..I just buy all those things from JC Whitney that adds 10-20 percent fuel mileage and every 100 or so miles stop and drain the excess out of my tank...