# Do you quickly dispose of your car battery?



## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

Don't know about ordinary (not specifically electrical conductive) grease. Ordinary grease will impair the contact between battery terminl post and conncting clmp.

If you have not followed the above steps for a long time and only add water or otherwise follow the steps after the battery has died, then chances are the battery will never hold a full charge again.

I have herard of battery rejuvenation but so far I have not found a published straight step by step procedure that is not filled with sentences beginning with "if" and does not require the purchase of expensive ingredient or chemicals..


----------



## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

AllanJ said:


> Don't know about ordinary (not specifically electrical conductive) grease. Ordinary grease will impair the contact between battery terminl post and conncting clmp.


They sell what's called dielectric grease for protecting battery terminals, but you wouldn't put it between the terminal and post. I think the recommended way to apply it would be to clean up the connections, clamp the terminal tightly onto the post, and then put the grease on and around the connection.


----------



## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

I have a few old batteries on a pallet behind my barn. When I buy a new battery I take a similar battery from my dead stock so I can get the $5 bounty, then I swap the battery and put the old one in my dead stock.


----------



## ukrkoz (Dec 31, 2010)

I dielectric grease every electric connection I can get to in car.


----------



## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

> My question for YOU is:
> 
> “Is it advisable to apply a little neutral grease on the terminals to avoid deposits?”


Ayuh,...... When I install a new battery, I sand/ clean the terminals, 'n cable ends, hook 'em all up, 'n _Slather_ a healthy coatin' of axle grease over _Everything_ involved,....

I never have corrosion, 'n the only down-side is my jumper cable clamps get abit greasy when I jump somebody/ something,......

Bein' a Mechanic, I've usually got a rag in my pocket, so who cares,....?......


----------



## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

LOL... I never "quickly dispose" of my batteries. I take them back to recover the core charge.


----------



## carmusic (Oct 11, 2011)

Old Thomas said:


> I have a few old batteries on a pallet behind my barn. When I buy a new battery I take a similar battery from my dead stock so I can get the $5 bounty, then I swap the battery and put the old one in my dead stock.


here they charge 15$ if we dont bring the old battery back


----------



## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

Depending on the the retailer, the core for a new battery is between $8 and $15. Sometimes, it's worth more at the recycling center than returning it as a core.


----------



## jproffer (Mar 12, 2005)

Old Thomas said:


> I have a few old batteries on a pallet behind my barn. When I buy a new battery I take a similar battery from my dead stock so I can get the $5 bounty, then I swap the battery and put the old one in my dead stock.


I do something similar. A lot of years ago I "ate" the core charge and kept the battery, so now I just take the last one I took out when I go to get a new one. Saves a trip back to the store.


----------



## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

Old Thomas said:


> I have a few old batteries on a pallet behind my barn. When I buy a new battery I take a similar battery from my dead stock so I can get the $5 bounty, then I swap the battery and put the old one in my dead stock.


If you're only getting $5, you might do better at your local scrap metal recycling center. At mine, they go by weight, and I get $9-$12 for a normal sized car battery.


----------



## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

I just got a new battery for my almost 5 year old Vette, going with the herd and replacing before it fails because trying to replace one of these on the side of the road somewhere is not recommended. The battery is in a well at the rear of the car under the most difficult carpet in the world to pull out of the way without tearing. It also has a lot more than simple terminals... there is a bus bar, a circuit board in a plastic frame, a vent tube, etc. that all need to be dealt with.

Works out for a win since the farm truck can use the old battery hopefully for a year or 2 (will have a disconnect on the truck). Core charge here was $22. Yes, you read that correctly.... $22. There are a couple of old dead batteries in the barn and hopefully one of those will get me my $22 back.



HotRodx10 said:


> If you're only getting $5, you might do better at your local scrap metal recycling center. At mine, they go by weight, and I get $9-$12 for a normal sized car battery.


----------



## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

The last three I had to replace were 9, 10 and 7 years old. I buy from Autozone and have them install it. That way they have the battery core and I have clean hands. The 10 year old battery was in my 55 Chevy. I keep a battery tender on it and the battery is an Optima red top. When it went I first thought that's a new battery :vs_mad:. Then I remembered I built the car in 2004. Oops!


----------



## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

Mike Milam said:


> The last three I had to replace were 9, 10 and 7 years old. I buy from Autozone and have them install it. That way they have the battery core and I have clean hands. The 10 year old battery was in my 55 Chevy. I keep a battery tender on it and the battery is an Optima red top. When it went I first thought that's a new battery :vs_mad:. Then I remembered I built the car in 2004. Oops!


I get mine at Costco. I save enough to pay for the extra trip, and pay myself $20 for the 10 minute job to replace it.

From what I've read, the Optima batteries don't really last any longer than a standard battery in most vehicles. The exception is off-road vehicles, since they do endure getting bounced around better than regular batteries.


----------



## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

HotRodx10 said:


> I get mine at Costco. I save enough to pay for the extra trip, and pay myself $20 for the 10 minute job to replace it.
> 
> From what I've read, the Optima batteries don't really last any longer than a standard battery in most vehicles. The exception is off-road vehicles, since they do endure getting bounced around better than regular batteries.


Well the reason for the Optima was I moved the battery to the trunk and the Optima doesn't off gas like a regular battery does (I made that mistake years ago on another tri-five Chevy).


----------



## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

Mike Milam said:


> Well the reason for the Optima was I moved the battery to the trunk and the Optima doesn't off gas like a regular battery does (I made that mistake years ago on another tri-five Chevy).


That's a good reason to have a sealed battery.


----------



## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

HotRodx10 said:


> Depending on the the retailer, the core for a new battery is between $8 and $15. Sometimes, it's worth more at the recycling center than returning it as a core.


Does the store you do business with charge you a core charge when you purchase a new battery.?


----------



## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

ron45 said:


> Does the store you do business with charge you a core charge when you purchase a new battery.?


Yes, all of them I've dealt with do. That was the $8 to $15 I mentioned.


----------



## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

HotRodx10 said:


> If you're only getting $5, you might do better at your local scrap metal recycling center. At mine, they go by weight, and I get $9-$12 for a normal sized car battery.


I tried that once, a battery was worth $1.25. They buy by weight. My father used to line them up and fill them to the top with water before selling them.
New York State mandates a $5 core charge. There is also a $2.50 “disposal fee” on tires but when the tires are worn out the state won’t take them. I suppose I could jettison them on a back road, the tax pays for those tires.


----------



## CaptTom (Dec 31, 2017)

I also keep a stock of dead batteries, suitable for recovering the "disposal fee" when buying a new one. There are times when you need a new battery for something other than replacing an old one. That's when having a stash comes in handy.

What do you suppose happens with new solar installations? You might be putting in a bunch of new batteries, and have no "old" ones to return. I wonder if the installers are charged the fee.


----------



## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

Old Thomas said:


> I tried that once, a battery was worth $1.25. They buy by weight. My father used to line them up and fill them to the top with water before selling them.
> New York State mandates a $5 core charge. There is also a $2.50 “disposal fee” on tires but when the tires are worn out the state won’t take them. I suppose I could jettison them on a back road, the tax pays for those tires.


I guess it depends on where you're at, or maybe when - it could be a timing thing. The margin between what the lead is worth and what it costs to transport it may be narrow, like it is for steel (steel scrap fluctuates between 1 and 6 cents per pound where I'm at, because transporting it costs nearly as much what it's worth) 

Like I said, I gotten between $9 and $12 for the batteries I have taken in for recycling. I assumed that's why the core deposit went up.


----------



## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

I just bought a battery about 4 months ago and the core charge was $22.00

Where I take my junk to will only give $8.00


----------



## ukrkoz (Dec 31, 2010)

Batteries are HEAVY.
I always have good use for dead weight. On tarps, weighing down harrow or similar. 

Plus, you cna make lots of kewl stuff out of molten lead.


----------



## rjgogo (Nov 12, 2008)

HotRodx10 said:


> I get mine at Costco. I save enough to pay for the extra trip, and pay myself $20 for the 10 minute job to replace it.
> 
> From what I've read, the Optima batteries don't really last any longer than a standard battery in most vehicles. The exception is off-road vehicles, since they do endure getting bounced around better than regular batteries.



From what I have *experienced*. They do. I’ve had two last over 10 years. Also, invest in a batteryminder. It will refresh some batteries but you have to leave it on for a couple of weeks. Easy to do for boat; tractor, motorcycle etc in the off season.


----------



## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

rjgogo said:


> From what I have *experienced*. They do. I’ve had two last over 10 years. Also, invest in a batteryminder. It will refresh some batteries but you have to leave it on for a couple of weeks. Easy to do for boat; tractor, motorcycle etc in the off season.


That's good to know.


----------



## papereater (Sep 16, 2016)

I use felt washers, the corrosion inhibitor which I do not know what it is. So neat/clean, without the messy axle grease. Maybe some have excellent luck with axle grease but if you miss just one spot (underneath the cable clamps) it is not as useful in preventing electrolytic gasses from seeping out and causing corrosion. Pads are so easy/and cheap.

last battery from Walmart lasted me 8 years.


----------



## rjgogo (Nov 12, 2008)

Fluid film. 
https://www.fluid-film.com


----------

