There is always a misconception that the cement floor can kill a vehicle’s battery by causing it to leak or lose power. Is this a true statement? Can you put a car battery on concrete?
Don’t worry; we have found the answer to this problem. Sitting for long periods is the real cause of a dead battery. As a result, all types of battery can be drained on any surface, including metal, wood, and other materials, not just concrete.
Are you curious about it? Let’s look at the vehicle battery myth in more detail.
Can You Put A Car Battery On Concrete?
YES, you can put your battery on concrete. That’s because today’s battery case materials and significant technological advances have virtually eliminated the ability of batteries to permeate and migrate electrolytes.
The myth that concrete drains batteries seems to have some historical background. But why does concrete drain batteries? For many years, people often used wooden boxes wrapped in glass jars to store batteries. Later, hard, rather porous, and high-carbon rubber containers replaced wooden boxes.
However, if they are in direct contact with damp concrete floors, current might pass through these containers and cause battery leakage. Since then, the myth of “keeping batteries out of the concrete” has appeared.
When looking back at the first car batteries, it can be seen that they were lead-acid batteries with glass cells enclosed in a wooden box.
Why can’t you put a car battery on the ground? If they are placed on a concrete or cement floor, moisture from the floor can cause the wooden box to wrap, causing the planks to move and the glass to crack. Of course, the acid in the battery will spill onto the floor, rendering the battery worthless.
Therefore, this is not an ideal method to preserve car batteries.
The problem of broken glass disappeared when modern car batteries were switched from steel nickel-iron batteries to nickel-iron batteries encased in a sturdy rubber housing.
However, rubber is permeable and includes carbon in most cases. Like a wooden board, the battery case will draw moisture from the floor, allowing electric current to flow between the battery cells, causing them to leak or discharge.
Automakers have had to constantly innovate their designs to improve battery performance and storage capacity. As a result, most modern car batteries have sturdy plastic containers that can insulate against moisture. Now you can completely leave your car battery on the garage floor.
What Causes Battery Leakage?
While the garage floor may no longer be the source of a leaky battery supply, there are a number of other factors that can shorten the life of your spare battery.
- The carbonation of dirt causes electrical conduction, which drains the battery.
- With lead-acid batteries, self-discharge over time occurs as reactions inside the panels gradually occur, causing leaks.
- The battery discharges faster if the air around it is warmer.
- While cold temperatures are rarely the cause of battery failure, a battery in a weak state of charge and combined with exposure to extremely low temperatures can lead to freezing and cracking or breaking of the case.
How To Prevent Battery Leakage?
- To prevent rapid carbonation, clean the top of the battery with a clean rag regularly.
- Slows that rate of self-discharge by keeping the air around the stored battery cold.
- Keep your battery fully charged during the winter months.
- Knowing the battery’s lifespan can also be very helpful, so charge your car’s battery with a trickle charger and store it in a cool, dry place.
Can you put a car battery on concrete? We can finally put an end to this age-old story.
Remember that if a lead-acid battery is not used for a long time, it will self-discharge and cause dead battery. This has nothing to do with the location or condition of the battery. Therefore, your car battery will not be damaged if you leave it on concrete flooring.
Keeping your batteries clean and dry and understanding their shelf life, can make a big difference in their durability and performance.