Hey everyone, I had a general question about batteries and storing them on concrete. There is a saying that goes something like you shouldn't store a battery on concrete because it will drain the battery and I was wondering how much scientific evidence is there to back this up. I have hear some stories about people doing work on their car, taking the battery out, placing them on their driveway, then putting the battery back on the car only to find out it doesn't start the car, now yes this is hearsay, but like I said I want scientific proof.
Is this an old wives tale
Yes
how much scientific evidence is there to back this up
None. Like most myths, it was probably a case of correlation not causation. Someone had a battery drain issue (for whatever reason) and his batteries happened to be on concrete, so he made the incorrect assumption that was the cause.
Or this may be a vestige from a time when batteries where made of inferior materials.
here you go, a bunch of people tried it for themselves...
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=battery+drain+concrete+floor
Anecdotal bunk.
Concrete doesn't conduct electricity, so no, it's a myth. Even if it did conduct, the battery won't discharge unless it's connected to positive and ground on the terminals. The battery body's plastic doesn't conduct electricity. By the logic of the myth, sitting a battery on a metal shelf at the store should discharge it. That clearly doesn't happen, all new batteries sit on shelves, and they don't need jumped when they're put in.
The old wife's tale probably came from an instance where the battery had a crack/leak. The acid leaked out, the battery got flat, the concrete got stained. I put my batteries on a piece of plastic or cardboard to keep my floor clean.
