Free used car batteries?

Ptstolls

I'm looking to hook up a car battery to some solar panels for my shed. I've been browsing eBay for used batteries, but considering it costs money to recycle batteries (which is legally required), does anyone know whether someone like a mechanic or a scrap yard would be likely to give them away for free?

Open to ideas!

Mr.Generous

Scrap yards pay you for them so I doubt anyone who gets a few would pass them on for nowt.

DUTR

Why would a breaker give them away?
Batteries or at least some of the components can be recycled.

forgotmyname

Batteries are worth money even totally useless ones.

A business is unlikely to give them away, they need a papertrail to show how they disposed of them. Do you have a waste licence?

Offer to take peoples batteries to the tip. But dont expect many.

George_Michael

Scrappies normally sell old batteries to a recycling facility so it's unlikely that you will get them free of charge.

sevenhills

George_Michael wrote: »

Scrappies normally sell old batteries to a recycling facility so it's unlikely that you will get them free of charge.

I have two at the moment, I am hoping I will get £10 for them next week.

motorguy

Ptstolls wrote: »

I'm looking to hook up a car battery to some solar panels for my shed. I've been browsing eBay for used batteries, but considering it costs money to recycle batteries (which is legally required), does anyone know whether someone like a mechanic or a scrap yard would be likely to give them away for free?

Open to ideas!

As already posted - a car battery is worth between £5 to £12 scrap depending on weight if weighed in, so nobody (with any sense) gives them away free.

Likewise, if they're completely duff to only be worth giving away, they're hardly going to hold charge from your solar panels

stator

motorguy wrote: »

Likewise, if they're completely duff to only be worth giving away, they're hardly going to hold charge from your solar panels

Just because it won't start a car doesn't mean it won't hold a charge.



The best bet for the OP is to offer to buy them on gumtree for £5.
If you've DIY fitted a new battery to your car. Trying to sell it for scrap is a PITA, so if someone is offering your cash on gumtree, they might go for it.

fred990

I've had quite a bit of success rejuvenating old batteries with ctek type chargers. I find the local paper & bottle bank is where some people think they should leave old car batteries!

System

Car batteries really aren't the best idea for this due to the fact you knacker them if the voltage drops below 11V. Far better using leisure batteries which are designed for deep discharge.

fred990

Tarambor wrote: »

Car batteries really aren't the best idea for this due to the fact you knacker them if the voltage drops below 11V. Far better using leisure batteries which are designed for deep discharge.

100% correct if you're buying them from new but I'm pulling old car batteries way down and they keep going. Caveat of course that I'm drawing about 1/10 C max down to about 11.5V and not trying to crank a car motor. But they're old knackered batteries anyway, no good for a car.
I think you could use them for storage but it would be a labour of love to keep them going?
Next project is to start drilling the caps out and play with electrolyte/SG.......