Lead Acid Batteries, Can you get the lead out?

[Smith357]

I've always heard that it was not good to melt down old battery lead, but... We have a boat load of old lead acid batteries at work that I can have if I want them. Is there a way to reclaim the lead or am I just better off to forget about it.

Nevermind, I found the answer in another thread. Amazing what the search can do for you. Sorry about wasting your time.

[scb]

Smith 357,I don't know if there is a sticky on this subject or not but there are numerous threads here about the danger, threat, and life ending peril of doing so. The general consensus is NO. Leave them to the recyclers.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

You can take them to the scrap yard and trade them for wheel weights.

[frankenfab]

The scrap yards here are paying 15 cents a pound for batteries right now. That's with the acid still in them. So you can sell your batteries and use the money to buy WW or lead at the same scrap yard and get a decent deal including your future well being.

[Superfly]

cut tho posts off and recycle the rest, win win for you

[frankenfab]

+1 on cutting the posts. A sawzall with a wood blade is pretty quick about it!

[markinalpine]

+1 on cutting the posts. A sawzall with a wood blade is pretty quick about it!

Just don't try to cut off both posts at the same time! :kidding:

Mark :bigsmyl2:

[cbrick]

The following paragraphs are from this link.

Cast Bullet Alloy (http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletAlloy.htm)

Hope this helps, Rick

Salvaged battery lead should be avoided at all costs. Since the advent of the maintenance free battery the lead content has been reduced and elements such as strontium, calcium and others have been added. Most of these elements cast very poorly, ruin a pot of good alloy they are blended with and are extremely toxic. The quantity and quality of lead from batteries is not worth the risk or the effort.

From "Linstrum" on the Castboolits forum - Maintenance free/low maintenance batteries use calcium metal-doped lead to catalyze the hydrogen gas. The lead alloy used in batteries also contains a bit of antimony and arsenic to help harden and strengthen the lead. When hydrogen comes in contact with arsenic and antimony, the hydrogen reacts to form ammonia analogues called arsine and stibine, AsH3 and SbH3. In World War One the Germans experimented with these as war gases. As such they were highly effective since they are deadly in amounts too small to easily detect.

Do yourself and everyone else in the vicinity a favor and DO NOT use batteries. Severe lung damage and even death could result. Sell the batteries to a recycler and let the professionals deal with the risks.

[eveready]

I took three car batteries to the recycler yesterday and got nine dollars each for them. At that price it doesn't pay to mess around trying to reclaim the small amount of lead in them.

[bumpo628]

I took three car batteries to the recycler yesterday and got nine dollars each for them. At that price it doesn't pay to mess around trying to reclaim the small amount of lead in them.

You are absolutely right.

I took a battery apart one day just to see how much lead is actually in there. It was really hard to open the case because there are many compartments and the entire thing is one piece. So you have to cut every bit of it apart. Then, the battery plates started smoking - I guess they were reacting with air so I dunked them in a bucket. Then you have to neutralize the acid. It is also a lot of work to break the crumbly material out of the plates. After smelting it down (in separate equipment, btw), here is what I got:

Out of a 32 lb battery, I got 4 lbs of lead.

Not only that, but it is lead that can't be mixed with regular boolit lead - EVER. Read the sticky for more info about this. Remember that people recycle range lead, so you would be screwing someone else down the line if you use it.

Recycle the battery, get your $9 and buy 9 lbs of good lead. Save yourself the hours of work and possible damage to your health and property.

[Sonnypie]

Alright, THIS answered my question.
Very good Bumpo, Thank You.
I found this searching before posting a question.

But it raises another question:

If a feller was to cast up some battery lead,
could it be electrostatic charge attracted to the target?

"All his boolits went through the same hole!" :holysheep

Ducks and runs in a zig-zag pattern.... [smilie=l:

[a.squibload]

Ducks and runs in a zig-zag pattern.... [smilie=l:

GIT HIM!

Aw shoot, where'd he go?

[parkerhale1200]

Thanx for the info, i wasnt sure if it was oke to get the lead out of a battery, thats why i ask it first.
First i wanted to add some NoaH to nutralize the acid, then meld it down in a woodstove.
The other hazerds i didnt think about it, thanks for the warnings.
So i WONT make castings of car batteries!!!
The reason that i wanted to do that is: there is less and less ww overhere.
Ill just have to find a other lead supplier.

With best regards

[parkerhale1200]

Wrong post, sorry.

[KYCaster]

If a feller was to cast up some battery lead,
could it be electrostatic charge attracted to the target? .... [smilie=l:



Only if your boolit and target are opposite polarity.

So if you're standing at the south pole and your target is at the north pole, then yes, otherwise no.

Hope this helps.

OK, next question. :coffeecom

Jerry

[DLCTEX]

I think it's the Cadmium in modern batteries that is the biggest danger, but is just one of the many nasties.

[btroj]

This is a great example of there being a difference between "can" and "should".

It can be done, but shouldn't.


Death seems awful permanent to me.

[Pigslayer]

This is a very poignant and serious thread. Should be a sticky. I shudder at the thoughts of someone taking a battery apart and actually cooking down the lead. I always knew it was dangerous and therefore never tried it.
But after reading this thread and other related info, it scare the heck out of me.

[skytex]

I'd still take all the batteries they will give you.... But as was said, I'd take the load straight to the recyclers and get cash or trade for lead there. You can find good clean ingotized WW or soft lead right here in the classifieds for $1/lb. If you take 10 batteries and get $5 that'll get you 50lb of clean ready to cast lead for your batteries.