Automotive batteries and left over sulfate etc.

[Alvin in AZ]

I heard that lead from home-smelted from automotive batteries had left over
sulfate etc in it that could rust your barrel.

Any truth to any of that?

Maybe not a problem for black-powder shooters?

If so, that by itself is enough to stop a lot of guys from messing with batteries
and the argument over arsenic etc can be left in the dust? :)

Alvin in AZ

[DLCTEX]

There are a number of things in batteries that are dangerous. The general consensus on this board has been that it is unsafe for casting. DALE

[454PB]

Not only that, but disassembling a battery will ruin your clothes, boots, gloves, etc., and makes a big mess in the yard.

[docone31]

I have melted battery lead before.
The older batteries actually had lead. The newer ones are miserable.
I really wouldn't worry about the sulphate, the heat turns it into dross. The lead recovery from the batteries I did, was definately not worth it. Very small return with great work.
I did find some lead though, but not much. It seems, most of the weight in a battery seemed to come from the electrolyte. The plates are quite porous. The terminals in the batteries I did, were zinc! I found it lose-lose.
I wouldn't worry about the sulphate in the melt. There is so little actual lead, by the time it is ready for casting, it is mostly gone.
On top of that, I had to neutralize the electrolyte, dispose of the cases.
Phooey.
My old 1938 Pontiac had a real nice battery. Lots of lead. The newer ones, I did not find much use. In making them more efficient, the actual lead recovery is small.

[jack19512]

My curiosity got the best of me so I just got through trying to melt some battery lead. No success. The battery wasn't a problem getting apart, it was in melting it. Whatever it was that I thought was lead just would not melt. :(

[Alvin in AZ]

I really wouldn't worry about the sulphate, the heat turns it into dross.

That's cool. :) You can not worry about it if you want to. ;)

The source seemed to think that the melted lead was not 100% sulfate free.
Which is true, do you know it? :)

He said it made his gun bores more prone to rusting after using battery lead.
(the source was on rec.guns?)

What percentage of sulfate that is left isn't the question, the problem or question
is whether the sulfate content actually effects the bore of the guns those bullets
are shot through.

Anybody else hear that? ...or have first hand knowledge of it?

For me, that's enough to keep me from ever using the dangged stuff.
I'm not a gambler.



The lead recovery from the batteries I did, was definately not worth it.

Now that is something I'd like to just take your word for! :)
So any mention of "danger" is not important to me.
...let alone reading any arguments either way.

As far as I'm concerned they aren't "dangerous" at some level because battery
remelting outfits do it everyday. So any argument about "danger" has to be
tempered with methods used.

But screw all that! :)

Is the lead any good?
How much work for how much return?

I get $5 a piece for them them I buy a new battery.
Whether I buy the new battery for myself or for someone else.
$5 :)



I did find some lead though, but not much. It seems, most of the weight in a
battery seemed to come from the electrolyte. The plates are quite porous.
The terminals in the batteries I did, were zinc! I found it lose-lose. {....}
On top of that, I had to neutralize the electrolyte, dispose of the cases.
Phooey.

You've got me convinced. :)

Pouring the acid straight on the ground out here in the desert is no problem tho.

Like the guy with his "10c a pound solder find" at the scrap yard...
If I need a lot of it I'd rather buy the lead from the scrap yard.

It's just that the scrap yard owners are my "friends" and they buy stuff from me
but many times I end up giving them money before I leave because of all the cool
stuff I found there that day.

YMMV :)

Alvin in AZ

[.45Cole]

Sulfate- i don't know, as there is sulfuric acid in the battery, maybe some will be in the lead, unable to be purified by fluxing, this will make sulfuric acid upon rxn with water (like water vapor if you never clean your gun). The prob is that the batteries for cars are lead hydrogen batts. They use calcium to aid somehow in keeping the battery cycling well (hydrogen to acid form?) with little loss of total capacity. The calcium in casting will catalyze the formation of arsine AsH3, which is no bueno (like dumping ammonia and chlorox ?sp into your vaporizer)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsine
The industry probably has some chemical that suppresses the formation of arsine, or removes any of the arsine catalysis chemicals.

[pdawg_shooter]

Were I work we sell our old group 31 core to a recycler for 22 bucks each. A guy can buy lots of lead for that!

[DLCTEX]

Car and truck batteries brought $7-11 each last time I sold some(72). The lead that could be salvaged is expensive at that. Considering the hazard and the danger of contaminating your property to the point of needing a hazardous cleanup ( spelled expensive), why would you even consider it? DALE

[konaaahbend]

Two words: Arsine Gas ! Nothing good can come from melting batteries, doesn't matter how old, they just put a different "methylethyldeath" in them back in the day.