[R-390] storage

[Biddle, Richard]

My trivial knowledge book says this about car batteries.

Depending on the type of battery and temperature, batteries have a natural
self-discharge or internal electrochemical "leakage" at a 1% to 25% rate per
month. Thus, over time the battery will become sulfated and fully
discharged. Higher temperatures accelerate this process. A battery stored at
95F (35C) will self-discharge twice as fast than one stored at 75F (24C).
Temperature stratification within large batteries could accelerate the
internal "leakage" or self-discharge if the battery is sitting on a cold
floor in a warm room (or used in a submarine).

I used two 12V car batteries to run a cherry ART-13 transmitter/dynamotor in
my younger days.  I charged them individually using two alternators running
on two electric motors.  Don't laugh, it was free.  I seem to remember the
batteries would not hold a charge as long in the garage when I had them on
the floor.   But then again I think I put them up in a wood box because my
dad didn't want the floor of the garage ruined:)  Of course that was almost
30 years ago.   Now I wish I had kept the ART-13 :(

I personally think the problem has to do with gravity being higher when the
battery is closer to the center of the earth.  Since the terminals are near
the top of the battery, the electrons have to work harder to get to top and
it runs down the battery quicker.

73 de Richard, KB5WLH