What do people do with dead car batteries?

[Bacstar]

Today at work, someone came in and stole all of our dead car batteries that people drop off for recycling. I'd say about a dozen of them were taken. I'm curious. Why? I can't think of anything worthwhile that would get me to risk jail time...

This isn't the first time either. This time around a customer mentioned it to our attendant, and I was able to grab our security footage so we can get the police involved this time.

Found out as I was leaving work, the cops got him. Guess he had an arrest warrant and the cops have been looking for him for awhile.

Old thread revived by spammer.
admin allisolm

 

[Gillbot]

turn them in at some recycling places will get you a core charge fee which can be a few $.

 

[Bacstar]

I was thinking that too. After calling a few auto parts stores and some possible businesses, no one we contacted so far will pay cash for batteries, other than maybe a store credit. So we're kinda scratching our heads...

 

[SunnyD]

Isn't battery acid used in the production of certain drugs?

Edit: Yup. Meth. I'd call the oops and let 'em know.

 

[Gillbot]

meth

 

[eldorado99]

eat them

 

[edro]

$5-10 core refund @ scrap yards.

Edit:
Source for skeptics: http://selectlaundry.biz/fc/price.asp
$0.17/lb
Average weight, ~50lbs = $8.50

 

[Red Squirrel]

There's a place here that will give 5 bucks. I bring UPS batteries there too, they'll give you 5 bucks for enough batteries to make up 1 car battery. I do it mostly for the environment, as it probably cost's me close to 5 bucks in gas just to get there and back, when I could just drain it down in the sink and throw the rest of the battery away and not need to drive anywhere but that would be very bad. It's scary to think that there probably are people who actually do that...

Of course you can always try to refurbish them, but probably not worth the effort.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

 

[Jeff7]

Isn't battery acid used in the production of certain drugs?

Edit: Yup. Meth. I'd call the oops and let 'em know.

 

[FelixDeCat]

recharge them

 

[Mixolydian]

There's a place here that will give 5 bucks. I bring UPS batteries there too, they'll give you 5 bucks for enough batteries to make up 1 car battery. I do it mostly for the environment, as it probably cost's me close to 5 bucks in gas just to get there and back, when I could just drain it down in the sink and throw the rest of the battery away and not need to drive anywhere but that would be very bad. It's scary to think that there probably are people who actually do that...

Of course you can always try to refurbish them, but probably not worth the effort.

Put it in a box or wrap it in a black plastic bag and put it in the trash can - they won't be able to see that it's in there.

J/k, usually when you buy a new battery you can return the old one to the place where you purchased the new one and receive the core charge refund.

 

[mizzou]

there was a great episode, maybe How It's Made, on the process of recycling batteries.

It's a nasty business but theres certainly alot of easy access to valuable parts.

 

[lxskllr]

meth

Lead makes the meth taste sweet.

 

[JEDI]

Today at work, someone came in and stole all of our dead car batteries that people drop off for recycling. I'd say about a dozen of them were taken. I'm curious. Why? I can't think of anything worthwhile that would get me to risk jail time...

This isn't the first time either. This time around a customer mentioned it to our attendant, and I was able to grab our security footage so we can get the police involved this time.

doesnt sears give u $10 store credit for anything for turning in a car battery?

 

[PottedMeat]

can't you buy bags of sulfuric acid at auto parts stores?

it's like $12 for 6 quarts: http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/SSB6/6QT/N0370.oap?ck=Search_acid_-1_667&keyword=acid

 

[Bacstar]

Lead makes the meth taste sweet.

If that's the case, no wonder why those before and after meth pictures look so horrendous, and I bet those people sound like complete idiots when trying to have a conversation when they are not high.

 

[mmntech]

Figured drugs were involved somehow. Though I initially thought it was crackheads trying to sell them for scrap. Apparently sulphuric acid is a key ingredient in meth production. Salt is reacted to it to produce hydrogen chloride, which is then used to recover crystals.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methamphetamine#Synthesis

The shit people put in their bodies.

 

[The_Dude8]

can't you buy bags of sulfuric acid at auto parts stores?

it's like $12 for 6 quarts: http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/SSB6/6QT/N0370.oap?ck=Search_acid_-1_667&keyword=acid

why buy when you can steal it for free? and they can't track you if you don't back it.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I throw them off the pier into the ocean.

 

[lxskllr]

What's it take to rehab a battery? Is it feasible(little money/effort)? I've been using a dead battery for my mower for forever, and it's starting to resist taking a charge. Can I bring it back, even for a death run?

 

[Herr Kutz]

Do you have a gun?

 

[Red Squirrel]

What's it take to rehab a battery? Is it feasible(little money/effort)? I've been using a dead battery for my mower for forever, and it's starting to resist taking a charge. Can I bring it back, even for a death run?

Basically the plates start to detoriate, but you could in theory take it all apart and sand down the plates to get rid of all the oxydation. Good batteries may work, but old ones use a lead coating so once the coating is gone the rest of the plate is useless. The acid solution itself might get bad over time too from various crud, especially if contaminants got in the battery so you'd want to mix a new solution.

PSA: Never tried any of this myself so just thinking that in theory it could work.

Also read about people using bath salts. Yeah, it will work if you are trying to make sure the battery is VERY dead. The salt will sorta act as an electrolyte so it will give the impression that it's working but then it's just going to eat up the plates.