On Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:41:50 -0800 (PST), Andy Dingley
wrote:

On 16 Feb, 18:17, Alang wrote:
On Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:07:24 -0800 (PST), Andy Dingley

Yes, but don't put the contents back into the cells (or mix between
cells, but that's old advice anyway).

The electrolyte? As long as it's all the same SG it should be ok I
would have thought. *

Only if it's pure, clean acid. If it's the usual collection of
dissolved crud, then it's not a good idea.


I was just going to bottle it, flush the cells and seal the battery
with tape to keep the air out.

I have a pair of 6V batteries for a '30s MG, although I think they're
'50s vintage. Three glass cells in a wooden crate. They were drained
and stored in the '50s, then when refilled 40 years on they worked
fine. I plan to use them again, when I get round to it.

That's the idea here

The alternative is putting it on trickle charge and hoping it doesn't
die before I want to use it

Trickle will kill them too - you want float, and ideally temperature
compensated. Or else charge intermittently, but regularly.

I'd discharge them every now and again. I used truck batteries on
alarm systems back in the 60s. They could last 10 years on trickle
charging with the occasional discharge test. But I'd prefer dry
storage and forget until needed


You can buy a float charger from Optimate, although everyone I've
heard from who has one has also had it kill batteries in a pretty
short time.