Battery Recycling

[terry.kane]

This company offers kits for responsible recycling of smaller batteries.  Something to keep in mind if you care about batteries and heavy metals going into landfills.

http://www.batteryrecycling.com/new+iRecycle+kits

For large PbA batteries, you can bring them to Wal-Mart, I believe.  They still have metal value so even if you put a large battery out on your curb, chances are that some enterprising scrap hound will grab it...

[todd.martin]

I'll be replacing my Solectria Force's batteries this spring (they have given up the ghost). 

I'd like to find a place that will pay me something for the 800 pounds of lead I'll be disposing.  If we can find a good salvage company that is local, it would be good for our club.

Any leads, let me know!!!

Todd Martin

[tom.gralewicz]

I don't know about Illinois, but in Milwaukee any scrap yard will pay by the pound for lead batteries.

Tom

[terry.kane]

I know a metal scrap dealer, Josh Hoyt.  I'll look up his contact information Monday and forward it along.  800 pounds of lead should get someone's attention.

[chuck.carrington]

usually when you buy new batteries they give you something for your old batteries. I do not know how it compares to what you would get from a scrap yard.

Chuck

[terry.kane]

I think Chuck's comment above is the most obvious; the dealer selling the batteries should provide a rebate and haul-away service for the used batteries.  They may even be required by law to do so.  At least this would establish a benchmark value for the old set.

I was looking at the LME (London Metal Exchange) value for lead and over the past year it's nearly tripled in value.  That means the lead in your old set should be worth a lot more than it was when the batteries were made; it also means that new PbA batteries (as everyone already knows) are getting more expensive.

The guy I know, Josh Hoyt at Metallic-Conversion (www.metallic-conversion.com) may not be set up to deal with individual consumers but he may be able to point you to an "honest" local scrap dealer who will pay fair market value for the batteries.

[howard.hansen]

When I bought my flooded lead acids from Cabelas, they didn't charge for cores.  Now I have about 30 junk batteries.  I called a scrap place that pays 14 cents a pound.  7 old sealed Trojans weigh 388 pounds and got me $54 cash!

http://www.westsiderecycling.com/

[matt.kenigson]

Three years ago I replaced some of my T-145s and the trojan dealer I dealt with (American Battery in Nashville, TN) gave me $7 per battery against the cost of the new ones.  I'll probably be doing it again soon since my Nissan Leaf will be arriving soon and I really ought to sell my truck.

[chuck.carrington]

At $7 a battery you would get almost the same amount of money as dealing with a scrap guy and it is probably less hassel. I also believe that the battery makers recycle the plastic used to make the housing.

Chuck

[todd.dore]

I need to get some cash for my T-875s - I have 5 of those bad boys rotting away in my garage.

Matt - if you get your leaf this year, are you getting HV installed in the garage?  I would say you should, in fact, it probably is part of the sale package.

I hope to get a leaf here in IL in about a year.  In the meantime, it's the 80+ mile range of ElecBug!

I did test drive the leaf a couple weeks ago, and it was a blast.  I pulled up in an EV, test drove and EV, and left with an EV!  That's 3X EV grins!

[matt.kenigson]

Todd, 3x EV grins sounds unbeatable! 

My Leaf should be available sometime in December.  I'm still hoping for sooner, but I'm about 40th on the list and there are a lot of celebrities in Nashville.  I'm okay if they get them sooner and raise a lot of publicity. 

I did get approved for the charger in the garage.  The work I had done previously to pull a dedicated circuit into the garage made me eligible for one of the 5,000 free chargers.  I'm thrilled!

I can't wait for the Volt to become available here as well.  I'm hoping to convince my wife to get one.  It would be sweet to be a two-EV household with both a tue BEV commuter and a long-distance capable vehicle.

Todd:  Check with the guys at Battery Plus.  They may be willing to give you cash, although my conversations with them in Naperville were always around getting credit toward a purchase.

[chuck.carrington]

I just got a quote from Batteries Plus for some batteries for my floor scrubber at work. They are currently offering $10 per core for golf cart batteries. I don't know if they will pay this to someone who is not buying new batteries from them.

Chuck

[todd.dore]

Hmmm -

Chuck - if you're going to buy any batteries, then please let me know.  I can give you my old ones for your core credits.  You can buy me a nice lunch for payback!

[chuck.carrington]

They already delivered my new batteries and took my old ones. But I called and asked if they will buy old batteries outright or if they only take them in exchange. I was told by the salesman that they do buy them. He said to call Paul at 630-628-9588 X 115 to make arrangements.

Chuck