Proper battery storage is critical for reducing corrosion, preventing leakage, and avoiding self-discharge. Plus, storing batteries correctly can extend their lifespan, ensuring you have them when you need them.
With these tips, you can keep your electronics powered and ensure your battery stock is always ready–whether it’s a long moving day or an emergency situation (like a natural disaster).
Keep reading to see our top tips.
Tips for Storing Batteries
Follow these tips for how to store your batteries to protect both them and your devices — and to help increase your overall organization.
Tip #1: Store Batteries at Room Temperature
Room temperature battery storage can help extend the batteries’ lifespan. As you plan how to store batteries, make sure you take temperature into consideration.
Years ago, popular wisdom suggested that you should store batteries in the fridge or freezer to expand their lifespan. More recent research, however, indicates that batteries do best in a cool, but not cold, dry location.
If you’re planning to place batteries in a storage facility, consider a climate-controlled storage option. This will help keep your batteries safer, as extreme temperatures, including both high and low temperatures, can significantly affect overall battery life. Aside from extreme temperatures, you’ll also want to avoid direct sunlight, which can cause the batteries to overheat.
Be aware that high humidity can decrease your charge level more rapidly, so store away from areas that often get wet or where high humidity is normal.
Pro Tip for How to Store Batteries:
For more robust batteries like car batteries, opt for climate-controlled storage instead of an outdoor shed.
If you’re overwintering car batteries or other lead-acid batteries, consider using a trickle charger to ensure they’re not depleted when you need them in the spring.
Tip #2: Remove the Batteries From Your Devices
When planning how to store batteries, always remove them from your devices. If you’re storing rechargeable batteries, you should not store them in the battery charger, either.
Instead, place them in the original container or in a plastic box, away from any metal objects. Ideally, you should store lithium-ion batteries at around 30%-50% capacity. Try not to store li-ion batteries with a full charge whenever possible, as this could decrease their shelf life.
Tip #3: Always Store Batteries in Some Type of Container
While throwing your batteries into a box and calling it quits is tempting, you should make sure your batteries have their own container. Ideally, you want to store your batteries in a vapor-proof container, where they will be protected from moisture.
Loose batteries can roll around and make contact with one another–or other metal objects, like paper clips or silverware–and inadvertently create a circuit. Most batteries aren’t dangerous this way and won’t short circuit, but the unnecessary contact can decrease their lifespan.
Tip #4: Do Not Store Old and New Batteries Together
If you’re getting rid of a device, but want to keep the batteries in it, store them separately from your new batteries. If you store them together, there’s a chance you could grab a new and an old battery in the future, and the mismatched charges could damage your device.
Tip #5: Keep Batteries of the Same Type Together
Try to store batteries of the same type together, rather than storing different types in one place. Do not store AA batteries with C or D batteries. Mixing them together and risking cross-contact could destroy battery life. It could also lead to increased corrosion or leakage, which could cause problems for your device.
You may need more than one battery storage box, especially if you have multiple types of batteries that can no longer be stored in their original packaging.
How to Handle Damaged Batteries
Even if you take all the proper precautions when storing your batteries, sometimes they end up damaged. Here’s how to handle these defective batteries properly:
Handling Leaking Batteries
Common household batteries are alkaline, and when they leak, they leave a crusty, white substance on the inside of your devices or even in the package. This substance can cause some skin irritation, so wear nitrile gloves or use a paper towel to place these batteries into a plastic bag. Then, you can use a slight acid solution like white vinegar or lemon juice on a cotton swab to clean up the leakage.
Handling Swollen Batteries
Lithium-ion batteries sometimes swell when there’s too much current, causing a build-up of gasses inside the battery. If you notice the battery in your phone, laptop, tablet, or other device is swollen, drain as much life from the battery as possible before removing it. Then, place it in a sealed container and take it to an authorized disposal facility or an electronics repair store.
FAQs About Battery Storage
How Long Do Unused Batteries Last?
Alkaline batteries typically last 5-10 years when stored properly, while lithium batteries can last up to 12 years.
Where Is The Best Place to Store Batteries?
Batteries should be stored at normal room temperature where it is dry. You can store them in their original plastic container, or any other container where their poles won’t touch.
How Do You Properly Dispose Batteries?
Electronic waste, including batteries, can be detrimental to our soil if it ends up in a landfill. Check your local regulations to find out the rules on proper disposal. But generally, place them in a baggie and take them to your nearest recycling facility.
Best Way to Store Batteries
The best way to store your batteries is at room temperature, in a dry location, and in a container where the poles can’t touch one another. Doing so can extend the lifespan of your batteries, and protect them from damaging other items in storage.
Many conventional storage units aren’t climate-controlled, so they aren’t great options. However, you can use a peer-to-peer marketplace like Neighbor to search for local, temp-controlled units near you. They have tons of storage units perfectly sized to fit your needs, whether you’re storing household batteries or batteries for cars and ATVs. Plus, these units are cheaper than conventional storage!
