[Granucci]

Secondary lead smelters are paying near record prices for junk batteries, their raw material feed, because drivers are not replacing their car batteries due to the unseasonably warmer winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

Soaring battery prices "devastating" U.S. lead producers - Yahoo! News

I knew lead was recycled but didn't know car batteries accounted for 90% of the supply. Some recyclers are stating "..instead of 10 trips a week, I'm down to 2-3..."

supposidly due to warmer temperatures??!!?!. This phenom apparently happened before in 2009.

first that is what the reporter and industry [according to the reporter] is saying. I find it a bit difficult to believe but apparently a well known fact? Interesting.

Could it not be that with the greater use of EV and Hybrid vehicles [fastest growing car models in the US] are taking a fair share too? Know those batteries are made elsewhere before cars are imported but something tells me they affect the local supply too.... OR NOT, as in don't they have enough charge from their person grid to start a car or do they have a seperate starter battery? hmm

[360 Modena]

I should start buying up old junked sailboats with lead keels weighing 3-8 THOUSAND POUNDS each.

I'm almost certain I can find and buy old sailboats for $500-$1000 and sell the lead for $3200 (8,000#), not including the salvage value of the marine hardware.

Hmmmm....I'll have to check this out now!

Wetpet - whatever happened to your old sailboat?

[PTFunk]

Originally Posted by Granucci

Could it not be that with the greater use of EV and Hybrid vehicles [fastest growing car models in the US] are taking a fair share too? Know those batteries are made elsewhere before cars are imported but something tells me they affect the local supply too.... OR NOT, as in don't they have enough charge from their person grid to start a car or do they have a seperate starter battery? hmm

I believe the vast majority of EVs and hybrids (read: Priuses... Prii?) use Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) or Lithium-ion batteries, so neither should impact the lead-containing battery market much.

[Granucci]

Originally Posted by 360 Modena

I should start buying up old junked sailboats with lead keels weighing 3-8 THOUSAND POUNDS each.

I'm almost certain I can find and buy old sailboats for $500-$1000 and sell the lead for $3200 (8,000#), not including the salvage value of the marine hardware.

Hmmmm....I'll have to check this out now!

Wetpet - whatever happened to your old sailboat?

You may have something there. Guess thieves will be stealing lead now also.

Originally Posted by PTFunk

I believe the vast majority of EVs and hybrids (read: Priuses... Prii?) use Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) or Lithium-ion batteries, so neither should impact the lead-containing battery market much.

ah. Right! Good point. I wonder if they use regular batteries for standard ignition.

[Brian]

I bet the price of gas has more to do with fewer replaced batteries than the warm winter.

Also as far as secondary lead production goes, environmental laws have reduced or eliminated lead for so many uses there have to be far fewer sources every year for that material, it has to have an effect.


Those guys need to read the newspapers. They are in the buggy whip business. Haven't they heard? Lead is out, mercury is in. These new environmentally correct flouresent light fixtures go through their ever so better tubes so fast I have to keep a case of them around just so I don't have to work with a miners helmet. I'm putting lots of mercury back into the environment every week.



Hmmmm. Stealing sail boats for their lead sounds like it might be a growth industry. Maybe we need to have Homeland Security keep their eyes on sailing schools like flying schools? Better hire more federal employees to keep up.


That reminds me. The old Morgan I used to sail had 8000 pounds or so on the bottom. Do they charge you an environmental clean up fee if you sink your boat? More money for EPA. Someone should tell them.

[Granucci]

price of gas: Meaning less driving and therefore less starting? Does seem suspect that bettery is victim of cold weather.