Can a New Battery That Has Been Idle for 10 Years Still Be Used?
2 Answers
New batteries that have been stored for 4 years generally cannot be used anymore. Below is relevant information about car batteries: Service Life of Car Batteries: Generally, the design lifespan of a car battery is 27 months. For household vehicles, they can last longer, with new car batteries typically lasting 3 to 4 years. Battery Maintenance Methods: Some older car models do not support the automatic power-off function after the engine is turned off, so it is necessary to manually turn off the car lights and interior reading lights before turning off the engine. If you need to find something in the car or require lighting, you can use a mobile phone or flashlight for illumination to avoid forgetting to turn off the reading lights, which could lead to battery power loss.
I had this experience before. A friend gave me a new battery as a spare part, and I never touched it, leaving it in the basement for ten years. Last year, I took it out to install in my old car, but the car wouldn't start. I borrowed a multimeter to test it, and the voltage was only 7 volts. When I tried charging it, the charger showed it couldn't be restored. The mechanic said that if a battery is left unused for too long, it will self-discharge, the electrolyte will dry up, leading to sulfate crystallization, and the plates will corrode severely. So now I always remind people not to leave a spare battery unused for more than a year. If you need to store it, keep it in a cool, dry place and give it a simple charge every three months. A ten-year gap is too long—the battery's internals have already degraded, and it's better to just scrap it to save trouble and money. Remember one thing: a battery isn't a collectible—over time, it just turns into junk.
