Stock up on batteries, flashlights and more at Interstate All Battery Center.

Preparedness Isn’t Just for Scouts

You can expect one thing in life: At some point, you’ll have to deal with the unexpected. (You can probably expect other things, too, like lists of things you can expect.) From thunderstorms to natural disasters and from fires to floods, it pays to be prepared.

Seasonal Storms

Rough weather often knocks out power for hours or even days. Don’t be caught in the dark, fumbling around for a flashlight. Instead, put a lights-out kit in an easy-to-find location like your hall closet. Make sure it contains a battery-operated weather radio, flashlights and batteries, bottled water and nonperishable food. And don’t forget the can opener: Nothing frustrates a hungry person more than a can with no opener.

Natural Disasters and Fires

Sometimes disasters such as earthquakes or hurricanes force you to evacuate your home. Be ready with a kit you can easily take with you. It should include your lights-out kit, blankets and pillows, toys and games (to keep the boredom at bay) and anything else you cannot function without.

Food and Water

How much food and water do you need? Experts recommend you keep at least one gallon of water per person per day, and your kit should have enough water and food for three to seven days. Stick with nonperishable packaged or canned food and snacks. If you haven’t updated your stash since the Y2K scare, now would be a good time.

Often Overlooked

When putting your supplies together, don’t forget your family members with special needs. Infants and the
elderly may need special foods and toiletries. And if you have pets, keep them in mind, too. Pack a plastic
bag of food for your four-legged friend.

Document Storage

After any disaster, you’ll have to deal with insurance companies, banks and others. Make things easier by
keeping your important documents safe, dry and easily accessible. Keep them in a waterproof container and take
them with you should you need to evacuate your home.

No matter the situation, always know where you keep your keys, cellphone, wallet and medicine so you can find them quickly. In emergencies, seconds count.

Your Ready List

Think you’re ready for anything? Make sure you have the following essentials in your home emergency kit:

• Bottled water
• Nonperishable food
• Manual can opener
• Cooking tools and fuel
• Paper plates and plastic utensils
• Toiletries and hygiene items
• First-aid kit and prescribed medicine
• Blankets and pillows
• Battery-operated weather radio
• Flashlights
• Backup batteries
• Tools
• Pet care items, including food, water, medicine, collars and leashes
• Important documents in a safe, secure location
• Tarps, plastic sheeting and bags
• Camera or camcorder

Want more emergency preparedness ideas or help assembling your own lights-out kit? Visit your local Interstate All Battery Center® today.

This post is modified ever-so-slightly from an Interstate All Battery Center emergency preparedness brochure. See it here:

Power Your Home Emergency Plan

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Mark Martin will drive the No. 20 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry in the March 10 Nationwide Series race in Las Vegas.

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (January 6, 2012) – Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Mark Martin will drive the Interstate Batteries® Toyota Camry in the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series race in Las Vegas in March.

“We’ve always hoped to have the opportunity for Mark to drive for us and to have him behind the wheel of our Interstate Batteries Toyota for the Nationwide race in Vegas is exciting,” said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing. “He is a great example to all drivers of the dedication it takes to be successful and certainly we’re honored to have him part of our efforts in 2012.”

While Martin is only currently scheduled to race in Las Vegasfor JGR, the team is still working on opportunities for the veteran driver to secure additional races.

Martin currently has 49 career victories in 235 Nationwide Series starts. Martin has amassed 111 top-five and 151 top-ten finishes, while leading 8,093 laps. His most recent victory came just last season when he piloted the No. 32 car to victory lane in Las Vegas. He had four total starts in 2011, with the one victory and three top-ten finishes.

Denny Hamlin drove the No. 20 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry in Las Vegas last year. © 2011 Autostock

Martin was the Nationwide series’ all-time wins leader until he was passed by JGR driver Kyle Busch in July 2011.

“This is exciting,” said Martin. “No organization has been better in the Nationwide Series over the past three or four seasons and to have the chance to get behind the wheel of a Joe Gibbs Racing Nationwide car will be a thrill. Maybe I can pick up a few more races and try to catch Kyle to get my record back again”

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• A Quotable 20 Years With Joe Gibbs Racing (blogbattery.com)
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Rich Salvaggio has used the same Interstate Workaholic® battery in his Bobcat tractor since 2000. (Courtesy photo)

Rich Salvaggio calls his tractor’s battery a zombie: Despite his best efforts, he just can’t kill it.

“I bought my Bobcat tractor used in the early part of 2000, and at that time, it had a brand-new Interstate® battery in it,” Salvaggio said. “Now, nearly a dozen years later, that same battery is still going strong. I can’t hardly believe it.”

Salvaggio, an antique tractor enthusiast from Kalamazoo, Mich., said he thought a recent cold snap would finally end the battery’s run, but it’s still working.

“Twenty degrees out here in Michigan today, and after 10 seconds of glow plugs (used to raise the temperature for a diesel engine to fire), that battery wound the engine to life as if it was summertime,” he said.

Before he replaced his tractor’s alternator, Rich Salvaggio ran the machine off the battery alone. (Courtesy photo)

Salvaggio said he’s put the battery through the ringer over the years. When he bought the tractor, the alternator didn’t work, so the electrical system ran off the battery alone. Whenever the battery would run out, he’d take the battery out and recharge it for a few hours.

Once he replaced the alternator, he said the battery gave him no trouble at all.

“That poor battery sure has had a hard life,” Salvaggio said. The tractor “sits out in the yard most of the time and runs maybe once a month for a few minutes during the summer. After all that abuse, I am truly amazed at how long it’s lasted.

“I’ve been talking about this stupid battery for years, wondering when it will finally die. It’s like a zombie. Guess which brand of battery I bought for my other tractors?”

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First in an occasional series on rechargeable batteries.

Matching the Right Chemistry to Your Needs

The Interstate Batteries High-Capacity NiMH Rechargeable AAs

Going green was an easy decision, but picking the right rechargeable battery for the household? It’s a tough call sometimes, especially when faced with so many rechargeable battery options. You know your AAA from your AA, but do you know the difference between nickel-metal hydride (NiMh) or nickel cadmium (NiCd)?

Depending on the device, you’ll either get great performance or want to go back to alkaline. Your digital camera doesn’t draw the same amount of power as the clock you’ve got hanging in the hallway.

For those gadgets with high-power needs – like wireless game controllers, digital cameras and music players – go for NiMh. Think “Need Instant Monstrous Horsepower.” This chemistry’s got it all: little memory effect, more power storage space and more times it can go through the recharge-discharge cycle. It’s also a little cheaper than the top-of-the-line chemistry, lithium-ion.

On the other hand, NiCd (pronounced “ni-cad” by those in the know) was revolutionary – for the 1900s. The toxic element cadmium keeps this rechargeable battery at the bottom of the eco-friendly shopping list, and memory effect shortens a NiCd battery’s life without occasional full discharges. NiCd can discharge more quickly, dumping all of its power into a device – such as a power tool, an emergency alarm or a one-use smoke machine generator (ninjas only.)

That atomic weight screams ‘recycle me.’

Be warned, though. These chemistries don’t store power for long. Pop a couple of NiMh or NiCd batteries in a game controller and then get too busy to play for a few weeks? Don’t be surprised if you find your batteries as dead as those zombies you’re trying to destroy. Preserve the life of your batteries by loading them up with juice, using the appropriate battery charger, before storing them in the closet (not the fridge, people) and recharge them when you take them out of storage.

You don’t need to retake seventh grade chemistry to keep your commitment to go green. Just ask your All Battery experts for a little advice.

Go to our Dealer Locator to find an Interstate All Battery Center near you.

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Interstate Batteries Chairman Norm Miller, left, with Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, at Homestead-Miami Speedway. (Copyright 2011 Autostock)

“He called down to Dallas and my assistant answered. I was down the hall doing something and she came and got me and said, ‘There’s a guy on the phone named Joe Gibbs and he wants to talk to you.’ And I said, ‘Oh that’s just some goofy friend screwing around.’”

-         Norm Miller, chairman of Interstate Batteries describing the first phone conversation with Joe Gibbs in 1991.

Image via Wikipedia

“I kid everyone today but, when we went down there, I almost felt kind of embarrassed. We met with them and we didn’t have a driver, we didn’t have a manufacturer, we didn’t have a building – we didn’t have anything. Basically, all we had was a dream.”

-          Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) in describing his first meeting with Interstate Batteries in 1991.

“I remember I was downstairs in my house (on the phone with Norm). And Norm goes, ‘I’ve got to tell you the truth. We talked it over and we’re thinking about doing this.’ I thought, ‘Holy Mackerel,’ and I think I almost fainted.”

-          Gibbs describing his reaction when Miller informed him Interstate was interested in sponsoring JGR.

Jimmy Makar, Senior VP of Racing Operations for Joe Gibbs Racing. (Copyright 2011 Autostock)

“The first order of business was to go over to Hendrick (Motorsports) and find out what Joe bought because he literally had no idea what he bought.”

-          Jimmy Makar, the first employee of JGR, describing his first task upon being hired.

“It was a football coach and, at the time, Dale (Jarrett), who hadn’t won a race, yet. It was an unproven driver with a football coach owner starting from scratch. People weren’t anxious to jump on board to go do something like that.”

-          Makar about the challenge of getting people to come to work for JGR.

“We didn’t know what to do. What was really funny was, afterward, we all got separated, and myself, Pat, J.D. and Coy ended up with the trophy at a Steak ’n Shake down the road. A bunch of fans were there and we were out in the parking lot taking pictures with the trophy. And I think a few of the fans had a little bit to drink.”

-          Gibbs describing the post-race “celebration” following Dale Jarrett’s 1993 Daytona 500 win.

“We pretty much outgrew our second shop the day we moved into it.”

-          Todd Meredith, vice president of operations, about what led to the move to the third and current JGR shop.

Former Interstate Batteries driver Bobby Labonte

“He (Ken Schrader) broke a motor with about 40 laps left and I remember thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, what am I going to do?’”

-          Bobby Labonte describing the emotions when he took the lead in the 1995 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Labonte held onto the point to score his first career Sprint Cup Series victory.

Kyle Busch returned Interstate Batteries to Victory Lane, Daytona 2008

“I remember watching Bobby Labonte drive the Interstate Batteries car as a kid growing up. He and Dale Jarrett made that car famous, so to return it to victory lane at a place like Daytona was special to me.”

-          Kyle Busch after winning at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in July 2008 and giving Interstate its first victory since 2003.

“I remember being on the radio talking to the guys while I was going down the back straightaway going into turn three and saying, ‘I don’t know if I can get him or not, he’s pretty good – oh wait, hold on one second.’ I remember actually saying, ‘Hold on one second.’”

-          Labonte describing the radio communication just before he passed Rusty Wallace for the lead in the 2000 Brickyard 400 with 14 laps remaining. Labonte ended up winning the race.

“I tell everybody that we ran better in 1999 than we did in 2000, but we just had the consistency in 2000 more so than we did in 1999.”

-          Labonte about his championship year in 2000 after winning five races in 1999.

Norm Miller, Chairman of Interstate Batteries (Copyright 2010 Autostock)

“I’ll say this about Norm: Norm has guts. If Norm believes in something, Norm’s going for it. Over the last 20 years, I’ve seen him over and over again in ministry and in different efforts we’ve put together in ministry. I’ve seen him just step out and say, ‘Hey, we’re going to do this.’ Norm’s one of those guys who has guts and, if he believes in something, he’s going to go after it.”

-          Gibbs about Miller. 

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John Hendrickson stands by his converted VW Beetle. (Photo by Diana North for the Houston Chronicle)

If you find yourself driving around Houston, be on the lookout for a bright green Volkswagen Beetle. It’s probably the quietest Beetle in the city.

Retired NASA engineer John Hendrickson converted an old 1972 Beetle to electric power with help from Randy Risner, the Manager of Interstate Battery System of Houston. Hendrickson tells the Houston Chronicle that Risner provided 12 gel-cell batteries for the conversion in exchange for some advertising decals. Hendrickson says the car gets about 50 miles per charge.

Read more about the NASA retiree’s electric Volkswagen on the Houston Chronicle’s website.

Alkaline batteries boast a long shelf life and can stand up to any drain rate.

You’ve finished your family Christmas shopping. You found a camera for your hipster sister, an alarm clock for your ever- late brother, but you have noticed a few gifts are “battery not included.” Of course you have your Interstate® battery organizer and tester fully stocked at all times. But, standing in the household battery aisle at your local Interstate All Battery Center® your eyes begin to dart around the huge selection of batteries. Since when did companies start making so many kinds? 

Alkaline or lithium, rechargeable or regular, heavy duty or super heavy duty? At least you know the size you need. Here are a few tips on which batteries are best in which device.

What are the different battery chemistries? Any size of household batteries primarily comes in two chemistries: carbon zinc and alkaline. Carbon zinc batteries are sometimes labeled as heavy duty or super heavy duty. The names don’t mean anything specific. Whether heavy duty, super heavy duty or the heaviest duty of them all, they all have a similar performance level. Carbon zinc batteries belong in low drain devices such as television remotes or alarm clocks. These batteries are also most likely the cheapest option. Carbon zinc batteries have a moderate shelf-life but won’t last in high-drain devices, like cameras and portable DVD players.

Extra heavy duty, or carbon-zinc, batteries like these are best used in low-drain devices.

Alkaline batteries may cost a little more, but they have a much longer shelf-life and stand up to any drain rate. They’re popular for a reason. When buying batteries for toy cars or other regularly used electronics, use alkaline batteries and save yourself the headache of constantly running out of juice and draining your wallet. Alkaline batteries can also survive any temperature as opposed to carbon zinc batteries, which work best at room temperatures. Put carbon zinc batteries in your flashlights at home, but stock the emergency flashlight in your car with alkaline batteries.

You can find Lithium batteries like these at Interstate All Battery Center.

You may notice a third chemistry: lithium. Household lithium batteries only come in AA,  AAA and 9V sizes. They offer the longest-lasting run time in high-drain devices and perform excellent in low temperatures. With an excellent shelf life, 10 years or more, it makes sense lithium batteries cost more than the other two chemistries. Check each device specification carefully before using lithium batteries. They have a slightly higher voltage and can damage some devices; however, they are the best, non-rechargeable power source for heavy drain and frequent usage devices like a camera flash.

Go to Interstate All Battery Center or interstatebatteries.com and grab some lithium batteries for your sister’s camera, carbon zinc for your brother’s alarm clock and an alkaline for the remote control car you bought your nephew. With this newfound battery knowledge, buying batteries is a breeze. The only question left is, “What did they get you?” After all, you’re just trying to help them prepare with the right battery.

In the beginning, you spend hours on the phone talking with no interruptions. Then after a few months, years if you are lucky, the power fades. No longer can you walk around your house talking about nothing in particular. You know the signs, the light is gone and more often than not, your conversation is cut short. That’s right; your cordless phone just can’t hold a charge anymore and the memory effect may be to blame.

I know what you are thinking. How did you let it get this bad? If it isn’t working, it isn’t working and it is time to cut ties with your rechargeable device. The memory effect has taken a toll on your once budding time together. You need something that will last, but how long until the memory effect rears its ugly head at another device?

Technically speaking, what is the memory effect? The memory effect is when nickel cadmium (NiCd) and nickel-metal hydride (NiMh) battery cells are only partially discharged on a regular basis. Eventually the cells begin to form potassium crystals on their plates, which prevent the battery from providing its rated output. In laymen’s terms, your stuff keeps going dead even after you charge it. All it means is you aren’t getting as much time on your device before you need to recharge.

There are a lot of misconceptions about the memory effect. For starters, most people have no idea which batteries suffer from it. NiCd and NiMh can both struggle with power loss due to memory effect. A number of cordless devices such as your cordless phones or power tools are likely to contain this type of battery. If you are losing charge time, check the battery casing to identify the chemistry. Only NiCd and NiMh can suffer from memory loss, though that is not to say your other battery chemistries don’t lose charge as well.

Cordless phone won't hold much of a charge? It may be suffering from the memory effect.

So how can you fix the memory effect? Unfortunately, there is no at-home remedy for this problem; however, there are expert solutions and preventive care. Interstate All Battery Center® has the solution.

Every battery is made up of individual cells. To get your battery back to the factory settings, each cell must be conditioned individually. If your device can no longer hold a charge, instead of buying a costly new battery or device, expert reconditioning offers a more affordable solution to the memory effect.

To help protect your working devices from the memory effect, you can exercise the battery. No, this does not involve forcing your phone to run laps. Instead allow your device to run down to the low battery indicator before recharging. Keep in mind this is a delicate balance. Let the battery run low, but if the battery stays fully discharged for an extended amount of time, you could cause more damage.

There are two types of people in this world: those who put their cordless phone back on the charger after every call and those who constantly have dead phones because they are left all over the place. Find the happy medium. With any good relationship, there needs to be balance.

Give your devices another chance before breaking up. After all, you still remember the good times, even if your device is suffering from the memory effect.

For serious holiday shoppers, Thanksgiving has been followed by Black Friday, the kick-start for the holiday shopping season. Interstate Batteries now introduces “Green Saturday” to that weekend.

Shoppers can “go green” with their shopping on Green Saturday, Nov. 26, by bringing in old batteries to participating Interstate All Battery Centers for proper recycling. Customers who return old batteries on Green Saturday will have a donation made in their honor to Toys for Tots. In addition, participants receive a 30 percent discount on any new rechargeable products that day for all those new electronic gifts bought on Black Friday.

“Reaching out to our communities is an important part of what we do at Interstate Batteries, especially during the holiday season,” said Scott Miller, Interstate All Battery Center senior vice president. “Recycling is also an important part of what we do, and we are bringing those two missions together with Green Saturday.”

Interstate Batteries is the No. 1 automotive battery recycler in the U.S., recycling more than 850 million pounds of batteries last year alone. Interstate takes great care in handling the disposal of lead-acid batteries, which is strictly regulated by federal and state legislation, in an environmentally friendly way.

“It is important for all of us to be environmentally friendly when disposing of old batteries,” Miller said. “Green Saturday provides a convenient opportunity for our customers to focus on a single day for recycling old batteries and, at the same time, help put a smile on the face of a kid through the wonderful work our friends at Toys for Tots are doing across America.”

Interstate Batteries Green Saturday provides resources to Toys for Tots to help less fortunate children throughout the United States experience the joy of the holiday season.

Participating Locations:

Bet you didn’t realize that batteries — those little powerhouses filled with chemicals and heavy metals — are
at the heart of the green movement. Think that’s a stretch? You’re not alone. But here are a few things to think about:

• Solar and wind energy is stored in batteries before hitting the electric grid.
• Electric and hybrid cars wouldn’t be effective at cutting emissions without batteries to store all that power.
• What about the tools allowing us to be productive away from the office — cellphones, laptops, watches and the like? They’re all powered by batteries.

It’s true, batteries don’t have the best reputation. But if we take care of them and recycle like we should,
batteries have the power to be the Earth’s best friend. Interested? Read on.

Nickel-based batteries

Cordless phones, digital cameras and power tools typically use nickel-cadmium (NiCd) or nickel-metal hydride (NiMh) batteries. They can be recharged hundreds of times, which saves you money in the long run.

Did you know? NiCd and NiMh batteries should never be thrown in the trash, so stop it! The Environmental Protection Agency categorizes them as household hazardous waste, and they can leech out harmful chemicals if you relegate their retirement to the local landfill.

After recycling: Materials are reused in new batteries and stainless steel products. So your designer sunglasses may have once been part of a battery.

Myth: “Cordless phones should be left on the base charger.”

Truth: Constantly topping off a NiCd or NiMh battery creates the “memory effect,” where potassium crystals build up on the plates, reducing battery run time and increasing your frustration. Unlike humans, batteries don’t need potassium in their diets. Let the phone run all the way down before recharging.

Lithium-based batteries

You’ll find lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries in many consumer electronics such as cellphones and laptop computers. They come in both rechargeable and non-rechargeable models, but both should be recycled. Lithium is like a preschooler — it’s small, lightweight and has a lot of energy. But, like a preschooler, it’s not well suited for carrying a heavy load.

Did you know? Lithium can be highly reactive (like a preschooler) and can cause fire if it overheats. That’s why
most lithium batteries contain protection circuits. Because of this volatility, it’s crucial to recycle (lithium batteries, not your kids).

After recycling: Materials are reused in new batteries. The secret to everlasting life!

Myth: “All rechargeable batteries are subject to the memory effect.”

Truth: Lithium-based batteries are actually forgetful, which is good in the battery world. So go ahead and top off the charge whenever you want; your lithium battery won’t hold it against you.

Alkaline batteries

Alkalines are the family workhorse. You’ll find them in your flashlights, your remote controls, your kids’
toys and the foot massager you use after you step on your kids’ toys. They’re inexpensive and have a long shelf life.

Did you know? Alkaline batteries can and should be recycled whenever possible. Recycling alkaline batteries
keeps them from cluttering our landfills.

After recycling: The metals are reclaimed and used as rebar for concrete work. So that bridge they’re
building across the river may be somewhat battery powered. Cool, huh?

Big, fat lie:  “Alkaline batteries contain hazardous chemicals.”

Truth: They used to contain mercury, but they don’t anymore. So they’re considered safe to throw away in
the trash. But that’s taking the lazy way out, and it’s still not Earth-friendly. Recycle them instead.

Bonus myth: “Putting alkaline batteries in the refrigerator makes them last longer.”

Truth: Alkalines have a shelf life of about seven years, and keeping them next to the milk won’t help them last
significantly longer. Besides, you might mistakenly grab one when you’re looking for a midnight snack.

Lead-based batteries

Automotive, marine/RV and other “big” batteries typically include lead. Lead makes for a powerful, durable battery, but it’s also very heavy. Remember, lift with your knees, not your back!

Did you know? Lead-acid batteries are the most recycled consumer product in America, and Interstate
We recycle roughly 1.3 batteries for each one we sell, which means in the last 10 years, we’ve recycled more
than 183,184,000 batteries. But who’s counting?

After recycling: The lead is melted down and used in new batteries. The plastic is broken down and reused
any number of ways, and the battery acid is neutralized and added to laundry detergent. See? Batteries can be
rather clean!

Myth: “Winter is the hardest season for automotive batteries.”

Truth: More batteries actually fail in summer than in winter. And those winter failures are usually caused by
damage suffered in the summer. To keep your battery in good health, get it tested every six months by a battery
expert. And we know just the expert. 

Trust the Battery Recycling Experts

At Interstate Batteries, green is our thing! We’ve been the battery recycling leader since 1952. Visit our dealer locator to find the nearest Interstate All Battery Center where you can recycle your batteries. See you there!

This post is modified ever-so-slightly from an Interstate All Battery Center recycling brochure. See it here:
Battery Recycling: Truths, Myths and Big, Fat Lies