What makes a battery go DEAD in Cold Weather??

It has been my experience that batteries always wait until it is freezing cold, wet, or snowy, and you have no foul weather clothing on, and you are not parked in your driveway, but out in some dark parking lot after 10 o'clock at night, when they decide to die.

Been replacing my battery every 4 years on a schedule for over 20 years. Solved the problem of being stranded at inopportune times in inopportune (or dangerous) places. By the cheapest battery you can find that meets the minimum requirements for your car and then plan to replace it every 3-4 years (before it dies). It's not that expensive to do that and the peace of mind is well worth it (especially if you have a wife and daughters driving). That way battery replacements are at your convenience and on your terms.

| > Was just curoius... do batterys that are getting up there in age tend to go | > out more when it's COLD and snowey? | | It has been my experience that batteries always wait until it is | freezing cold, wet, or snowy, and you have no foul weather | clothing on, and you are not parked in your driveway, but out in | some dark parking lot after 10 o'clock at night, when they decide | to die. | | >

| > Here in Seattle we got hit with temps in the 20's and over 8 inches of snow | > out where I live! | >

| > Lastly, is it possible to fill up the cells in the battery to revitalize the | > battery so I don't have to get a new one?? I remember something about it | > being a good sign if they kind of "bubble"? Anyone know?? | >

| > Just thought I'd ask... got to keep warm... so, I'm messin around on the | > computer... It also justifies to my wife the necessity of a computer! | >

| > Have a Safe One! | >

| > Thanks | > Dano | >

| >

|

Two reasons:

1) What's going on in a battery is a chemical reaction - the chemical energy to be converted to electrical energy. "Most" chemical reactions are accelerated at higher temperatures and the reverse is true, they are slowed down at lower temperatures. Thus in the cold weather the battery will not produce as much electricity.

2) By DEAD I would assume you mean "it won't start the engine". Meanwhile to the battery putting out less electrical energy in colder temperatures, the engine oil viscosity is at it's highest, and the colder temperature also mean all the engine parts are are at dimensions much colder than what they were manufactured at. It takes more electical energy (i.e. the amperage draw is higher) to start a cold engine than it would to start a warmed engine.

So, a marginal battery might start an automobile engine in warm weather but the same battery condition won't start it in cold weather. Likewise a strong, new battery with low power output won't start a large, cold engine.

Back during the cold winters and blizzard of 1977/1978 in the Midwest, temps stayed below 0 F and even got to -20 F for extended periods. On the night of the big blizzard when it was -25 or -30, I had no indoor place to park my car but parked it in the driveway and put a light bulb in the engine compartment of my 1968 Chevy. In the morning the battery might have been closer to +30 F and the engine would have been a little warmer, so the engine started. Once started I had no trouble restarting as long as the engine was still warm.

See above the temp can be a factor but not the snow.

You can replace lost water with distilled water but it will not revitalize the battery. Most batteries are sealed. When you pull the sealed caps off if you see a lot of water loss, check to see if you have a cracked battery case. If so then that cell is not working and can't be repaired. So the battery would be putting out only 10.5 V. The lower voltage would mean the motr draws even more amps. It's a bad situation.

DON'T mess with the battery without good eye protection (safety glasses). If you are going to fool with the battery it would be best to disconnect the ground cable or even remove it from the car entirely.

M

Thanks for all the responses, I always like to learn somethin new... and I definitely did...

I got a new battery today... a definite relief for my wife! Dano

If only they'd last 4 years...that'd be nice! Lucky if my car batteries last 2-3 years. Must be the 100+F Summer highs & Winter lows down in the teens in the high desert (Prescott, AZ USA). ;-)

Brent.

Same here in hot valley of Central CA. Maybe 2 years best. I've always heard batteries last longer when cold than hot (slows the chem. activity). Love how they just die without warning -- and while driving down the road (mine crapped between 1st and 2nd gear one morning!).

BP~

Car Batteries charge and discharge repeatily. It's the process of charging and discharging that causes certain permenant changes in the batteries cell plates that have them decrease in power output over time since they will only accept so much of a charge after each discharge. Therefore go dead over time.

Since the battery use a chemical reaction to generate electricity, external temperature conditions can enhance and inhibit the chemical condition. So, if your battery was already close to being bad in the summer time, the cold of the winter basicly pushes the battery power output below what is necessary to start your car.

Just check it out, some batteries have two cranking amps ratings, one at 32F and another at 0F on the battery. You will notice the 32F rating is typically higher than the 0F rating. Because outside temperature can greatly effect your battery performance.

Woo, this is long. Blah, blah, blah. :)

hth,

Tom

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If you spend a few more dollars you can get a battery the will reliably last five years in cold climates. There's a big difference in "cold cranking amps" when comparing cheap vs. not quite as cheap batteries. If you want to save money, wait for a sale at Sears on the silver Diehard.

MHO, Bob

Hot is worse for batteries than cold in terms of wear. Cold is worse than hot in terms of starting power.