Storing a Battery for winter..?

[luckyinkentucky]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

Boiled tap water is not distilled. It can still have a lot of trace minerals in it. I can get distilled water at the grocery for around 68 cents a gallon.

I've stored my batteries outside in a big blue tote container. You know the ones you store clothes in? I keep them beside the garage in a sealed container all winter, and they are always fine.

Of course temps hardly ever get below 10 degrees fahrenheit here anyway. The lowest we've been in 5 years is 15 degrees.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

Unbelievable! A hydrometer is used to check the specific gravity (condition of a battery). Adding water doesn't do anything other than cover the plates. Charging the battery brings the specific gravity back up. Adding acid to a battery is done only on new batteries that are delivered dry. In fact the last one I bought for a motorcycle had specific instructions NOT to add acid after the initial charge and to top the cells off with distilled water as needed in the future. If all one does is add water to a low battery -- yes it will freeze because it is not fully charged. Dead batteries freeze -- it's that plain and simple. I repeat, if a fully charged battery froze, everyone in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, Montana, Alaska, and the entire country of Canada would need a new battery in their car every morning during winter months.

 

[JCF350]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

What would you guys recommend to do for us that DO NOT have garages to store them in. I just got done taking both out and fully charging them. Is it safe to store them inside the house, basement (Utility room)..? Any toxic fumes or gases i should be aware of..? Please advise, Thanks.

During any long term storage the battery should be placed on a "maintenance" charger that will only charge when the battery drops below a certain level. A "trickle" charger (one that is constantly on) will damage the battery. Location is really unimportant as long it is well ventilated and no source of ignition nearby (batteries vent hydrogen and oxygen gases).

 

[dmcb]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

Having a boat, vehicles and rv's in both Michigan and Florida,with a rough count of 26 batteries, and having done this for 23 years now, I think I qualify to speak on the subject.
Cold weather.
I live in Upper Mich (in the summer). It gets to 50 below zero at times.
I charge the batteries, remove one post and leave them. They sit for at least 7 months like this.
I have never, in 23 years, had a battery fail to start whatever it was in.
Never removed from the vehicle. No recharge.
Because I liveaboard and anchor out on my boat for the entire season I am very careful about battery failure.
I replace the golf cart batteries every 5 years, not because they are done but because I need to be sure they do not fail in my season as there is no replacement for them where I boat.
If a battery fails during cold weather and there is no draw, the battery was no good anyway.
They are sluggish if the weather gets cold but that is different than draining.
They go to sleep when it freezes and they last and are not harmed.
A battery can fail at any time. Case in point. I have a 99 Dodge diesel.
It has very few miles as it is only used about 2 /2 months. I boat about 3 of the 5 month I am there.
It started fine in the spring after sitting 7 months.
I went boating for 2 plus months.
They were stone dead when I returned. Couldn't take any charge.
They were about 7 years old and it was time but why didn't they die in the winter if cold weather and no charging damages a battery?

Warm weather.
Now here is the killer of a battery. My Florida batteries also sit 7 months. We RV 2 months a year if you are keeping track of the months.
I lose batteries in Florida. The hot weather does harm them. I try to keep them on maintenance charge there.
The real killer of batteries, even deep cycle, is deep discharge. No battery should be taken below 60% discharge and 50% is even better.
Car batteries should not be used for house batteries. They are designed for high load, short term use.
They are not designed for deep discharge.
Golf cart batteries are a deep cycle battery and the best bang for your buck.
2 6 volt in series make 12 volt. About $61 each at Sams and you get about 115 amp hours.
Another thread on that would be in order.
Doug

 

[JCF350]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

Warm weather.
Now here is the killer of a battery. My Florida batteries also sit 7 months. We RV 2 months a year if you are keeping track of the months.
I lose batteries in Florida. The hot weather does harm them. I try to keep them on maintenance charge there.

Doug

Definitely right on this one. :-D

It 's not just the temperature, the humidity (and if you live by the one of the coasts the "salty" air) leads to a higher "self discharge" rate then you would experience in drier climates, hence the need for a battery maintainer. In the auto biz the time for a shop to stock extra batteries is late May or early June because of the heat that is coming just around the corner.

 

[amynbill]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

I have never trickle charged or removed a battery from any mechanical device I have ever had in all my years, including quads, tractors, snowmobiles, blowers, cars, trucks, motorcycles etc...no matter the weather or how long the duration between uses.

Is this something new? Are boat batteries different than all of the others? Is this just over compensation and something to do to keep busy?

For the new boat, with new battery, I have a battery on/off switch that I have moved to off. Is it really a necessity to remove the battery or take the cable off the battery? Since it is brand new, does it matter?

Seems no definitive answer thus far in this thread.

 

[dmcb]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

It is not necessary to remove the battery if you are sure there is no draw.
A radio with a clock for example.
Usually the float switch for the bilge pump is wired direct but would cause no problem unless it stuck.
But the only reason to remove a cable is to remove any small draw.
Doug

 

[amynbill]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

It is not necessary to remove the battery if you are sure there is no draw.
A radio with a clock for example.
Usually the float switch for the bilge pump is wired direct but would cause no problem unless it stuck.
But the only reason to remove a cable is to remove any small draw.
Doug

Got ya. I think my on/off swich controls everything except the bilge pump, which I can hear is not running or stuck as I listened to it "on" for a couple of seconds to make sure it worked.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[JCF350]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

I have never trickle charged or removed a battery from any mechanical device I have ever had in all my years, including quads, tractors, snowmobiles, blowers, cars, trucks, motorcycles etc...no matter the weather or how long the duration between uses.

Is this something new? Are boat batteries different than all of the others? Is this just over compensation and something to do to keep busy?

Nothing new at all, at least not in the past 35 years.

If you've owned a car that has been built since the early 1980's it hasn't sat for very long then. The "keep alive memory" in the cars computer draws current all the time until it runs dead or you disconnect the cable. This draw is usually between 1/10 to 1/4 of an amp (which would include the clock also).

The "self discharge rate" is also real. Let a battery sit for 6 or 7 months and it will be dead (or so low it won't crank the engine). This happens all the time in boats that folks from up north have when they leave their boats in storage down here.

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

I have a battery charger that has a 2 amp or 10 amp switch on it. It some how knows to quit charging when the battery is full. Then stops charging and turns on a green light. Once and awhile it checks the battery condition Then goes back to sleep again if the battery is still charged up. It has a switch on it for Deep Cycle/ Marine or low maintenance battery. I don't know what difference this could make?

Anyway, I just carry it around my yard about every month in the winter and let it charge up all my battery's. 76 Pontiac, 81 T-Bird, 80 Shasta Travel trailer, 73 Boat, and finally the battery on my 84 Lincoln Mark VII. I have to leave the batter charger on the Lincoln or it goes dead every few weeks. (Darned computerize cars)

 

[j_martin]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

Coupla items.

When a battery discharges, the lead in it reacts with the acid and forma lead sulfate. What's left in liquid form is water. The chemistry is extremely complicated, this is the simplified version.

When the battery is charged, the lead sulfate is converted back to lead, changing the water to sulfuric acid. When the specific gravity (strength) gets to a certain point, the reaction ceases and the extra energy just electrolyzes (splits) the water into hydrogen and oxygen, thus the explosive gasses.

If you add acid to a discharged battery, you will limit the charge it will accept, thus damaging the battery. Again, the chemistry is complicated but the result is ugly.

Now, the best way to keep a battery when not in use is to make sure it is fully charged when stored, and maintain the charge in storage with a float charger. Some new battery chargers do that automatically. A trickle charger, especially one of the older ones, will slowly electrolyze the water over time, and can damage the battery.

The 6 - 15 buck float charger at harbor freight is the slickest thing since sliced bread to do this job.

If you want to maintain the batteries in peak condition, you could add a battery desulphator such as the one in this article. They are available commercially at pretty high dollar for solar array batteries.

http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/2358/e_electrical_tips/e04.html

In any weather, you can safely leave the batteries in the boatif you disconnect them, and put them on a float charger. For about 50 cents a month, you can just forget it till spring. Top them off in the spring and go fishin'


hope it helps
John

 

[JRJ]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

Unbelievable! A hydrometer is used to check the specific gravity (condition of a battery). Adding water doesn't do anything other than cover the plates. Charging the battery brings the specific gravity back up. Adding acid to a battery is done only on new batteries that are delivered dry. In fact the last one I bought for a motorcycle had specific instructions NOT to add acid after the initial charge and to top the cells off with distilled water as needed in the future. If all one does is add water to a low battery -- yes it will freeze because it is not fully charged. Dead batteries freeze -- it's that plain and simple. I repeat, if a fully charged battery froze, everyone in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, Montana, Alaska, and the entire country of Canada would need a new battery in their car every morning during winter months.

Good job Silvertip. Any bets on if it's clear to everyone yet?

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

So the boat's onboard charger will boil them dry as will the charger for the golf cart?
I always thought the onboard chargers for boats would only supply charge when needed.

 

[JCF350]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

So the boat's onboard charger will boil them dry as will the charger for the golf cart?
I always thought the onboard chargers for boats would only supply charge when needed.

You would think the onboard charger would be a "maintainer" but you oughta check to make sure. I know golf cart chargers are designed for rapid recharge but can't say if they'll "float" or not.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

Check in the manual. If they don't go into a "soak" mode, they likely will overcharge the battery.

Even some of the cheap wal-mart maintainers do a pretty good job, though. It's mostly the newer technology that helps.

I know the rather expensive on-board 2 bank deep cycle charger on my bass boat is hard on the batteries. When I use it, I try to disconnect it in 12 hours or so.

John

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

Well, the charger for the golf cart is an automatic charger, says so right on it, duhhhh.
The one in the new camper is also.
Have not checked the boat one yet.
Got it covered up in the garage but it's not plugged in now.

 

[Lakester]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

hello, when working with my batteries, i am very careful about battery acid. from applying the first wrench twist to hold downs, connectors, etc. to picking it up... to even allowing anyone near me when i am working on them such as the SO... because i do not like what battery acid... wet or dry can and will do to clothes, carpet, paper and related asundries. i will use baking soda solution to wash off any battery i plan to work with to neutralize the destructive impact of acid. then i usually have a roll of paper towels and a trash sac or paper bag and everthing that touches the battery goes directly into trash. i never go into house with those work clothes on. batteries like warm spaces for winter layovers. i dont leave batteries exposed. i keep each on in a box. today's batteries as i understand can sit on concrete with no ill effect, but not so with cases back in the pre 80's or so. we always put on wood then. but i still keep off the concrete. i also clean terminals ready for reinstall and put light coat of grease on them. then when time to install i wipe off, and clean with MEK or something. for me, i just add distilled water to upper area of the case line. or about half way over the plates but not to filler top. i also put a paper towel gasket around each cell hole i am filling. helps to control spash. i will wipe down all over, handle too, with water on paper towel that is dipped in a warm baking soda solution. 15% is fine, or 20% if u want. all trash immediately to waste. i would never service a battery in a boat. i would carefully remove entire case after disc. and remove all from boat, then clean to service etc. hope this add to this thread. lakester

 

[Lakester]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

Adding acid to a battery is done only on new batteries that are delivered dry. In fact the last one I bought for a motorcycle had specific instructions NOT to add acid after the initial charge and to top the cells off with distilled water as needed in the future.

----------------------------------
actually, i am working on a 220V elec battery acid flusher. uses "Muffs", well modified, and goes over each set of 2 cells. the 200v part is the HD pre distiller... to distill water out of garden hose, then into cells, etc. i am still sorting out some bugs with how the batteries perform when i am done, but i promise to post up some pix when i have it at a more... 'commercial' level... regards, lakester

 

[JCF350]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

today's batteries as i understand can sit on concrete with no ill effect, but not so with cases back in the pre 80's or so. we always put on wood then.

This actually goes back to when battery cases were made of wood and asphalt.

 

[arty007]

Re: Storing a Battery for winter..?

I top off my ATV batteries with acid as SBN states, you can buy this acid at your local Auto Parts store for less than 10 bucks and it goes a long ways. I also suggest placing your batteries on a piece of carpet or old mat. I have had good luck with my deep cells keeping them off my concrete floor. Dont know what it is about that but wont argue the results on these expensive batteries.

the reason batteries go dead on the concrete floor is because your grounding them when they touch concrete. If you place a battery on the floor place it on a piece of wood,plastic or some form of padding that keeps the battery from going dead.