Batteries and cold weather

chiboy · 10-22-2009, 10:11 AM

Any idea how battery strength is affected by cold weather? Temperate around 40F and seems like considerable decrease in runtime.

Anyone know what temp batteries will freeze? Cart stored in unheated cart barn and only attended once per month with temps reaching near 0. Any thoughts on how to provide SAFE heating for the batteries? Can't afford to move to the sunbelt!!!!

Thanks!

GLEEMO · 10-23-2009, 08:54 AM

Read this

scottyb · 10-23-2009, 09:06 AM

A fully charged battery will not freeze .... Charge them often.

sunking · 10-23-2009, 01:23 PM

There is no SAFE heating method other than in a heated garage. Just keep the batteries fully charged. Best method is to use a battery charger with a FLOAT CHARGE left on 24x7

Katshot · 10-23-2009, 01:56 PM

Theoretically speaking, a fully charged battery will freeze but there's few places around that actually get that cold.
In actuality, batteries can freeze easier than you might think. Weak batteries, even when charged to a level that you believe to be "fully charged" can freeze. Sometimes it's not the whole battery but one or two cells that are weak.
Bottom line, if the batteries are in excellent shape, keeping them charged will most likely prevent a problem but if you're worried, pull them out and bring them inside, or heat the area where the cart is, to a temperature above freezing.

impdaddy · 10-23-2009, 02:56 PM

OK so what if you leave the cart in the garage overnight fully charged but drive the cart to the deer stand in the morning with temp at 10 degrees F and let it sit for 5-6 hrs? problems?

GLEEMO · 10-23-2009, 04:44 PM

it depends how far the deer stand is from the garrage, how good the batteries are and
how much they discharge during the drive.
its like everything else during cold weather , it will be slower and loose some charge.
Throw a blanket across the batteries after U arrive, then back to the garage and charge
when U have the poor helpless deer skinned and gutted.

impdaddy · 10-23-2009, 04:50 PM

Garry. nice editorial lol. i don't haul the deer with it .purely transportation. we go back with the pickup for the deer. but good point on the blanket ty.

Fishing Dude · 10-23-2009, 05:07 PM

This is an old motor trick which would work. Use a 12 trouble light under cart with a blanket over cart to hold heat and light in. Will keep them warmer for a period of time.

I disconect the batteries for the winter after I have fully charged. Put on charger when get out in spring.

impalass88 · 10-23-2009, 07:35 PM

A low amperage battery maintainer can be installed and left plugged in indefinetly. This will keep your batteries totally topped off all winter. They are fully automatic and use very little electricity.

http://soneil.com/36_volt.html

http://soneil.com/48_volt.html

10-22-2009, 10:11 AM	#1
chiboy Not Yet Wild Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 14	Batteries and cold weather Any idea how battery strength is affected by cold weather? Temperate around 40F and seems like considerable decrease in runtime. Anyone know what temp batteries will freeze? Cart stored in unheated cart barn and only attended once per month with temps reaching near 0. Any thoughts on how to provide SAFE heating for the batteries? Can't afford to move to the sunbelt!!!! Thanks!
chiboy Not Yet Wild Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 14

10-23-2009, 09:06 AM	#3
scottyb Happy Carting Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 73,406	Re: Batteries and cold weather A fully charged battery will not freeze .... Charge them often.

10-23-2009, 01:23 PM	#4
sunking Gone Wild Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 486	Re: Batteries and cold weather There is no SAFE heating method other than in a heated garage. Just keep the batteries fully charged. Best method is to use a battery charger with a FLOAT CHARGE left on 24x7
sunking Gone Wild Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 486

10-23-2009, 01:56 PM	#5
Katshot Getting Wild Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 116	Re: Batteries and cold weather Theoretically speaking, a fully charged battery will freeze but there's few places around that actually get that cold. In actuality, batteries can freeze easier than you might think. Weak batteries, even when charged to a level that you believe to be "fully charged" can freeze. Sometimes it's not the whole battery but one or two cells that are weak. Bottom line, if the batteries are in excellent shape, keeping them charged will most likely prevent a problem but if you're worried, pull them out and bring them inside, or heat the area where the cart is, to a temperature above freezing.
Katshot Getting Wild Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 116

10-23-2009, 02:56 PM	#6
impdaddy Gone Wild Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Omaha, Nebraska Posts: 284	Re: Batteries and cold weather OK so what if you leave the cart in the garage overnight fully charged but drive the cart to the deer stand in the morning with temp at 10 degrees F and let it sit for 5-6 hrs? problems?

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10-23-2009, 04:44 PM	#7
GLEEMO just leave me alone Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Tennessee Posts: 5,643	Re: Batteries and cold weather it depends how far the deer stand is from the garrage, how good the batteries are and how much they discharge during the drive. its like everything else during cold weather , it will be slower and loose some charge. Throw a blanket across the batteries after U arrive, then back to the garage and charge when U have the poor helpless deer skinned and gutted.

10-23-2009, 04:50 PM	#8
impdaddy Gone Wild Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Omaha, Nebraska Posts: 284	Re: Batteries and cold weather Garry. nice editorial lol. i don't haul the deer with it .purely transportation. we go back with the pickup for the deer. but good point on the blanket ty.

10-23-2009, 05:07 PM	#9
Fishing Dude Gone Wild Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Slums of Lake Erie Posts: 3,721	Re: Batteries and cold weather This is an old motor trick which would work. Use a 12 trouble light under cart with a blanket over cart to hold heat and light in. Will keep them warmer for a period of time. I disconect the batteries for the winter after I have fully charged. Put on charger when get out in spring.

10-23-2009, 07:35 PM	#10
impalass88 Gone Wild Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan Posts: 274	Re: Batteries and cold weather A low amperage battery maintainer can be installed and left plugged in indefinetly. This will keep your batteries totally topped off all winter. They are fully automatic and use very little electricity. http://soneil.com/36_volt.html http://soneil.com/48_volt.html

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