Discharge rate is slower at lower temps... I rotate a battery tender (CTEK, DuraBoost & Schumacher) every few months during the winter in the NE between my stored vehicles.
winter storage of multiple batteries
- Thread starter bioburner
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I have decided to put the loose batteries in the garage that rarely freezes and top them all off before I leave and the diesel van that's going into the shed will have a 4 amp charger put on it to keep the 2 batteries from freezing. I don't think 4 amps on two identical batteries in parallel will have any bad affects in the cold.
Put them on a block of wood so they don't sit directly on a concrete floor. I stored batteries this way no problem up north.
Way back when, like before WWII battery cases were semi-porous.
Sitting on a concrete surface the acid could creep out of the battery and into the floor and form a leakage path for current.
Sitting on a concrete surface the acid could creep out of the battery and into the floor and form a leakage path for current.
I wouldn't leave a 4A charger on a battery for long periods unattended... for the batteries sake or your own.
When a flooded battery sits, the more dense, stronger acid sinks to the bottom and chews more at the plates.
Putting a battery on a colder concrete floor can increase this electrolyte stratification. Wood under the battery in this case would be a temperature insulator.
Some RV converters, when floating a battery, will bump the voltage upto 14.4v for 15 minutes every 18 hours. This will cause bubbling and will mix up the electrolyte to prevent stratification.
Unfortunately this converter maker( progressive dynamics) calls this destratification 14.4v bump 'Equalization', which regarding charging of batteries, is an entirely different procedure.
Cold temperatures are good for a resting fully charged battery as it slows self discharge.
How much self discharge there is depends on the battery itself and its condition at the time of storage.
http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/self_discharge
Personally, In such a climate in winter, I would ensure the batteries to be stored are absolutely 100% charged via a prolonged absorption cycle followed by a true equalization, and then let them sit unhooked to anything, on wood or some other temperature insulating surface.
Just being able to ensure a 100% recharge will extend the longevity of any lead acid battery. The extended absorption charge and the equalization usually require special equipment to achieve. The green light on any given automatic smart charger, is mocking any human who believes the battery is indeed fully charged.
Check the specific gravity if you do not believe it. Automatic chargers call 92 to 95% charged, good enough and blast that Human soothing green light. The battery thinks otherwise.
Putting a battery on a colder concrete floor can increase this electrolyte stratification. Wood under the battery in this case would be a temperature insulator.
Some RV converters, when floating a battery, will bump the voltage upto 14.4v for 15 minutes every 18 hours. This will cause bubbling and will mix up the electrolyte to prevent stratification.
Unfortunately this converter maker( progressive dynamics) calls this destratification 14.4v bump 'Equalization', which regarding charging of batteries, is an entirely different procedure.
Cold temperatures are good for a resting fully charged battery as it slows self discharge.
How much self discharge there is depends on the battery itself and its condition at the time of storage.
http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/self_discharge
Personally, In such a climate in winter, I would ensure the batteries to be stored are absolutely 100% charged via a prolonged absorption cycle followed by a true equalization, and then let them sit unhooked to anything, on wood or some other temperature insulating surface.
Just being able to ensure a 100% recharge will extend the longevity of any lead acid battery. The extended absorption charge and the equalization usually require special equipment to achieve. The green light on any given automatic smart charger, is mocking any human who believes the battery is indeed fully charged.
Check the specific gravity if you do not believe it. Automatic chargers call 92 to 95% charged, good enough and blast that Human soothing green light. The battery thinks otherwise.
JHZR2
Staff member
Originally Posted By: Donald
Look at BatteryMinder website. You can combine multiple batteries on one charger if they are the same type and fully charged. I charge several over the winter and some stay on the charger the entire winter and others get rotated every few weeks.
Consider temp compensation for hot and cold.
Yes, on a matched pair of parallel betteries this works.
If trying to mismatch batteries in parallel on the same 12V circuit, well, just because there's water in them doesn't mean that lead-acid batteries wont burn...
Look at BatteryMinder website. You can combine multiple batteries on one charger if they are the same type and fully charged. I charge several over the winter and some stay on the charger the entire winter and others get rotated every few weeks.
Consider temp compensation for hot and cold.
Yes, on a matched pair of parallel betteries this works.
If trying to mismatch batteries in parallel on the same 12V circuit, well, just because there's water in them doesn't mean that lead-acid batteries wont burn...
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