Long-term storage. Need advice...

SouthArk370Z

I'd go ahead and replace a five year old factory battery. Especially since you live in a cold area. I'd get a battery tender to keep the present battery charged while in storage and wait for a sale on a new battery.

I've got the original battery in my '09 but it's a lot warmer where I live. I can tell it's getting a little weak and wouldn't want to chance it another Winter if I lived farther North.

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MacCool

Cold weather has no intrinsic effect on a lead acid battery, other than the fact that cranking a cold engine takes a little more power.

OP might be well-served to get a "pulsing" float charger. There is some evidence it will "de-sulfate" an aging battery that's been misused. Otherwise, any Autozone etc would be tickled to load test the battery and accurately determine its state of health.

kenchan

Which in other words....bad.

Fancy post but nothing really inside.

MacCool

No, not bad at all. Alternator will recharge those extra few amps it took to start a cold engine it in about 90 seconds. But you already knew that, of course.

SouthArk370Z

The output of a chemical battery (not just lead-acid) is dependent on temperature. Put that and the fact that a cold engine is harder to crank together and Winter can "kill" a battery. Add in some age and things just get worse.

__________________
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Mankind has progressed past the need for war but we haven't evolved that far. - NachoMahma

kenchan

yah, that's if your improperly cared for battery has enough cca to start in the cold. by cold im talking sub 0F which is common in snow belt states.

MacCool

Nah. Charge/discharge cycles is what hurts a lead-acid battery, not temperature. Especially discharge below 80%. True, extended cranking can discharge it below that, but making it work a little harder for the brief few seconds it takes to start a modern automobile won't hurt it. And although output is temperature dependent, longevity isn't. If it doesn't freeze, and it won't if it's on a float charger, the battery won't be damaged by the cold alone. Especially in storage, which was what we were talking about anyway.

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