Battery in cold weather
 

Hello,

During cold weather, when it's close to, or below, freezing in
your garage (or parking), what do you do to keep your battery
alive? I've had to jump start my car twice already after it
sat in the garage at about freezing point (2-3 C, 34-36 F) for
a couple of days.

I've looked at getting a new battery, a trickle charger, a jump
starter, thought of disconnecting the battery and bringing it
home... All those options differ in price, outcome, the hassle
(of installing the trickle charger, resetting some features after
the battery is disconnected)...

What's your solution?

Thank you.

Victor

Re: Battery in cold weather
 

..

"Victor Bazarov" <v.Abazarov@comAcast.net> wrote in message
news:G8JAb.257566$Dw6.880261@attbi_s02...
> Hello,
>
> During cold weather, when it's close to, or below, freezing in
> your garage (or parking), what do you do to keep your battery
> alive? I've had to jump start my car twice already after it
> sat in the garage at about freezing point (2-3 C, 34-36 F) for
> a couple of days.
>
> I've looked at getting a new battery, a trickle charger, a jump
> starter, thought of disconnecting the battery and bringing it
> home... All those options differ in price, outcome, the hassle
> (of installing the trickle charger, resetting some features after
> the battery is disconnected)...
>
> What's your solution?
>
> Thank you.
>
> Victor
>
>
Fit a new battery, my a4 stands outside all winter, UK, Dec, Jan, quite
often below freezing, no problems.

Steve

Re: Battery in cold weather
 

You must be new to the winter wonderland!

If your car is running properly and has a good battery with good
connections you should expect it to start without any extraordinary
measures.
If you have needed to jump start it in temps that are still 'shirt
sleeve weather' then you have tune-up / battery issues that need to be
resolved first.

Go to a parts store and have them test your battery. That is most likely
the main problem.

Tony
'91 100q 5spd

Victor Bazarov wrote:
> Hello,
>
> During cold weather, when it's close to, or below, freezing in
> your garage (or parking), what do you do to keep your battery
> alive? I've had to jump start my car twice already after it
> sat in the garage at about freezing point (2-3 C, 34-36 F) for
> a couple of days.
>
> I've looked at getting a new battery, a trickle charger, a jump
> starter, thought of disconnecting the battery and bringing it
> home... All those options differ in price, outcome, the hassle
> (of installing the trickle charger, resetting some features after
> the battery is disconnected)...
>
> What's your solution?
>
> Thank you.
>
> Victor
>
>

Re: Battery in cold weather
 

On Sun, 07 Dec 2003 17:08:54 GMT, "Victor Bazarov" <v.Abazarov@comAcast.net>
wrote:

>Hello,
>
>During cold weather, when it's close to, or below, freezing in
>your garage (or parking), what do you do to keep your battery
>alive? I've had to jump start my car twice already after it
>sat in the garage at about freezing point (2-3 C, 34-36 F) for
>a couple of days.
>
>I've looked at getting a new battery, a trickle charger, a jump
>starter, thought of disconnecting the battery and bringing it
>home... All those options differ in price, outcome, the hassle
>(of installing the trickle charger, resetting some features after
>the battery is disconnected)...
>
>What's your solution?

Context counts: how old is the battery? for that matter, how old is the car?
and how well does your car's charging system work? is the alternator ancient?
is the belt so glazed it is slipping at high alternator loads? are you
depending on the last few uncorroded strands of the grounding cable?

Battery technology is so well characterized by the manufacturers that when
they say "36 month battery" you're treading on thin ice once it reaches 40
months. Same applies around 54 months for a 48 month battery.

If that's your situation, replace the battery. If not, seek help for either a
charging problem (when the car is actually running), or a *discharge* problem
(ie: your car is leaking energy when parked)...

cheers

/daytripper
'00 s4 6spd

Re: Battery in cold weather
 

"daytripper" <day_trippr@REMOVEyahoo.com> wrote...
> On Sun, 07 Dec 2003 17:08:54 GMT, "Victor Bazarov"
<v.Abazarov@comAcast.net>
> wrote:
>
> >Hello,
> >
> >During cold weather, when it's close to, or below, freezing in
> >your garage (or parking), what do you do to keep your battery
> >alive? I've had to jump start my car twice already after it
> >sat in the garage at about freezing point (2-3 C, 34-36 F) for
> >a couple of days.
> >
> >I've looked at getting a new battery, a trickle charger, a jump
> >starter, thought of disconnecting the battery and bringing it
> >home... All those options differ in price, outcome, the hassle
> >(of installing the trickle charger, resetting some features after
> >the battery is disconnected)...
> >
> >What's your solution?
>
> Context counts: how old is the battery?

If I'm going to hazard a guess, it's about as old as the car: 5 yrs.
It's EXIDE 60 Premium, and it has the number 0042187 on it, twice
printed on a piece of paper attached to the casing. It has markings
of months and [years], but none noted in any way (like with a notch
or a cross or...) It looks in good condition, the contacts are not
corroded.

> for that matter, how old is the car?

1998 A4 2.8Q, I got it a few months ago.

> and how well does your car's charging system work?

The voltmeter on the dash shows 14+ volts all the time when the engine
is running. Beyond that I've no idea how to check. Advice?

I read in the manual that if the voltmeter shows 12-14, it's fine.

> is the alternator ancient?

Could be, how do I check? Of course, I don't think it would be older
than the car, unless somebody purposely replaced the original with
another, older one (for whatever reason).

> is the belt so glazed it is slipping at high alternator loads? are you
> depending on the last few uncorroded strands of the grounding cable?

Doesn't seem like it, the car has been meticulously maintained at Audi
dealerships.

> Battery technology is so well characterized by the manufacturers that when
> they say "36 month battery" you're treading on thin ice once it reaches 40
> months. Same applies around 54 months for a 48 month battery.

Which is quite possible my problem. If it's 60-months battery (judging
from the name), and it is original (guessing), it's time is either over
or close to over.

> If that's your situation, replace the battery. If not, seek help for
either a
> charging problem (when the car is actually running), or a *discharge*
problem
> (ie: your car is leaking energy when parked)...

It would be nice to learn how to check for leaks. Any suggestions?
Can it be done outside a dealer's shop?

Thank you for your response (and thanks to others who replied).

Victor

Re: Battery in cold weather
 

"TonyJ" <tonyjNOSPAM@NOSPAMvisi.com> wrote...
> You must be new to the winter wonderland!

You can say that. I'd lived many years above the 55th parallel, but
I've never owned a car there. Then I'd owned several cars, but all in
weather with temperatures above freezing. Now, last winter our other
car, a Subaru, behaved normally, during quite a cold winter in New
England. Of course, its battery was relatively new then (less than
1 yr old).

> If your car is running properly and has a good battery with good
> connections you should expect it to start without any extraordinary
> measures.

That's not what folks in a parts store said. If the car is not used
(running) for several days in cold weather, some measures need to be
taken to sustain the battery charge. That's why I asked about the
trickle charger. I guess nobody here had any need in one (or didn't
know they had a need in it)...

> If you have needed to jump start it in temps that are still 'shirt
> sleeve weather' then you have tune-up / battery issues that need to be
> resolved first.

Well, it is not a 'short sleeve weather' right now. However, it does
not mean my car doesn't have any problems. I'd love to be able to
diagnose them before going into any significant expense.

> Go to a parts store and have them test your battery. That is most likely
> the main problem.

That's the whole stumbling block for me at this point. I have gone to
a parts store, and they did check the battery. They said it's _fine_.
That's why I am so reluctant to spend 60-70 bucks just to replace one
fine battery with another, which may behave the same way in similar
conditions...

Thank you.

Victor

>
> Tony
> '91 100q 5spd
>
> Victor Bazarov wrote:
> > Hello,
> >
> > During cold weather, when it's close to, or below, freezing in
> > your garage (or parking), what do you do to keep your battery
> > alive? I've had to jump start my car twice already after it
> > sat in the garage at about freezing point (2-3 C, 34-36 F) for
> > a couple of days.
> >
> > I've looked at getting a new battery, a trickle charger, a jump
> > starter, thought of disconnecting the battery and bringing it
> > home... All those options differ in price, outcome, the hassle
> > (of installing the trickle charger, resetting some features after
> > the battery is disconnected)...
> >
> > What's your solution?
> >
> > Thank you.
> >
> > Victor
> >
> >
>

Re: Battery in cold weather
 

Victor Bazarov wrote:
> "daytripper" <day_trippr@REMOVEyahoo.com> wrote...
>
>>On Sun, 07 Dec 2003 17:08:54 GMT, "Victor Bazarov"
>
> <v.Abazarov@comAcast.net>
>
>>wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Hello,
>>>
>>>During cold weather, when it's close to, or below, freezing in
>>>your garage (or parking), what do you do to keep your battery
>>>alive? I've had to jump start my car twice already after it
>>>sat in the garage at about freezing point (2-3 C, 34-36 F) for
>>>a couple of days.
>>>
>>>I've looked at getting a new battery, a trickle charger, a jump
>>>starter, thought of disconnecting the battery and bringing it
>>>home... All those options differ in price, outcome, the hassle
>>>(of installing the trickle charger, resetting some features after
>>>the battery is disconnected)...
>>>
>>>What's your solution?
>>
>>Context counts: how old is the battery?
>
>
> If I'm going to hazard a guess, it's about as old as the car: 5 yrs.
> It's EXIDE 60 Premium, and it has the number 0042187 on it, twice
> printed on a piece of paper attached to the casing. It has markings
> of months and [years], but none noted in any way (like with a notch
> or a cross or...) It looks in good condition, the contacts are not
> corroded.

Time to replace the battery. It's definitely not the factory battery
(Exide is absolute crap and not the factory battery for Audi). Get a
new (non-exide) battery. I prefer AGM type batteries from companies
like Optima or Deka (which is what I use)

http://www.optimabatteries.com/index.asp
http://www.eastpenn-deka.com/index.html

Though pretty much anything should perform better than an Exide.

Cheers,

C

Re: Battery in cold weather
 

On Sun, 07 Dec 2003 19:59:18 GMT, "Victor Bazarov"
<v.Abazarov@comAcast.net> wrote:

>> Context counts: how old is the battery?
>
>If I'm going to hazard a guess, it's about as old as the car: 5 yrs.

If it is... change it. It won't hurt and you have one possibility
ruled out.

>The voltmeter on the dash shows 14+ volts all the time when the engine
>is running. Beyond that I've no idea how to check. Advice?

Check what the voltmeter says with ignition on but no running engine.
The battery of my A6 is now 4 years old. When I got the car new, the
voltmeter showed something between 12 and 13 Volt when not running.
Now it shows something between 10 and 11 Volts when not running. As
soon as the engine is started, the Voltage rises to 14+ V just as it
did in the beginning. But I know it's not new anymore, and yes, I do
have the feeling the engine is cranked over more slowly with the bad
battery.

The battery will be changed next week during the 110.000 km service.

Gruß

Wolfgang

--
*
(Das ist meine Standard-Sig gezipped mit Sigzip)

Re: Battery in cold weather
 

>>If your car is running properly and has a good battery with good
>>connections you should expect it to start without any extraordinary
>>measures.
>
> That's not what folks in a parts store said. If the car is not used
> (running) for several days in cold weather, some measures need to be
> taken to sustain the battery charge. That's why I asked about the
> trickle charger. I guess nobody here had any need in one (or didn't
> know they had a need in it)...

Or, may be the folks at the parts store have a bit too much inventory of
trickle chargers. If things are right in the system, I expect a car to
sit at least two weeks in the cold and still start fine.

>>If you have needed to jump start it in temps that are still 'shirt
>>sleeve weather' then you have tune-up / battery issues that need to be
>>resolved first.
>
>
> Well, it is not a 'short sleeve weather' right now.

Depends on your frame of reference. I'm in Minnesota. Gets COLD here for
a long time.

However, it does
> not mean my car doesn't have any problems. I'd love to be able to
> diagnose them before going into any significant expense.

Removing the positive lead from the battery and testing the current draw
with everything off should show only minimal current draw (micro amps)
to operate the radio memory, clocks and such. You may want to check your
owners manual before doing this because disconnecting the battery might
cause your air bag to show an error code that the dealer needs to re-set.

>>Go to a parts store and have them test your battery. That is most likely
>>the main problem.
>
> That's the whole stumbling block for me at this point. I have gone to
> a parts store, and they did check the battery. They said it's _fine_.

Did is seem that they used a device that was called a Load Tester? A
volt meter will not test the battery correctly.

> That's why I am so reluctant to spend 60-70 bucks just to replace one
> fine battery with another, which may behave the same way in similar
> conditions...

My guess that your battery was the problem was, of course, just a guess.
Your suspicion that other issues are causing the problem is sounding likely.

The next thing to try might be to remove and clean the battery
terminals. Although the might look clean they can develop high
resistance connections over time. Again, check manual for code issues if
disconnecting the battery.

Re: Battery in cold weather
 

This is interesting. My son has the same car as you - 98 A4 2.8
Tiptronic 30V.

He just returned from a five day trip to NYC and found that his battery
was dead. He expects to find that the battery is the issue but hasn't
checked it yet.

Tony
'91 100q 5spd