Nissan: What makes a battery go DEAD in Cold Weather??

dano wrote: 

It has been my experience that batteries always wait until it is
freezing cold, wet, or snowy, and you have no foul weather
clothing on, and you are not parked in your driveway, but out in
some dark parking lot after 10 o'clock at night, when they decide
to die.
 

Batteries are less efficient the colder it gets, so marginal batteries
fail when it gets cold. Filling it will not rejuvinate it. They are
cheap enough, so I replace them every 3-4 years before they fail.

dano wrote:
 

Been replacing my battery every 4 years on a schedule for over 20 years.
Solved the problem of being stranded at inopportune times in inopportune (or
dangerous) places. By the cheapest battery you can find that meets the minimum
requirements for your car and then plan to replace it every 3-4 years (before
it dies). It's not that expensive to do that and the peace of mind is well
worth it (especially if you have a wife and daughters driving). That way
battery replacements are at your convenience and on your terms.

"Bill Schnakenberg" <net> wrote in message
news:WEZJb.46323$roc.ny...
| dano wrote:
| > Looks like my battery is DEAD, or at least going DEAD in my wifes Nissan
| > Quest Van. Can't remember how old the battery is... I know it's not a
| > lifetime one...
| >
| > Was just curoius... do batterys that are getting up there in age tend to go
| > out more when it's COLD and snowey?
|
| It has been my experience that batteries always wait until it is
| freezing cold, wet, or snowy, and you have no foul weather
| clothing on, and you are not parked in your driveway, but out in
| some dark parking lot after 10 o'clock at night, when they decide
| to die.
|
| >
| > Here in Seattle we got hit with temps in the 20's and over 8 inches of snow
| > out where I live!
| >
| > Lastly, is it possible to fill up the cells in the battery to revitalize
the
| > battery so I don't have to get a new one?? I remember something about it
| > being a good sign if they kind of "bubble"? Anyone know??
| >
| > Just thought I'd ask... got to keep warm... so, I'm messin around on the
| > computer... It also justifies to my wife the necessity of a computer!
| >
| > Have a Safe One!
| >
| > Thanks
| > Dano
| >
| >
|

> Looks like my battery is DEAD, or at least going DEAD in my wifes Nissan 
go 
Two reasons:

1) What's going on in a battery is a chemical reaction - the chemical
energy to be converted to electrical energy. "Most" chemical reactions are
accelerated at higher temperatures and the reverse is true, they are slowed
down at lower temperatures. Thus in the cold weather the battery will not
produce as much electricity.

2) By DEAD I would assume you mean "it won't start the engine". Meanwhile
to the battery putting out less electrical energy in colder temperatures,
the engine oil viscosity is at it's highest, and the colder temperature also
mean all the engine parts are are at dimensions much colder than what they
were manufactured at. It takes more electical energy (i.e. the amperage
draw is higher) to start a cold engine than it would to start a warmed
engine.

So, a marginal battery might start an automobile engine in warm weather but
the same battery condition won't start it in cold weather. Likewise a
strong, new battery with low power output won't start a large, cold engine.

Back during the cold winters and blizzard of 1977/1978 in the Midwest, temps
stayed below 0 F and even got to -20 F for extended periods. On the night
of the big blizzard when it was -25 or -30, I had no indoor place to park my
car but parked it in the driveway and put a light bulb in the engine
compartment of my 1968 Chevy. In the morning the battery might have been
closer to +30 F and the engine would have been a little warmer, so the
engine started. Once started I had no trouble restarting as long as the
engine was still warm.
 
snow 

See above the temp can be a factor but not the snow.
 
the 

You can replace lost water with distilled water but it will not revitalize
the battery. Most batteries are sealed. When you pull the sealed caps off
if you see a lot of water loss, check to see if you have a cracked battery
case. If so then that cell is not working and can't be repaired. So the
battery would be putting out only 10.5 V. The lower voltage would mean the
motr draws even more amps. It's a bad situation.

DON'T mess with the battery without good eye protection (safety glasses).
If you are going to fool with the battery it would be best to disconnect the
ground cable or even remove it from the car entirely.

M

Thanks for all the responses, I always like to learn somethin new... and I
definitely did...

I got a new battery today... a definite relief for my wife!
Dano

"Mark Fields" <rr.com> wrote in message
news:J81Kb.21693$columbus.rr.com... 
are 
slowed 
also 
but 
engine. 
temps 
my 
off 
the 
the 

If only they'd last 4 years...that'd be nice! Lucky if my car batteries
last 2-3 years. Must be the 100+F Summer highs & Winter lows down in
the teens in the high desert (Prescott, AZ USA). ;-)

Brent.

In article <net>, com says... 

> "brentlz" wrote: 

Same here in hot valley of Central CA. Maybe 2 years best. I've always
heard batteries last longer when cold than hot (slows the chem. activity).
Love how they just die without warning -- and while driving down the road
(mine crapped between 1st and 2nd gear one morning!).

BP~

On Sun, 04 Jan 2004 18:41:03 GMT, "dano" <net> wrote:
 

Car Batteries charge and discharge repeatily. It's the process of
charging and discharging that causes certain permenant changes in the
batteries cell plates that have them decrease in power output over
time since they will only accept so much of a charge after each
discharge. Therefore go dead over time.

Since the battery use a chemical reaction to generate electricity,
external temperature conditions can enhance and inhibit the chemical
condition. So, if your battery was already close to being bad in the
summer time, the cold of the winter basicly pushes the battery power
output below what is necessary to start your car.

Just check it out, some batteries have two cranking amps ratings, one
at 32F and another at 0F on the battery. You will notice the 32F
rating is typically higher than the 0F rating. Because outside
temperature can greatly effect your battery performance.

Woo, this is long. Blah, blah, blah.

hth,

Tom


 

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