battery can freeze?

Posted By: rapid67rt

battery can freeze? - 01/03/13 12:04 AM

Truck wouldnt start so I took the battery out to charge it up. No luck so I took it back since it was still under warranty. Counter guy said it was frozen. It did get down into the single digits last night.
Ive never had this happen or ever heard of it. I had to raise hell to get it replaced.

Posted By: zrxkawboy

Re: battery can freeze? - 01/03/13 12:16 AM

They will freeze if they're discharged.

Posted By: 70Cuda383

Re: battery can freeze? - 01/03/13 12:20 AM

my high school car wouldn't start one day in some extreme cold weather. at first, nothing. thought "great, battery's dead" but noticed the dome light was on. turned on headlights and they came on. thought "that's weird" and tried again. this time I got a slow moan out of the starter.

then tried again and it cranked faster but still no start.

third time, it fired right up.

best I can figure is that it was so cold that it didn't have enough amps, but as I was putting load on it and discharging power, that it warmed up enough to start making more amps until finally it was warm enough to start the engine.

am I right in my theory or not, I have no idea. all I know is what happened. it may have just been dumb luck.

Posted By: rapid67rt

Re: battery can freeze? - 01/03/13 12:32 AM

Yea sounds similar. Is it just me.. but if batteries froze alot of vehicles would be down all winter?????I hope I didn't buy some China crap......

Posted By: zrxkawboy

Re: battery can freeze? - 01/03/13 12:34 AM

Quote:

but if batteries froze alot of vehicles would be down all winter?????

Like I said, they only freeze if they're discharged.

Posted By: rapid67rt

Re: battery can freeze? - 01/03/13 12:37 AM

School me please? Discharge? Is this a sign that its going bad??

Posted By: 6PakBee

Re: battery can freeze? - 01/03/13 02:28 AM

Quote:

my high school car wouldn't start one day in some extreme cold weather. at first, nothing. thought "great, battery's dead" but noticed the dome light was on. turned on headlights and they came on. thought "that's weird" and tried again. this time I got a slow moan out of the starter.

then tried again and it cranked faster but still no start.

third time, it fired right up.

best I can figure is that it was so cold that it didn't have enough amps, but as I was putting load on it and discharging power, that it warmed up enough to start making more amps until finally it was warm enough to start the engine.

am I right in my theory or not, I have no idea. all I know is what happened. it may have just been dumb luck.

I don't know. I read somewhere that if it's cold enough to bring the brass monkeys in that before you try to start the car, turn the headlights on hi beam for about 15 seconds, shut them off, and then try to start. Sounds kind of like the same thing.

Posted By: hp383

Re: battery can freeze? - 01/03/13 02:34 AM

Quote:

School me please? Discharge? Is this a sign that its going bad??

Could be a sign of a battery going bad, possibly a dead or dieing cell, could be corrosion on the terminals, or in the battery lead wires not allowing correct voltage flow to fully charge the battery, could also be a bad diode in the alternator, or sign of a bad voltage regulator.

A good once over and cleaning of the electrical connections to the battery and its accessories will help in diagnosing the exact cause.

If you have an amp gauge, or voltage gauge its readings should be telling you something. Or the ALT idiot light.

Posted By: Pacnorthcuda

Re: battery can freeze? - 01/03/13 02:34 AM

Quote:

School me please? Discharge? Is this a sign that its going bad??

When a flooded lead acid battery is discharged (dead) the electrolyte (acid) concentration is very weak (mostly water). Sulfuric acid has much lower freeze point than water.
That is why a dead (or very weak) batt can freeze.

Posted By: Supercuda

Re: battery can freeze? - 01/03/13 02:55 AM

Back in my youth my Old Man used to bring his battery in at night so it wouldn't freeze. This was back up in NW Indiana in the early 70's FWIW.

Posted By: rustbuckett68

Re: battery can freeze? - 01/03/13 03:45 AM

My 64 F-100 with a worn out 223 6 would start at -40C (40 below 0). Didn't need to use the brakes for the first ten blocks, just hit the clutch. Couldn't shift the 4 gear, and had to use a lot of muscle to steer for the first bit. Figured out pretty quick that was no way to treat a vehicle, so stayed home until it warmed up to -29 (20 below 0).

Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: battery can freeze? - 01/03/13 03:54 AM

Quote:

When a flooded lead acid battery is discharged (dead) the electrolyte (acid) concentration is very weak (mostly water). Sulfuric acid has much lower freeze point than water.
That is why a dead (or very weak) batt can freeze.

that's it & the counter guy thought you let it discharge way down & that's why he didn't want to warranty it