Discussions

The car is plugged in but the battery could easily freeze up with these relentless brutal temperatures. Was thinking of carefully hanging a trouble light under the hood near the battery. Would that provide enough heat to keep it warm. Also don’t wanna blow the circuit breaker with a block heater and the light on the same circuit? Any ideas?

One of these  
 
https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/temro-80w-battery-warmer-0113116p.html  
 
I haven't used one for years but every car in Manitoba should probably have one. I would imagine this item would add a year or two to the life of your battery.

A good fully charged battery should be more resistant to freezing anyway. Discharged or faulty batteries are much more prone to freezing and when frozen they won’t take a charge usually. I thought that I had seen battery blankets at princess auto or Canadian Tyre in the past.  
Making sure that your battery is kept fully charged with a maintenance charger every once in a while might be better money spent especially if you only do short journeys. It takes a lot of a batteries capacity to start an engine in these temperatures, then with all of your electrical accessories on it will take a long drive for the vehicle to bring the charge back to maximum charge.  
Also it might be worth getting your car checked out to make sure that a vehicle fault isn’t discharging your battery while the car is parked. A discharge can easily kill a battery overnight.  
 
Edited by Farmergeorge, 2021-02-11 09:37:42

Batteries are sold out in a lot of places I imagine battery blankets will be in the same situation. Prairie Battery couldn’t even get me a battery till next week for my car.

Fully charged batteries do not freeze, no matter the temp in Manitoba.  
A blanket only helps batteries that are not used often or are old and ready to be changed out. Best of luck during Covid.

My battery was three years old. It would not take a charge when it was in the car because it was frozen so I took it inside thawed it out and put a trickle charger on it overnight. The next day it fired the car up. Any kind of warmth under the hood has got to help.

Give Piston Ring a call for a battery. If they don’t have it they can usually have it next day. Very helpful company.  
If your battery froze then it is faulty or was severely discharged.  
Trickle chargers are ok but they will not fully charge a car battery to capacity. You need more amperage. A small trickle charger can actually damage a car battery over time .  
I usually charge car size batteries at 15amps on an automatic charger that shuts off when capacity is reached.  
Full charge is minimum 12.55volts after head lights are turned on for 30seconds and then shut off .  
If fully charged then a hydrometer (if not sealed battery) or a high rate discharge test should be performed to check the batteries capacity.  
 
Edited by Farmergeorge, 2021-02-11 13:22:07

Your battery doesn't care about the cold. As long as it's properly charged no need for a blanket. And definetly don't hang a trouble light under the hood unless your don't like your car. Lots of batteries in stock. Piston Ring, Brandon Battery, Napa. There is no shortage replaced one last week at Brandon Battery on Pacific he even changed it inside his shop while I paid.

I got a battery at Brandon Battery. They had 2 left for my car. Prairie battery didn’t have any and I won’t bother going to Canadian Tire to pay double.

I got a new battery last week at Galilee Auto on the North Hill. Good deal. Call them.

My car is prone to not starting on really cold nights like this even though I have had several batteries I use both a block heater plug-in plus a battery blanket with both of them I have no problem with my car not starting plus having CAA doesn't hurt either.lol

Probably wouldn’t have any issues if I drove my car every day but I use it one or two times a week at most. Battery doesn’t stay charged if it just sits in -40 weather.

I can’t imagine a 100 watt incandescent bulb that would draw less than an amp tripping a breaker. I’ve got two car block heaters plugged into the same circuit and it’s fine.

Do you have something that is draining the battery? Any aftermarket stereos? Lights etc? Even if you only drive it a couple times a week your battery shouldn't discharge.

My car started fine all summer and all fall. Soon as it started to get real cold I noticed it lagging on start up. Then I didn’t drive it for about 10 days came out to start it and there was nothing. The battery is 4 years old and it was stone dead. I got it going again by putting it on the trickle charger for about four hours and then drove it out of town for about half an hour and came back. Next morning there was nothing. Started thinking maybe my block heater is not working. Tested it and there was continuity. So battery was just on its way out and not holding a charge anymore. See how long the new one lasts.

Hmm. Yeah hopefully that fixes it for you. I typically get 6 -7 years I find then they need changing but also had others that were duds. Hopefully only another week of this cold snap and temps might get back to normal. Good luck!

I have bought batteries from many different places over the years, have had good luck with Praire Battery and also at Hunter’s Service west of 18th on Park.  
 
Edited by don brown, 2021-02-11 21:10:46

4 hours on a trickle charger from flat and a half hour drive left it no where near fully charged unfortunately so it didn’t have a chance the next morning.

 
 
Edited by Knucklehead, 2021-02-12 09:24:11

Yup knucklehead is right the block heater element keeps the block warm and stops the oil from thickening up which is what causes your car to chug when trying a cold start. The more times you crank it the more draw on your battery until you finally get that clicking sound and then your done. If you have a weak battery you will get even less cranks. Also a trickle charger for 4 hrs will do really nothing. Trickle chargers usually use 1-2 amps so it's a very slow process, sometimes up to 48 hrs are needed. However a trickle charger won't overcharge your battery. If you want to speed up the process use a high amp charger in the 4-8 amp range likely take 12-24 hours. 4 hrs even with a high amp charger well only likely be enough to boost and get it running.  
 
Edited by BiG Mack, 2021-02-12 10:21:24

Minus 40 for the next few nights so what would be the best thing to do now that I have a shiny new battery. Start the car a few times through the night or just do nothing and leave it sit for the next few days. I only use it once or twice a week at the most.

Don’t start it unless you are going to use the car. All that you are doing is reducing the level of charge in battery and wasting fuel.

just make sure the block heater is plugged in and that the breaker does not trip out.

If you continue to experience starting problems then your car has a problem that needs to be properly diagnosed and fixed by a professional.

Bought my battery at Brandon Battery. $89. Price was definitely right. My car is 14 years old so that probably doesn’t help the situation. A new vehicle probably turns over easier not sure. The other battery was four years old and bought at Walmart. I wouldn’t know one brand from the next so to me a battery is a battery. Maybe for these temps you need some kind of super heavy duty battery but this one will do.

Try APC for a battery and /or a battery warmer.

Just buy good quality battery with good warranty. If anything modern vehicles can have more issues as the charging and starting systems and wiring are manufactured as small and light as possible and built to a price. However engine management definitely improves fueling, firing and aids quicker starts .  
A good well charged battery is key to reduce load and improve performance of all vehicle electrical systems. To improve reliability a battery is not a component that one should cheap out on.

If you start your car ever couple days (if not driving for a while) in this type of cold for 15 minutes your battery will be fine. But if you leave it and not start your vehicle for 4 or 5 days it’s going to freeze.

15 minutes at engine idle speed will not recharge a vehicle battery enough . You will discharge it more starting it that way, waste fuel and the engine is not warming properly.  
A fully charged vehicle battery in good condition will not freeze due to its chemical make up.  
A vehicle battery can only freeze if it is severely discharged or faulty.  
I am a qualified auto electrician and qualified vehicle mechanic with 30 years experience.

Wow. Misinformation at its worst. Opinion and facts are easily confused.