F*#kin cold ass weather

[Big Block 88]

needed the duece and a half to unstick a dually sunk to its frame with loaded trailer hoped in the truck air brake buzzer loud and clear hit the loud button and just low grown... Batteries new this last spring i pulled the battery tray out and both batteries split in half...

How do you northerners deal with the cold??? Batteries were wrapped in insulation and cover to keep wind off them, but didnt help temps dipped into the -20's here a week ago and its gonna dip in the -teens this week.

The duece is just to large to get inside our barn as the tractor reserved that spot how can a stop this from happening again those big ass electrolites are NOT cheap.

Any ideas? We try and start the big girl 2 times a week and let it run for an hour or so with intake heaters on but the batteries never see heat of any kind under the cab.

 

[yellowchevy]

needed the duece and a half to unstick a dually sunk to its frame with loaded trailer hoped in the truck air brake buzzer loud and clear hit the loud button and just low grown... Batteries new this last spring i pulled the battery tray out and both batteries split in half...

How do you northerners deal with the cold??? Batteries were wrapped in insulation and cover to keep wind off them, but didnt help temps dipped into the -20's here a week ago and its gonna dip in the -teens this week.

The duece is just to large to get inside our barn as the tractor reserved that spot how can a stop this from happening again those big ass electrolites are NOT cheap.

Any ideas? We try and start the big girl 2 times a week and let it run for an hour or so with intake heaters on but the batteries never see heat of any kind under the cab.

Come on Jordan, this is nothing!!!

Are they good quality batteries?
Was a power source left on to drain them down?

I had AC Delco's or Interstate on all my pickups when I was back home in ND. I also had Autozone batteries wheel I was up in Canada the last 2 years. I never had a problem when it was -40F (straight temp).

I've personally never seen a battery split in half due to cold temps.

Yellowchevy

 

[custom8726]

Battery tender

 

[Ne-max]

Battery tender

x2

Dead batteries freeze

 

[malibu795]

my guess SG was wrong... too much water.. though quick search i could not find sulfric acid freezing point...

 

[Big Block 88]

I checked all switches and nothing left on, that doesnt rule out a short somewhere in a 30+ year old truck.

Batteries were electro-lifes i think is the name its they use while the trucks are still in service.

When we have been up in the UP i have seen -30-40 but the trucks were never shut off. I just need to move south...

Do they make all weather battery tenders?

 

[malibu795]

is it a 6V system still? 24V? 12V

24V could run 1200CCA commercial bats for semi trucks... in a parellel series setup

 

[Big Block 88]

24 volt, batteries are out of a semi, engine is 22:1 at 465 cubes so it can be a bear with a low battery... I got desperate and hooked the old lb7 up to it starter and it just couldnt do it.

Sounded somthing like rrrrrrrrrrrrrehckckckck flump click click. I mnew it was a long shit but i easngetting desperate had to get the 4020 and unstick the lml, not nearly as fun or badass as 6 wheels digging it out

 

[Burn Down]

If your going to leave it for extended periods you need to use a ground disconnect switch or just unhook your ground cables. I have started machines that have been sitting for more than 2 years. Flipped the disconnect and hit the key... Of course they were Cats My guess is it has a very slow draw that over time drains the battery down. Dead batteries can freeze. If there not sealed you can check the acid in them as Adam mentioned.

 

[TXSarge]

As was mentioned before a battery tender or just leave a batter charger with a trickle setting hooked up to it or battery blankets to keep them warm. There are four of them bad boys if I remember right and yes it's a 24v system. Best bet would be the battery blankets and just keep it plugged in while it's below -10 or so.

 

[PureHybrid]

x2 on a master disconnect. A cold battery will have less output but that's not a reason for it to go dead.

 

[andy-stevenson]

Never had any trouble with my batteries freezing answer I don't have them insulated or anything. -30 this morning...

You need the new batteries from Canadian Tire haha
http://video.canadiantire.ca/v/1023818007/hockey-practice-the-canadian-tire-ice-truck-commercial-/

 

[baggedLB7]

We had this problem on our live in trailer the co detector has a constant draw and would drain the bats and after cracking some high end high dollar bats 2 winters in a row. We started leaving just a normal battery tender on it and have not cracked one the last two winters.

 

[Rikter]

Cold? How cold is cold? -40?

You need a block heater and a magnetic oil pan heater when it's cold. It will all run a regular 15 amp AC circuit. For extended periods like a month or more: I run a battery disconnect and a little solar panel plugged onto the batteries.

 

[durallymax]

Oil stuck like that always seems to draw down batteries. Install a disconnect switch, they are cheap.

Then put a battery tender on them to keep them maintained. Battery tender will shut off when not needed. Cheap investement. We put them on anything going into longer storage.

Also may want to load test your batteries to see how good they are. If they are bad, I like using group 31 stud post batteries. 1000CCA's and $70 each at our Kenworth dealer. I convert a lot of stuff to them because they are good batteries, cheap, and common. Plus the 3/8" threaded stud posts are so much nicer than the older clamp style.

Check the acid level in the batteries if they are not sealed.

If you do not have a coolant heater you will need one.

Otherwise you should be good. They do make battery blankets if you want too. The best way to deal with the cold is move south. I hate it, too damn cold up here right now. -20 with wind chills down to -40*.

 

[andy-stevenson]

Freezing up here. Yesterday the low was -38* without the wind chill.

 

[LBZ]

needed the duece and a half to unstick a dually sunk to its frame with loaded trailer hoped in the truck air brake buzzer loud and clear hit the loud button and just low grown... Batteries new this last spring i pulled the battery tray out and both batteries split in half...

How do you northerners deal with the cold??? Batteries were wrapped in insulation and cover to keep wind off them, but didnt help temps dipped into the -20's here a week ago and its gonna dip in the -teens this week.

The duece is just to large to get inside our barn as the tractor reserved that spot how can a stop this from happening again those big ass electrolites are NOT cheap.

Any ideas? We try and start the big girl 2 times a week and let it run for an hour or so with intake heaters on but the batteries never see heat of any kind under the cab.

Battery disconnect is what I would install rather than un-hooking them all the time. It will eliminate any power drain. That and a good charge on them periodically will help keep them from freezing or depleting. (Low voltage batteries are the ones that freeze)
No need to heat the batteries, think about it-rigs, stationary equipment,etc never see any heat. Current flow is enough to warm a battery so even turning the lights on while it's running will warm them up somewhat. That said, putting a 110V batt blanket around them would not hurt anything-except your power bill.

 

[Big Block 88]

Awsome thanks for the help fellas, i went with vinnys idea and went to kenworth $85 per battery not bad.

Havent put them in yet, so hopefully the snow coming wont be enough to need the duece.

But then again man is it fun doin 6 wheel drive donuts all 10 tires diggin:woott:.

 

[Kappa9012]

video tape that big gurl drifting!!!

 

[Big Block 88]

I get batteries in her and i will, if not i can get some mud drifting soon