Frozen Batteries

I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this question but if your batteries have frozen, they are done, correct? I have never bothered to pull the batteries out of our boat and this year we've had lots of really cold weather for somewhat extended periods of time. The other day I went aboard and tried to turn on a light with the battery switch on "ALL" and got nothing and this is with 2 deep cycle 12V batteries and 2 - 6V batteries. I don't remember how much, if at all, I charged them before haul out but my real question is if I hook a charger up to them am I in danger of anything bad happening ie: fire or whatever? Is there any way to tell if they've been frozen w/o attempting to charge them? Thanks - Paul

On 3/20/2014 3:18 PM, pw… [at] aol.com wrote: > > > I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this question but if your > batteries have frozen, they are done, correct? *********** WELL done. Use them for a core when buying new batteries, this saves you about $5 each. > I have never bothered to pull the batteries out of our boat and this > year we've had lots of really cold weather for somewhat extended > periods of time. ********* A fully charged battery will not freeze. > The other day I went aboard and tried to turn on a light with the > battery switch on "ALL" and got nothing and this is with 2 deep cycle > 12V batteries and 2 - 6V batteries. I don't remember how much, if at > all, I charged them before haul out but my real question is if I hook > a charger up to them am I in danger of anything bad happening ie: fire > or whatever? > Is there any way to tell if they've been frozen w/o attempting to > charge them? ********** If the case is bulged, it's been frozen. You should first inspect them, then charge all batteries, then load test them. Most auto parts stores will do this for free if you bring them your batteries. *Joe DeMers - owner* Sound Marine Diesel LLC SoundMarineDiesel.com <http://www.soundmarinediesel.com/>*phone & fax (860) 666-2184* > Thanks - > Paul > > > -- **

Paul, If you haven't hit them with a charger yet, Don't! Take them off the boat to a location you don't mind a mess and then do it. Frozen batteries can have bent or distorted plates and shorted cells. Charging can cause all kinds of havoc if there is internal damage. Years ago, my engineer called me to the garage where he was trying to recharge one of the 8D Starting batteries for our generators. It had been left outside after being removed by the maintenance crew. It had apparently froze while out there overnight. He had it on the bench with the caps all removed and one of those big roll around Charger/Starter units hooked to it. He said "Is this a problem?" as he flipped the power switch on the bench and a geyser of battery acid shot 4 feet high out of every hole! You want that happening in an area you can either hose off or slink away quietly and never admit you were there... Kris From: "pw… [at] aol.com" <pw… [at] aol.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2014 12:18 PM Subject: [Cal_Boats] Frozen Batteries I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this question but if your batteries have frozen, they are done, correct? I have never bothered to pull the batteries out of our boat and this year we've had lots of really cold weather for somewhat extended periods of time. The other day I went aboard and tried to turn on a light with the battery switch on "ALL" and got nothing and this is with 2 deep cycle 12V batteries and 2 - 6V batteries. I don't remember how much, if at all, I charged them before haul out but my real question is if I hook a charger up to them am I in danger of anything bad happening ie: fire or whatever? Is there any way to tell if they've been frozen w/o attempting to charge them? Thanks - Paul

I agree. If they've frozen, they should show external damage indicative of being bulged. I'd put one of them on a slow charge for a short time and see if it starts taking a charge. Of course, maybe you'll want to don one of those suits that are worn by bomb demolition experts, first (just kidding). Is it possible you left something on when you left the boat? Jerry On Thursday, March 20, 2014 12:18 PM, "pw… [at] aol.com" <pw… [at] aol.com> wrote: > >I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this question but if your batteries have frozen, they are done, correct? > >I have never bothered to pull the batteries out of our boat and this year we've had lots of really cold weather for somewhat extended periods of time. The other day I went aboard and tried to turn on a light with the battery switch on "ALL" and got nothing and this is with 2 deep cycle 12V batteries and 2 - 6V batteries. I don't remember how much, if at all, I charged them before haul out but my real question is if I hook a charger up to them am I in danger of anything bad happening ie: fire or whatever? > >Is there any way to tell if they've been frozen w/o attempting to charge them? > >Thanks - > >Paul > > >

I'm going to pull them out tomorrow, check'em for damage and stick a charger on them out in the open. I didn't leave anything on but I am pretty sure I didn't put a good charge on them before being hauled out. I had planned on leaving her in the water this winter but when I went to pump the head dry water kept coming in so I knew the shaft from the valve handle to the valve had broken. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise as our marina froze over. Anyway, that threw off my winterizing schedule and never got around to putting a good charge on them before all the cold weather set in. Paul From: Gerald Sobel <so… [at] yahoo.com> To: Cal_Boats <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> Sent: Fri, Mar 21, 2014 2:48 am Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Frozen Batteries I agree. If they've frozen, they should show external damage indicative of being bulged. I'd put one of them on a slow charge for a short time and see if it starts taking a charge. Of course, maybe you'll want to don one of those suits that are worn by bomb demolition experts, first (just kidding). Is it possible you left something on when you left the boat? Jerry On Thursday, March 20, 2014 12:18 PM, "pw… [at] aol.com" <pw… [at] aol.com> wrote: I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this question but if your batteries have frozen, they are done, correct? I have never bothered to pull the batteries out of our boat and this year we've had lots of really cold weather for somewhat extended periods of time. The other day I went aboard and tried to turn on a light with the battery switch on "ALL" and got nothing and this is with 2 deep cycle 12V batteries and 2 - 6V batteries. I don't remember how much, if at all, I charged them before haul out but my real question is if I hook a charger up to them am I in danger of anything bad happening ie: fire or whatever? Is there any way to tell if they've been frozen w/o attempting to charge them? Thanks - Paul

Paul, the core temperature of the battery should be at least 40 degrees; the plates produce gases in a wet-flooded battery, and they react with water/electrolyte(not ice)and after you have warmed them up and not before, slowly charge with 2 amp cycle on a smart charger. By the way, west marine sells a portable smart charger but FIRST! READ the instructions,(has a recovery cycle for desulfate-ing battery plates), it even has temperature levels indications. lowest being 35 degrees, then 65, and 85. model number is 6885768, also has 3 plug grounded supply 120v cord so you wont have stray battery current problems you can get with automotive 2 prong chargers. if you have power at the boat, you can put a heating pad on or around it on low temperature to defrost the battery(overnight). check to see if there is any residual amps left in the battery, then unhook the positive side of the battery and then charge(at low temp and 2 amps cycle). come back next day , unplug 120v first, then unhook charger and take voltage tester and see if there's any draw between the positive post and the positive cable (which is still disconnected)..this will show if you have a draw such as a direct-wired bilge pump or emergency beacon that was left on and drained batteries..if there's water in bilge and it freezes, it could turn on the pump on and drain battery even though unable to pump. we use interstate "econo's" in group 24 marine which were returned as cores but found to still be good. they're only $35 each with 90 day guarantees. with new load testers, they can give you a printout of how many cold-cranking amps are still left in the batteries. Ed and Helen (thankfully, we're not in the freeze zones). also this charger mentioned does wet. gel. and AGM batteries.

First, thanks Ed & Helen for that last post. Made it to the boat today in nice 65 deg weather. Looked at the batteries and saw no signs of deformation and my extreme desire not to carry those bad boys down the ladder got the best of me. No Kris, I didn't stick the charger on them, I decided to try another light and shazaamm!! It came on and it was the red light in the same fixture??!! Now I'm quickly going thru the scenario in my head . . . how do 2 lights on 2 different circuits blow out over the winter w/o being turned on? They don't, they just got a little corrosion built up but what are the odds of the only 2 lights I try to turn on being corroded? So long story short I saved a boat load of work and potentially some boat bucks by being a bit lazy LOL. Thanks again for everyone's input so if this ever does happen I won't be clueless. Paul From: Helen Horn <he… [at] sbcglobal.net> To: Cal_Boats <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> Sent: Fri, Mar 21, 2014 1:44 pm Subject: [Cal_Boats] frozen batteries Paul, the core temperature of the battery should be at least 40 degrees; the plates produce gases in a wet-flooded battery, and they react with water/electrolyte(not ice)and after you have warmed them up and not before, slowly charge with 2 amp cycle on a smart charger. By the way, west marine sells a portable smart charger but FIRST! READ the instructions,(has a recovery cycle for desulfate-ing battery plates), it even has temperature levels indications. lowest being 35 degrees, then 65, and 85. model number is 6885768, also has 3 plug grounded supply 120v cord so you wont have stray battery current problems you can get with automotive 2 prong chargers. if you have power at the boat, you can put a heating pad on or around it on low temperature to defrost the battery(overnight). check to see if there is any residual amps left in the battery, then unhook the positive side of the battery and then charge(at low temp and 2 amps cycle). come back next day , unplug 120v first, then unhook charger and take voltage tester and see if there's any draw between the positive post and the positive cable (which is still disconnected)..this will show if you have a draw such as a direct-wired bilge pump or emergency beacon that was left on and drained batteries..if there's water in bilge and it freezes, it could turn on the pump on and drain battery even though unable to pump. we use interstate "econo's" in group 24 marine which were returned as cores but found to still be good. they're only $35 each with 90 day guarantees. with new load testers, they can give you a printout of how many cold-cranking amps are still left in the batteries. Ed and Helen (thankfully, we're not in the freeze zones). also this charger mentioned does wet. gel. and AGM batteries.

Paul, good. After comparing my advice to others, I was afraid you'd take mine, and blow yourself and your boat to kingdom come! I think you did what I'd have done, and tried to take the easy way out, taking some electrical baby steps, vs. injuring my back worse than it already is. Jerry of Shpritz. On Saturday, March 22, 2014 6:59 PM, "pw… [at] aol.com" <pw… [at] aol.com> wrote: >First, thanks Ed & Helen for that last post. > >Made it to the boat today in nice 65 deg weather. Looked at the batteries and saw no signs of deformation and my extreme desire not to carry those bad boys down the ladder got the best of me. No Kris, I didn't stick the charger on them, I decided to try another light and shazaamm!! It came on and it was the red light in the same fixture??!! > >Now I'm quickly going thru the scenario in my head . . . how do 2 lights on 2 different circuits blow out over the winter w/o being turned on? They don't, they just got a little corrosion built up but what are the odds of the only 2 lights I try to turn on being corroded? > >So long story short I saved a boat load of work and potentially some boat bucks by being a bit lazy LOL. > >Thanks again for everyone's input so if this ever does happen I won't be clueless. > >Paul >-----Original Message----- >From: Helen Horn <he… [at] sbcglobal.net> >To: Cal_Boats <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> >Sent: Fri, Mar 21, 2014 1:44 pm >Subject: [Cal_Boats] frozen batteries > > > >Paul, the core temperature of the battery should be at least 40 degrees; the plates produce gases in a wet-flooded battery, and they react with water/electrolyte(not ice)and after you have warmed them up and not before, slowly charge with 2 amp cycle on a smart charger. By the way, west marine sells a portable smart charger but FIRST! READ the instructions,(has a recovery cycle for desulfate-ing battery plates), it even has temperature levels indications. lowest being 35 degrees, then 65, and 85. model number is 6885768, also has 3 plug grounded supply 120v cord so you wont have stray battery current problems you can get with automotive 2 prong chargers. if you have power at the boat, you can put a heating pad on or around it on low temperature to defrost the battery(overnight). check to see if there is any residual amps left in the battery, then unhook the positive side of the battery and then charge(at low temp and 2 amps cycle). come back next day , unplug 120v first, then unhook charger and take voltage tester and see if there's any draw between the positive post and the positive cable (which is still disconnected)..this will show if you have a draw such as a direct-wired bilge pump or emergency beacon that was left on and drained batteries..if there's water in bilge and it freezes, it could turn on the pump on and drain battery even though unable to pump. we use interstate "econo's" in group 24 marine which were returned as cores but found to still be good. they're only $35 each with 90 day guarantees. with new load testers, they can give you a printout of how many cold-cranking amps are still left in the batteries. Ed and Helen (thankfully, we're not in the freeze zones). also this charger mentioned does wet. gel. and AGM batteries. > > > >

On 3/22/2014 9:59 PM, pw… [at] aol.com wrote: > > > Now I'm quickly going thru the scenario in my head . . . how do 2 > lights on 2 different circuits blow out over the winter w/o being > turned on? They don't, they just got a little corrosion built up but > what are the odds of the only 2 lights I try to turn on being corroded? Our local schooner has a lot of overhead lights below, and the failure point tends to be the switches. You might try using some DeOxit spray on the switches and the bulb bases. Chris Campbell