Winter battery experiment

[bongoman]

I live in an apartment which makes it difficult to use a battery tender. When the temperature drops below 35 for a couple of days, my batter, even when new, will not hold a charge more than 3 days.

Until I started putting the cover on her at night. Kind of like tucking in my boys when they were younger. I do have covered parking, but no garage, so it seems the cover helps keep the freezing temps from draining the batter overly much. Started fine today with no jump or charge.

[axy]

I live in an apartment which makes it difficult to use a battery tender. When the temperature drops below 35 for a couple of days, my batter, even when new, will not hold a charge more than 3 days.

Until I started putting the cover on her at night. Kind of like tucking in my boys when they were younger. I do have covered parking, but no garage, so it seems the cover helps keep the freezing temps from draining the batter overly much. Started fine today with no jump or charge.

The temperature of the battery is the same when left outside, with cover or without it.

[bongoman]

So you would think, Axy, but the cover made a difference. It seems that way as nothing else was changed. In fact, we've had the coldest nights of the year so far; once setting a record. It's 2pm now and we just got above freezing about an hour ago. Forecast low tonite is 27f.f

[axy]

So you would think, Axy, but the cover made a difference. It seems that way as nothing else was changed. In fact, we've had the coldest nights of the year so far; once setting a record. It's 2pm now and we just got above freezing about an hour ago. Forecast low tonite is 27f.f

NHF, but it must be magic, voodoo or placebo.

[Agent Bob]

My guess is that trapped engine heat kept it toasty.

[blue]

try one of those solar battery chargers.

[bongoman]

Solar was considered. I got a charger with a booster feature, so if it is down, takes a few minutes to charge or can boost start it. Usually, the battery has juice, just not enough to get it started after three days of freezing and near-freezing temps.

I know that once when I lived in the country with only a wood burning stove for heat, a neighboring rancher recorded -10f. That was cold. I had a big truck with two big batteries.

[scootergrisen]

Try removing the minus (-) cable from the battery and connect a ampmeter inbetween to se if the battery is being drained while the ignition key is turned to OFF.
It should be something like 0,01 ampere or zero.

Also try and remove the battery and take it up to your apartment and fully charge it.
After the charge let the battey rest for 1 hour while not using it.
Then measure between the terminals with a voltmeter and it should be 12,6 or something like that.
Write how much volt is has here.
If its 12,2 or 12,0 og lower then eighter you diddent charge the battery enough or you proberly need a new battery.

If you buy i new battery you need to charge it before putting it in the scooter. Unless the shop did it for you.
You can always test it by letting it rest for 1 hour and the measure the volt.
When i bought my new battery and charged it. It was be 12,65 volt.
But you need to wait 1 hour for the voltage to rest.
If you charge the battery or use the battery and then measure the voltage the reading will not be right.

[Portland Steve]

It sounds like a combination of trapped engine heat and potentially trapped heat (although probably minimal) from the Battery Tender.
Are you keeping the actual transformer on the floor of the scooter while the cover is on?
Sounds like you got something that works for you, in any case.

[Portland Steve]

Ok, read your post again and it sounds like you can't have the battery tender outside...
Engine heat then?
Like I said, it is working for you.

[Rianna]

Wow, I like this thread. It may come in handy when I get ready to start my scoot up again.

I'm glad your battery has juice, bongoman, and that it's working for ya even in these cold temps we've been having!

[bongoman]

I think the cover acts as insulation, weak insulation. Once in the country, when a norther came through and dropped the temp to -5 below, we froze water around insulation on the pipes from the well. The ice kept the water in the pipes from freezing. Kind of like an igloo.

There is a plug on the outside wall of my building. I just don't want to park my scooter there over night. We're supposed to be down into the hi 20s over night. In the morning, I push my scooter to the plug and charge it with a regular battery charger. Takes about 30 minutes to get it up enough to crank.

Said another way, it takes about as long to charge as it does to eat a bowl of granola and yogurt and have a cup of coffee.