Weak Battery

[vakkotaur]

The temperature dipped below 0 F last night and was still around 0 F when I left the house. The car started just fine, a bit to my surprise as the battery is still the original, manufactured sometime in 1996.

Another battery is a bit of a problem. The one in the remote control for the garage door opener was too cold to be effective, so I had to get out and push the button in the garage to deal with that. I had the same problem last year, and carried an extra remote control in a coat pocket so it'd stay fairly warm. I'm not sure a fresh battery would be any better than what's there now, but it might be time to find out. I think the range has been decreasing some, even when warm, but I'm not really sure of that, either.

Comments

[evol.livejournal.com]

Hey you!

I tried to make you a serious icon, so here you go...

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

Seriously, Thank You!

[altivo.livejournal.com]

It's interesting that they tell us automobile battery life is 2 to 4 years. I haven't replaced a battery since 1973. Some vehicles I have owned for as long as 10 years and they were still starting just fine even in cold weather.

We don't get as much prolonged cold here as you do in Minnesota, but certainly it spikes down just as low. I think battery longevity is in part related to care (keeping the electrolyte level where it belongs, regular charging by using the vehicle at least once a week, etc.)

Your door opener problem may not be the battery itself, but rather the contacts in the battery holder contracting in the cold (unless it uses a 9v. battery with the snap connector.)

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

The car battery is of the no-maintenance sealed type, but it has been used regularly. It's rare for the car to sit more than a weekend or so without use. My folks have replaced auto batteries, but I'm not sure how old they and the vehicles they were in were at the time. Also, they are in north-central Wisconsin where at times a day's high temperature can be almost 0 F.

I'll likely have a look at the contacts just to be sure. I did see the LED indicator glowing weakly this morning, so some current was getting through. But a poor contact could do that, too.