Battery In Trunk = Good!

[wirelessF]

Short trips plus hot days the typical battery life here in Hawaii lasts about 5-6 years. Once the temps drop during the cold season batteries end up exposing their weakness. Not kidding brah, I've had to jump start several cars with 4-5 year old batteries due to record lows here (low 60's.)

 

[fdcg27]

On the other side of the coin, the long cables required to have a remote battery are more prone to internal degradation and also have higher resistance.
Hence, more cold starting problems with an otherwise healthy battery.
Have had both under the hood and remote.
Don't see any systematic reason to prefer either.

 

[hattaresguy]

Mercedes has been putting them in the trunk or back seat since the mid 90's and their OE battery's can last up to a decade. I think the more stable temps help keep them going longer.

 

[Merkava_4]

My Buick has the battery under the rear seat. The battery stays in pristine condition back there.

 

[cashmoney]

Battery dies in the summer and falls over in the winter. The average consumer in the US has no idea of how a wet cell lead acid battery works. Their battery won't start car in the winter so they just wrongly assume the cold is bad for the battery.

Actually most of them have no idea how any battery of any type works. I blame it on the woefully inadequate US primary and HS education system.

 

[kschachn]

My BMW has it under the seat too, but I think that is for weight distribution (and because the under-hood area is full).

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Mercedes has been putting them in the trunk or back seat since the mid 90's and their OE battery's can last up to a decade. I think the more stable temps help keep them going longer.

 

[edwardh1]

seems some reflective material would help on battery life

 

[Kira]

Hello, A service station owner told me the first hot day and the first cold day kills lots of batteries.

I've "always" known of the cumulative effect of dirty connections, run length and slowed chemistry during cold weather cranking.
It's funny that no one mentioned turning the headlights on for 5 minutes during cold weather to warm the battery. Engineers refer to batteries being warm as the only time heat lowers resistance.

I've seen batteries being made. I thought the lead bridges were thin. Add a service life full of vibration (cracking) and it's easy to see the circuit breaking when you turn the key.

A neighbor who was an aircraft mechanic told me that after 3 years a battery doesn't owe you anything. Kira

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Mercedes has been putting them in the trunk or back seat since the mid 90's and their OE battery's can last up to a decade. I think the more stable temps help keep them going longer.


They also use an AGM battery which lasts longer than a regular flooded battery.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: Kira
Hello, A service station owner told me the first hot day and the first cold day kills lots of batteries.

I've "always" known of the cumulative effect of dirty connections, run length and slowed chemistry during cold weather cranking.
It's funny that no one mentioned turning the headlights on for 5 minutes during cold weather to warm the battery. Engineers refer to batteries being warm as the only time heat lowers resistance.

I've seen batteries being made. I thought the lead bridges were thin. Add a service life full of vibration (cracking) and it's easy to see the circuit breaking when you turn the key.

A neighbor who was an aircraft mechanic told me that after 3 years a battery doesn't owe you anything. Kira


Running the headlights may just drain enough from a weak battery so that it can't crank fast enough to start the engine.

 

[zpinch]

In the trunk is the best place (as far as longest life is concerned) for a battery, like others have said, lower temps, and more stable temps. Stable temps is a very good point because you don't want temperature differentials within the battery it's self, as this leads to uneven charging (under charging some cells and over charging and over heating of some cells).

If a guy were to purchase a high quality pure lead AGM battery ie. Odyssey battery, or other rebranded Odyssey: Motomaster Eliminator Ultra XD, or DieHard Platinum, or Northstar Battery, just a few, all the same manufacturer... anyways, best starter batteries you can buy, throw them in your trunk with good quality heavy conductors to the front. This is a very reliable, very powerful, and long lasting setup. Amazing extreme cold starting performance, and would be impervious to the heat of summer. 10 years guaranteed.

 

[exranger06]

My 9 year old Ford Ranger still has its factory original Motorcraft battery, and it's located under the hood. It's just starting to get weak and I'll probably have to replace it sometime this year.

 

[Dyusik]

I have a cheapo in my cherokee, and when I wheel it the hood is too hot to even lift. The rig sits extensive lengths of time. I ride in the summer and have a car for the family. Drained the batttery about 3 time for 3-4 days at a time until discovered. Drained it slowly once pulling about 620watt of lighting. This battery was bought in 2005 and still cranks the engine over like a champ regardless. Luck? Oh and the vibrations that it endured were horrendous.

 

[andyd]

I have a 9.99 Harbor Freight 1/2 amp battery maintainer. It keeps the abused ValueCraft battery topped off in the Rat.

 

[DirkDiggler]

Originally delco in my yukon lasted almost 10 yrs

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: edwardh1
seems some reflective material would help on battery life

I bought a 25-ft roll Double Reflective Insulation from Lowes, cut to fit battery under the hood of 2 cars, seems to work. The temperature on the side of battery reduced by 20-30F after 25-30 minutes drive in summer days.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_13353-56291-ST16025_0__?productId=1014123&Ntt=reflectix&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dreflectix&facetInfo=

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: edwardh1
seems some reflective material would help on battery life

I bought a 25-ft roll Double Reflective Insulation from Lowes, cut to fit battery under the hood of 2 cars, seems to work. The temperature on the side of battery reduced by 20-30F after 25-30 minutes drive in summer days.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_13353-56291-ST16025_0__?productId=1014123&Ntt=reflectix&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dreflectix&facetInfo=


Interesting and great idea! You did before and after tests?

 

[Donald]

Two batteries = even better.

 

[kb27]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2

Interesting and great idea! You did before and after tests?


I used some sort of insulator on the battery and measure with a IR temp gauge.
The cool side of the battery measures about 45 deg C, while the hot side was about 66 deg C after a hot ride.

The temp difference is quite large, about 20 deg C.

Although this doesn't stop the battery from heating up due to charging and indirect heat.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: edwardh1
seems some reflective material would help on battery life

I bought a 25-ft roll Double Reflective Insulation from Lowes, cut to fit battery under the hood of 2 cars, seems to work. The temperature on the side of battery reduced by 20-30F after 25-30 minutes drive in summer days.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_13353-56291-ST16025_0__?productId=1014123&Ntt=reflectix&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dreflectix&facetInfo=
Interesting and great idea! You did before and after tests?

Yes. Before I installed the Double Reflective Insulation the side facing the engine was 140-145F, the opposite side facing the wheel well was 115-120F. After installed the hot side went down to 115-120F and the other side was 95-100F.

I think by reducing the temperature by 20-30F the battery may lasted a little longer, may be few months to a year ? And the insulation can be reused for the next battery so it didn't cost much.