Car BARELY started yesterday

Status
Not open for further replies.
You do not need an upgraded battery in your climate. We see lower temps here and the 51R works fine for the K24.

Based on what you describe, you probably have a bad battery. Test and replace as-needed. I do like the AGM batteries- the 51R I recently installed starts my girlfriend's K24 much faster than it has ever started.
 
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Originally Posted By: ChevyBadger
Originally Posted By: redhat
FWIW, I have always been under the notion that it is the heat that kills the batteries and this deteriorated battery shows itself in cold weather.
Exactly what I’ve always been told


Cold doesn't affect the batteries, unless it's so cold that the electrolyte inside of it freezes. However, starts in codld temps drain the battery significantly and if the commute is not long enough to recharge the battery, it will slowly get weaker and weaker, until it is really noticeable, just like OP experienced.


Indeed.

If it's been short tripped for 2 years and rarely charged fully, then it's had it's capacity diminished both permanently and temporarily.

The temporary effect is worse in winter, even mild winters like Florida and California.

To know how bad it is, it needs to be fully charged with a smart charger and tested.
 
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Cold doesn't affect the batteries, unless it's so cold that the electrolyte inside of it freezes.

Start your car unaided in -35 C. Try it again the next day at the same temperature, with simply a battery maintainer hooked up to the thing all night. The cranking speed difference will be winter to summer, as it were.
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Cold doesn't affect the batteries, unless it's so cold that the electrolyte inside of it freezes.

Start your car unaided in -35 C. Try it again the next day at the same temperature, with simply a battery maintainer hooked up to the thing all night. The cranking speed difference will be winter to summer, as it were.


Yes it's the absorption charge that puts the last 20% into the battery that makes that difference.

Using my ctek, I get an even bigger difference if I leave it on after the charger says absorption is complete and it trickles for another day or so.
 
There is also a certain percentage of cranking power you lose as the temperature drops. Temperature drops, voltage dips, charger kicks in and charges and warms the battery. I found a little permanent mount Solar brand charger plugged in in addition to my block heater on the F-150 to make a huge, huge difference on the cold days.

Of course, the frozen electrolyte mentioned by KrisZ makes matters much, much worse, a complete disaster. Two years ago, my G37's battery got a bit weak, in October of that year, I believe it was. I charged it once. Then it got weak again. With winter coming, I simply replaced it, knowing what would await me in December. I'd be stranded somewhere exceedingly inconvenient or have trouble getting a boost because it was -40 or have trouble finding a battery because everyone else had the same trouble at the same time, or all three put together.
 



I agree CharlieBauer. Even at 20°F it does make a difference. Especially for a short tripped car in Florida.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Go buy a cheap volt meter from Harbor Freight, they work good and you can keep an eye on voltage.

Not a good indicator on overall battery capacity.Charge it and if in doubt, get the battery load tested.Don't waste your time with cheap DVM's.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Lubener
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Go buy a cheap volt meter from Harbor Freight, they work good and you can keep an eye on voltage.

Not a good indicator on overall battery capacity.Charge it and if in doubt, get the battery load tested.Don't waste your time with cheap DVM's.
At least it'll tell you if it's 12.2V or 12.8V
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
At least it'll tell you if it's 12.2V or 12.8V


Turn the headlights and a few accessories on and you have your load test.

OP must have just got a bad battery, I can't think of a better climate for a battery. Maybe the PNW.
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
At least it'll tell you if it's 12.2V or 12.8V


Turn the headlights and a few accessories on and you have your load test.

OP must have just got a bad battery, I can't think of a better climate for a battery. Maybe the PNW.
+1 Done that many times works good you'll know quick if it's junk or not.
 
Originally Posted By: bbhero



I agree CharlieBauer. Even at 20°F it does make a difference. Especially for a short tripped car in Florida.


If that marketing chart were true, nobody would be able to start their vehicle below 80f.
If the battery has 100% power and at 80f the engine needs 100% of that power, how on Earth can you start the engine using less than 100% of available power when the requirement is more than 100%?
 
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Originally Posted By: bbhero



I agree CharlieBauer. Even at 20°F it does make a difference. Especially for a short tripped car in Florida.


If that marketing chart were true, nobody would be able to start their vehicle below 80f.
If the battery has 100% power and at 80f the engine needs 100% of that power, how on Earth can you start the engine using less than 100% of available power when the requirement is more than 100%?


I think it's supposed to be relative. The battery has a quarter of its ability to crank at -20C; and at that temperature the engine needs 250% more to crank than it does at 80C. But an engine at 80C does not need 100% of the battery to crank. You can't go across the chart and get meaningful data, not without knowing more data.
 
Exactly supton. There is more to this for sure. There is an inverse relationship going on here.
 
cold weather...20F
crackmeup2.gif
 
Well in Antarctica they would laugh at -35°F.... As compared to -100°F. Or the coldest it ever got in Antarctica down even -126°F. -35°F is a warm day in comparison. Cold or hot is relative to what an area typically sees on average.
 
Originally Posted By: KrisZ

If that marketing chart were true, nobody would be able to start their vehicle below 80f.
If the battery has 100% power and at 80f the engine needs 100% of that power, how on Earth can you start the engine using less than 100% of available power when the requirement is more than 100%?


That is not what the chart is saying.
 
The amazing thing is the temperature variation your area can see.. A 60 to 70 degree drop is rather common place I'd bet. I have seen Denver Colorado go from the low 70s down to the mid 10s for a high temp within 24 hours. I bet up in your area that change can be even larger due to being farther north. Climate can be very relative. In your area and southward into the plains of the US extreme temperature swings are quite dramatic.
 
Pull the relay for the fuel pump and then hook up a voltmeter to the battery.
Turn the key and watch the voltage. A healthy battery will read 12.3 Volts or above.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Blake1107
2008 HHR Electrical Issues?
Replies
14
Views
488
Rmay635703
M
02 Accord sputter once in a blue moon at start up
Replies
9
Views
328
dumkid
M
2012 Honda Fit Sport is acting up
2
Replies
23
Views
1K
M1Accord
A
Voltage drop on battery when headlights are OFF, fine when they're on
Replies
19
Views
917
tiger862
H
Car cranks but no start; fuel issue
Replies
5
Views
1K
HawkeyeScott
Back
Top