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Topic: the little battery that could not (Read 2859 times) previous topic - next topic

the little battery that could not

In the fall of 2002, i got a champion battery for the tractor and later on that winter it gave us trouble so i brought it back to Kmart to trade in.

during the winter of 2003-2004, this new one started giving us trouble and i noticed that one day it was frozen inside!  I traded that one off last year so the battery i have now is giving me trouble also.

the battery says it was made in may of 04 and i bought it in july sometime. I went out a couple days ago to try to plow the driveway but the battery had not power.  today, i removed the covers on the battery and its frozen inside also.

i wonder if Kmart is buying mild weather range batteries which have a hight mix of water than the deep cold climate batteries?

i called kmart to tell em again like i did last year that the battery had frozen.  I think champion might get a letter about this also.

This poor battery sits in my living room right now by the fire to thaw out. Ill see if it can take a charge after all the ice melts.  its a 23month free replacement battery but thats beside the point.

On a footnote, my neighbor bought his marine and truck battery from the same place and i called him about the problem.  You'll never guess what he found,, both frozen also.

Re: the little battery that could not

Reply #2 –
I've totally given up on normal batteries.  I Had a few from Walmart that were constantly giving me problems. I finnaly got fed up and told them i wanted my money back....That was after 4 of them. They balked at giving my my money back, until I started asking for management and telling them that they were going to get a call from the better bussiness buero.  The refunded the 70 bucks, and I used that twards a new Optima Yellow top. Its a Gel battery, completely sealed, ecxellent warenty.  I have never had problems with it, despite an alternator going bad and discharging it to nothing.  Well worth the 170 I spent on it.
88 TC, Lots of Mods.

Re: the little battery that could not

Reply #3 –
yeah,, gel bats are good,,
Phone companies have been going to GNB gell cells for many reasons including enviormental effects on specific gravity and such.

I took this battery out of the tractor to put it on my charger , after i found the ice i figured id let it thaw out first.

speaking of batteries, I was at a Marconi Power conference in 2000 and there was this company from canada presenting a new product line of batteries.  The battery they brought in had no hazmat at all and was not pr0ne to any know eviromental effects.  It was a 48v battery with 24 cells but each cell was a silicone platter/plate. each battery was rated for 70a (which is great for telecom applications, trust me).
so , no hasmat , no worry about the enviromental effects makes for a great idea.  I just cant think if the company name. I go a card from one of the guys but both sales bone heads spoke very little english. The batteries were about 1600 bux a pop.

Re: the little battery that could not

Reply #4 –
I think my question to anyone is .........

have you ever known a battery to freeze internaly that has never had any water or electrolyte added?

Re: the little battery that could not

Reply #5 –
As a battery discharges the electrodes become coated with lead sulfate and the sulfuric acid in the electrolyte changes to water.
Charging reverses the process and regenerates the sulfuric acid.

I have never seen a charged battery freeze, but i have never been anyplace colder than -20 or so.

A totaly discharged battery has mostly water in it and will freeze easily.

Re: the little battery that could not

Reply #6 –
Be careful. I read somewhere that working with a frozen battery might be dangerous.
You're in WV, right? Our temperatures really haven't been too bad, so I'm surprised. I rarely hear about frozen batteries.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

Re: the little battery that could not

Reply #7 –
Quote
I was at a Marconi Power conference in 2000...


The same Marconi as the first wireless telegrams?
-Jim
1987 Cougar LS 5.0

Re: the little battery that could not

Reply #8 –
Quote from: jkirchman
The same Marconi as the first wireless telegrams?


Yep!  got layed off from that company a while back.

cougarcragar,
its been under 10deg down in monroe county(south of lewisburg) for the past week at night so for me, thats pretty darn cold even for the dogs/cats/chickens and my battery.

Re: the little battery that could not

Reply #9 –
Quote from: softtouch
As a battery discharges the electrodes become coated with lead sulfate and the sulfuric acid in the electrolyte changes to water.
Charging reverses the process and regenerates the sulfuric acid.




 :brick:
Of course, what was i thinking.  I feel like a bone head now for even asking.  I hate it when i forget to remember the things i learned and forgot a long time ago.

ill check to see if i qualify for "senior moments" and get back to you.


leaving the key in the "on" position is what happened so the bat being dead was not any surprise to me.  The points sucked it down.  the bat is awake now but the ign switch is pretty toast.  Its original and made in the 50's so i guess a new one is in order.