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Fri Dec 16, 2005 12:32 pm

OOps, barely started the Westy this morning...
Why does cold seem to be the thing that finally kills a battery?
:shock:

Charging system is working just fine........

Fri Dec 16, 2005 12:40 pm

Q. What is Cold Cranking Amps (CCA)?
A. The definition of Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) is the amount of power a battery can provide at (0º F). In layman’s terms, Cold Cranking Amps are a measure of how much power a battery can supply to start an engine when it’s really cold (0º F). The CCA rating is particularly important to customers in cold climates, because lower temperatures demand more power to start a car.

I stole this definition off a website.
Cold starting is a bitch.
I got one of these on sale for 24.00, I've been playing with the power supply for camping I thought the jumper part was kind of dumb, but it worked well when I had to give a person a jump, didn't even have to unpack my cables. :wink:
I keep it in the Westy, but haven't had to use the jump start myself.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=91045

Fri Dec 16, 2005 1:03 pm

At 0* F your battery only puts out 1/2 the juice it did at 40*F.

About 200 amps to start a car. When I was a broke college student, I had to bring the battery in at night and put it back in every morning to get it to start.

Fri Dec 16, 2005 3:36 pm

Randy in Maine wrote: When I was a broke college student, I had to bring the battery in at night and put it back in every morning to get it to start.

That must have been a loooooong time ago !! :lol:

Its dropped to -20 degrees this week, I use a magnetic electric oil pan warmer on my rigs that I need to start in the extreme cold, I put one on the Vanagon oil filter , and that baby just fires right up !!!

Tue Dec 20, 2005 12:12 pm

crukab wrote: Randy in Maine wrote: When I was a broke college student, I had to bring the battery in at night and put it back in every morning to get it to start.

That must have been a loooooong time ago !! :lol:

Its dropped to -20 degrees this week, I use a magnetic electric oil pan warmer on my rigs that I need to start in the extreme cold, I put one on the Vanagon oil filter , and that baby just fires right up !!!
I second that... when i was working out of Kansas back in the 80's I used this method to start a lot of vanagons. Now, after being in Texas for several years, I almost forgot how to do it. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Tue Dec 20, 2005 12:24 pm

Here's a must for the Waterboxer owner that has everything, planning a trip to the arctic?
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/gary2a/rack/bbw46/BBW46.htm

Tue Dec 20, 2005 1:36 pm

do a ssearch on "battery blanket" GM has a bunch out now for thier jeeps and Hummer lines that you can get in the $20 range.
the advantage is the GM one you should be able to get local.

team it up with a battery trickle charger/maintainer and your'll not have any more issues.

add a 110vt timed electric interior heater for your own comfort and watch the spouse holler when the bills come.

park it in a garage, temps aren't as low when covered.

dan in cold chilly frigid upstate NY

Tue Dec 20, 2005 4:05 pm

Remember to press the clutch to help ease the starter.Why spin the trans input as well? Then rig a 2nd battery,no more worries.

Wed Dec 21, 2005 12:13 am

Thanks everyone. I went and had the battery tested, it was fine, they even did it twice. We have been moving this last week and have had alot of cardboard boxed in our Westy, and one of the boxes had flipped the little switch on the stove/ reefer unit and the little indicator lights were on.....I turned them off, that might have been it........ #-o

Fri Dec 23, 2005 10:17 am

I've heard about the "cold" thing.....It's 59 degrees outside right now....and drizzling.....brrrrrrr

West Coast !!!!!!!!!

Fri Dec 23, 2005 12:38 pm

freakness wrote: I've heard about the "cold" thing.....It's 59 degrees outside right now....and drizzling.....brrrrrrr

West Coast !!!!!!!!!

lol i was thinking the same thing!!! :lol:

Fri Dec 23, 2005 1:03 pm

that is OK. we may be cold but your governor is still an idiot.

Fri Dec 23, 2005 1:08 pm

Randy in Maine wrote: that is OK. we may be cold but your governor is still an idiot.

yes very true. he's not a governor, hes a governator. ;)

Fri Dec 23, 2005 1:38 pm

Good point.

Not that cold here at the beach today with highs in the 30's. We have all of about 8-10" of snow on the ground and it has been just cold enough to kill off all of the mosquitoes. :P

Fri Dec 23, 2005 4:31 pm

Big B wrote: Thanks everyone. I went and had the battery tested, it was fine, they even did it twice. We have been moving this last week and have had alot of cardboard boxed in our Westy, and one of the boxes had flipped the little switch on the stove/ reefer unit and the little indicator lights were on.....I turned them off, that might have been it........ #-o
I need a "reefer unit" in my car :lol:.

Fri Dec 23, 2005 4:35 pm

Big B wrote: I went and had the battery tested, it was fine, they even did it twice.

i just went thru the same thing..the local idiotzone said it was fine..and ene tho it was reading 13.5 volts, but it still wouldn't crank my westy...so i took it to a battery supplier(friend of mine) and he tested it and said it was no good...but mine has been sittin up since '02

Fri Dec 23, 2005 7:15 pm

I'm thinking of getting one of those self jumper things for my trip north. The last time I was in Beaver Creek, Yukon Territory it was 30 below overnight and the $800 subby wagon wouldn't start. Luckily the mechanic there pulled me into his shop and cranked the heater.

Cold is hell on cars.

I'm kinda getting used to the warm weather they have been haveing here in SLC.

Sun Dec 25, 2005 10:06 pm

oldskewl
It's working fine now, so it was tested correctly.......

Sun Dec 25, 2005 10:50 pm

just for reference..

At 80 degrees, 100% of the battery's power is needed.

Then, at 32 degrees, 155% of that power is needed.

So, at 0 degrees, 210% of the battery's power is needed.

CCA means cold cranking amps - it's the highest current that the battery can produce at 0 degrees Farenheit for 15 seconds without the battery voltage falling below 9.5. As batteries get old they lose electrolyte and can no longer hold a charge, as the lead plates inside deteriorate and fail to have the same output as did when they were new.

seans67 wrote:
Cold is hell on cars.

..and that's just the stress put on something as stupid as a battery.

Mon Dec 26, 2005 1:31 am

thevanillaninja wrote: As batteries get old they lose electrolyte and can no longer hold a charge, as the lead plates inside deteriorate and fail to have the same output as did when they were new.

Yea, getting old ain't for sissys !! :lol:
We had a Heat wave the last 2 days 41 degrees !! Break out the shorts !! :shock: