Outside winter storage, Cover, No Cover?

[sprintertrueno86]

I just parked mine outside uncovered during the winter when I lived in MA. Usually took it out for a spin once a week when the roads were clear of snow and salt.

[RichardsFRS]

If I had to store outside, Id go nothing less than a bubble. I don't know how much they are but they work

[Chad86]

Sadly I may have to store my vehicle outdoors for approximately 6 months. I do have paint protection film on the entire car, so I'm not sure if a cover is necessary. How much affect will storing a car outside have on the overall degradation and wear due to moisture and cold? It's not like we don't park our cars outside!

[mdm]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

If removing never store a battery on a concrete floor or the ground as this will destroy it.

Why is that? What process would destroy the battery when stored this way?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by mdm

Why is that? What process would destroy the battery when stored this way?

I have no idea but I have ruined a couple over the years by doing so. Perfectly good when I put them there and never take a charge again when I tried to use them. I am told it is a myth but will not do it again based upon my experiences. Now, it could just be a strong coincidence that I had them fail but I am not willing to experiment to find out.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by mdm

Why is that? What process would destroy the battery when stored this way?

The inter-web tells me:

"The short answer is that letting modern batteries sit on concrete does not harm or discharge them in any way.

However, this legend is historically based in fact. The first lead-acid batteries consisted of glass cells that were enclosed in tar-lined wooden boxes. A damp concrete floor could cause the wood to swell, breaking the glass inside."

However, Bubba tells me that the electrons are always looking for "ground" to jump into ....so, a concrete floor is really close to the ground, so, the electrons have a short easy path to ground.

(keep in mind that Bubby only went to school through the 3rd grade .... )



humfrz

[mdm]

Ok... I once stored a car battery on the floor (but not damp and not directly on concrete, PVC or linoleum or smth like that on concrete) for 5 months while the car was just sitting outside.


The battery was in perfect condition aftewards. Actually in a better condition than the car, which was broken into but not stolen because.. well, the battery wasn't there. So I only had to replace the locks AFAIR.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by mdm

Ok... I once stored a car battery on the floor (but not damp and not directly on concrete, PVC or linoleum or smth like that on concrete) for 5 months while the car was just sitting outside.


The battery was in perfect condition aftewards. Actually in a better condition than the car, which was broken into but not stolen because.. well, the battery wasn't there. So I only had to replace the locks AFAIR.

Ya, I always put my boat battery on a piece of plywood and have never had an issue. Like I said it could just have been coincidence I had two go bad sitting on concrete. Both were there for a year (different years) while I was deployed so who knows what else could have been going on. Just don't want to spend $80 to confirm that it indeed not an issue when a simple piece of plywood gives me peace of mind.

[W129]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Ya, I always put my boat battery on a piece of plywood and have never had an issue. Like I said it could just have been coincidence I had two go bad sitting on concrete. Both were there for a year (different years) while I was deployed so who knows what else could have been going on. Just don't want to spend $80 to confirm that it indeed not an issue when a simple piece of plywood gives me peace of mind.

The reason batteries die in storage is due to the self discharge rate, lead acid batteries, whether it's a sealed type or not, have one of the highest self discharge rates of any battery type.

This is based on 30 years in the electric forklift service industry. Where improperly maintained batteries are responsible for a large percentage of electrical issues.

If you store a battery in a non-climate controlled area, there is the risk of the battery becoming completely discharged and freezing, putting it on plywood would help to insulate it from the colder concrete and prevent freezing, but will not change the self discharge rate.

IMHO the best way to store a battery is in the vehicle with either a battery tender, or charged monthly. You avoid the issues inherent in modern ECU's when the "keep alive" memory is erased due to low voltage.

Modern ECU's can take weeks to relearn certain parameters, such as long term fuel trims. Some won't even start if the memory is erased unless you follow a specific procedure.

Why you may ask? when the memory is erased, the ECU has no way to know the last known crank position, some ECU's can self learn the crank position once you start cranking,others do not.