Battery Condition

[CobyRupert]

How do you check a sealed top battery with a hydrometer? Load test after a full charge cycle is the only way to verify the condition of a battery.

OP has load tested battery, it was "not bad".

I went through same thing last winter. First a weak start, then needed to be pre-charged to start, sometimes, depending on how long it sat. Load test was ok. Then I'd complicate the analysis by topping off battery acid.
A new battery was the answer.

 

[Chaos USMC]

Just an update. went out this morning to check on the beast. Disconnected the charger and metered the battery and go figure, magnificent charge. Checked condition of frame ground and all was tight and clean, no corrosion, etc. Jumped in, let the glow plugs come up and gave her a crank. No where near her best performance, even struggled slightly.

After all of the great discussions here, I decided I am going for a replacement battery. I think Coby's experience above is a perfect summary of my own experience recently. 34' here today with wind chill, winter is coming and all indications a battery is needed sooner than later.

Will be a few days but I will update this posting once I get the battery and install it.

Thanks again for all of the feedback, appreciate same.

 

[Threepoint]

A new battery is less than $150. How much aggravation will you have in the middle of winter when it fully dies in a snow storm. After 5 years or so your on overtime with battery's

Well, there is that. But then we wouldn't have had all the good discussion in this thread. :laughing:

Nor Dale's great link to battery info.

 

[Industrial Toys]

As soon as you know it's the battery, replace it. Why risk damaging other components like your starter?

I don't know why anyone would suggest getting a bigger, higher capacity battery. If the original worked fine for eight or so years, why spend more on a battery that isn't going to last any longer?

Different for a dump box battery or electric trolling motor where the added capacity might improve run time.

 

[metalbender]

From personal experience. The original battery in my Massey 1742 loses so much capacity in the cold climate we have here, even with the block heater plugged in, it was a no go too many times. Once I installed a battery blanket, starts like summer time. I'm pretty familiar with these issues, being an Inter-provincial journeyman vehicle tech all my life. The OP being in Pennsylvania has probably never experienced the severe cold as is common here. His stock battery has served well, replacement is in order. The manufacturer only installs the minimum required components to do the job in most circumstances. If they could get by with stuffing the Energizer bunny in there, bet your boots that's what you' see.

 

[Industrial Toys]

My Kubota loader is turning slowly these last mornings and My E-Gator is not going as far on a charge. Temperature matters a lot for battery capacity.

 

[Chaos USMC]

Metalbender, where are you getting your battery blankets? Are you using a battery blanket in combination with a block heater?

BTW, I suspect your right IRT to temperatures. We average around 20 at night during the winter months. I suspect you are at least 20' colder, on average.

BTW, Threepoint, I promise I will re-energize (no pun intended) this thread once the new battery is in so that you can get your fix...!

Thanks everyone, great feedback and discussions.

 

[metalbender]

Battery blanket from the local auto store. Might not be popular in warmer climates. Mine is a small one, draws 50 watts, only goes around to three sides. Put some foil insulation to keep the heat in. The blanket stays plugged in to minimize hot cold cycles, block heater is on a wireless remote switch. Takes more than a full day to warm up that lump of lead. A couple of hrs is all that's needed except when it drops to -30. Min of three hrs then.

 

[jaydee325]

Here is a tip on starting batteries (N/A for E-vehicles). Turn on a head light or other load. Give it a 20 or 30 count and start. Of course this only is applicable to good batteries, but putting a battery under load briefly, provides some heat and helps the starting batteries provide the brief, high current starting load necessary. Results may vary, but I've found this helpful especially on smaller starting batteries.

My Kubota loader is turning slowly these last mornings and My E-Gator is not going as far on a charge. Temperature matters a lot for battery capacity.

 

[Chaos USMC]

MetalBender, -30 hey? What are you outside at that point for???

Thanks...

 

[Industrial Toys]

I never thought of that. Sometimes I even turn off the HVAC on my GMC Diesel prior to starting in real cold, just to save juice from the fan running.

 

[metalbender]

When there is a cold snap for a week or two, things still need to be done. I don't run the tractor if not neccessary, just too hard on equipment. But, sometimes the cold comes right on the heels of a blizzard, the half mile drive to the highway needs attention. In those cases I run the tractor for at least a half hr before use. Being retired, the time line to do stuff is flexible.

 

[Imold]

Did warranty on Exide batteries for 13 years where I worked seen and heard it all, some good stuff here. But I am with some here if the battery is 6 years or older might as well replace it and then you don’t need to worry about things going south.

 

[metalbender]

On the point of giving the battery some load before starting. Heard stories from days gone by, that in the 6 volt days, guys would connect cables to the batt and dead short them at the other end for a few seconds, away from the battery of course to minimize battery explosion from the instant gassing. Would surely spark some heat within. Hope some older members here can shed some light on this.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Same guys would light a fire under the oil pan and gear cases.

That would suggest that your second starting attempt should, if you believe that, be stronger than the first, also because the engine has broken free from the cold oil, and I find that not to be the case.

 

[CobyRupert]

I don’t buy that removing energy from a battery with headlights or dead shorts leaves battery in a better condition to provide cranking amps to starter.

 

[metalbender]

There was also a system to give heavy machinery a transfusion of warm coolant from a service vehicle so equipped. Hoses with quick connects circulated from the running truck to the machine to warm things up.

 

[Industrial Toys]

A great system for a dozer sitting all night in fridged temperatures.

Also, once saw in a Cop magazine a pump that would circulate coolant through that Big Block, to heat a car while on stakeout without running the engine all the time.

 

[metalbender]

Yup Coby, seems counter-productive to me too. I heard about it in the late 60's when I was an apprentice. Never had the bxxxs to try it myself.

 

[metalbender]

Being in Canuckland, JC Whitney was a wonder book, much like the Sears catalogue. In it they had listed a propane fired circulating block heater. Always thought that would be the answer for our climate.