Winter battery storage tips?

So I bought a new battery for my '49 Hudson and a few other runners that have 6-volt systems up on the hill. The one I traded in on it I think was good until it sat out on the steps up there all winter (not my battery) and froze up. It gets pretty damned cold up there.

So I brought this one home to a much lower altitude for the winter; no sense letting this one freeze too. But I'm wondering if I should bring it into the basement, leave it in the garage, or if there's anything else I should do while it sits likely until March or April. I seem to remember reading that you don't want to leave one in an unheated garage on a concrete floor, it still gets cold enough here in January and February that it could freeze it up (but it averages a good 10' warmer here than where the car is).

I'm assuming that as long as I'm not charging it or using it, the hydrogen gas issue should be minimal - I wouldn't store it next to the water heater or furnace anyhow - but I thought I'd post and ask about it. I'm sure a bunch of other guys are putting cars away for the winter and will want to take the battery right out unless they plan to start it every so often.

Thanks -

 

The concrete floor just makes them get cold quicker.I put mine on a trickle charger like battery tender.
Of course I'm in Dixie and it isn't as big of an issue here.

 

I lived in upstate NY for a lot of years, and my batt froze solid the first time I went out of town for Xmas for longer than 3 weeks. After that I brought the batteries from both my project car and my daily (if I was leaving town) right inside the house... kept them in the living room with the rest of the car parts

 

You could always store it in the car. When you start the car every morning to go to work, it will usually take a good charge and stay fresh. At least that works for me.

 

charge it up overnite before you store it and dont leave it on concrete or in the snowbank where itll get drawn down. i leave mine out in the cold all winter and never had one freeze.

 

I store my batteries in the garage. My 6 volt is in the car in the garage on a charger. I have a couple of 12 volt batteries on the bench with a battery charger and a trickle charger going.
Every time IM in my garage the battery chargers are going. When I kill the lights there off. I plug them in the same power strip so they all get charged. I alternate the trickle charger to the battery thats been on the charger and so on. I have about three or four batteries every winter I keep charged.

 

I bring mine into my basement workshop, keep it on the lower shelf of my workbench (not on the concrete floor) and put a trickle charge on it once a month. I think I bought this one 5 years ago and it's still going strong.

 

some one told me leaving a batt on a concrete floor acts to ground it and discharges the juice out of it stick on a rubber mat or a couple pieces of wood.

 

I place my battery on a wood platform, most batteries discharge because of the stuff ( debris)thats on top, by that I mean the dirt etc allows a path from neg to pos. you must keep the top clean and it will stay charged, indoors that is.. In early Mar I put it on a trickle charge for a day or two

 

Mine stays in the garage on the bottom shelf of the work bench. Garage nevers gets much below freezing. If it did I would put it in the basement. Clean it off do the baking soda thing and rinse it off. Then just put the charger on it coupel days prior to use. I think the tenders are a good idea and you can hook up two or three bats to one but do they do one for 6V? Battery in the Lawn Tractor stay in the shed at whetever temp it is out side, never caused a problem with freezing up.

If your garage gets cold, put the battery in a box and put a 40 watt clampon light bulb in the box, cover it and leave the light on. it will say above freezing no matter how cold it gets in your garage. Also for those of us in cold climes with cars parked out side, a trouble light with a 75/100 watt bulb placed near the battery withthe hood closed will make the battery think it in Miami beach on those sub freezing AMs.

 

I bring my batteries inside and put them in my basement. I think the battery getting drained by sitting on concrete is an old wives tale. That said, I still put mine in either a plastic battery box, or on a peice of wood only because I don't want any potential leaks (large or small) to corrode my concrete basement floor.

 

This is probably a dumb question but here goes. Would this hold true for optima batteries. They are dry cell so freezing shouldn't be a problem right? I just bought a brand new red top last week ans don't plan on using it till spring, should I keep it on a trickle or would it be ok to leave it on a shelf in my basement for the winter? Thanks

 

The "old wives tale" WAS partly true; back when battery cases were composed of a different material than they are now days.

VERY old batteries used a rubber composition in the cases, that would slowly drain the charge off if left in contact with a moist surface.
(usually a concrete floor)

The discharging wasn't caused so much by, "sitting on a concrete floor"; but discharging between cells when NOT charged occasionally.
(the moisture in the concrete just speeded up the process)

 

Optima batteries are the best thing since "sliced bread!"

TOTALLY sealed, works in any position and will hold a charge for ever.

Put a trickle charger on it, and charge it until you get a voltage reading of around 14 volts; then put it on the shelf, and forget about it until you need it.