# Winter Battery Maintenance



## Wyo-Backer (Apr 1, 2011)

I have a question regarding storing the batteries over the winter. Living in Wyoming, I learned the hard way last year, that a winter up here can be deadly on a battery. I have 2 deep cycle 12v which I plan to keep on my Battery Tender Plus I just received from Amazon. I plan to store the batteries with battery tender on the bottom shelf of a metal storage cabinet in my garage. Is it ok to store the batteries while on the maintainer in a closed cabinet? Thanks in advance. Jim


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## dirtengineer (Jun 6, 2010)

You will need to have them vented.


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## TeamCyBo (Oct 22, 2011)

Yep, vented is a must.


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## WYOCAMPER (Mar 28, 2007)

Wyo-Backer/Jim,
I hear you about the Wyoming winters. They will kill your battery pretty quick. I have two 12v's and a Battery Tender too. Works great, just but be sure to keep them in a well ventilated area. I keep mine in a workshop in the basement, so it is out of the cold and out of the elements. Good luck and Go Pokes!


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## ORvagabond (Apr 17, 2009)

Another thing to consider is to place them on wood blocks like a 2x4. It worked well for me in Alaska and helped manage the cold seeping up from a floor or metal bottom.


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## hautevue (Mar 8, 2009)

X2 w/ORvagbond. Put the batts up on small blocks (like scrap 2x4s on their sides), or on thick shipping boxes, to get the batts off the metal. That metal conducts heat away so your batts will get nice and cold. They are unhappy being really cold...


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## Wyo-Backer (Apr 1, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the good advice. I thinking, after your comments, I'll make some space on some wooden shelves on the garage wall instead of in the cabinet. Out of the way and kids' reach, and well ventilated. And yes, GO POKES! Big game against the falcons this weekend!


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

Use the blocks to isolate the batteries from anything that conducts heat. A lot of people place batteries on a concrete garage floor and then put the charger or tender on them. The problem is the batteries will be so cold from contact with the concrete that they can't retain enough heat to be able to accept a charge.


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## MT MIke (Aug 13, 2011)

I'm in MT, and I've always just left my batteries on the tongue of the trailer, plugged into shore power. The trickle charge seems to treat them just fine, my last set of batteries lasted 5+ years.

Mike


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## hautevue (Mar 8, 2009)

Regarding leaving the batts on the TT for the winter, I cannot leave my TT at the house --neighborhood rules here in Baltimore city. The storage lot where I rent gravel parking has no shore power. Thus I have to take them home.

But in MT, doesn't it get really cold in January and February? Even though on a trickle charger, I would think that zero Fahrenheit wouldn't be good for the batteries...


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## Jewellfamily (Sep 25, 2010)

Typically cold weather in itself does not seem to kill your batteries if they are charged or have a trickle charge going to them. If you let them discharge and then let the cold get to them though it seems to kill them in short order...


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