Frozen flooded batteries

[gardner]

If the battery Specific Gravity got low enough for the batteries to freeze means they have been in a discharged state for a very long time and have sulfated.

This contains two assertions:

(1) batteries could only have frozen if there were left completely discharged for a long time
(2) they would have inevitably have been destroyed prior to freezing through being left discharged and consequent sulphation

While I agree that my batteries were not fully charged, I can show that they had a SOC of at least 40% and possibly 50% based on OCV. The fact that they froze at ~ -27C implies the SOC was somewhere in the 55% to 65% range. They were definitely not discharged completely, much less left that way for an extended period. FLAs can in fact freeze with an acceptable, if non-optimal, SOC and be destroyed by freezing before they are in danger from sulphation.

It would have been better if my batteries were fully charged, of course. But non-ideal circumstances does not imply total neglect or complete design failure. There are interesting things to learn about low temperature performance of FLA batteries that simple assertions of "abuse" doesn't cover.

[Sunking]

I am typing slowly for you to understand.

If your batteries are less than 100%, they are undercharged. FLA Batteries cannot be left under 100% SOC for any period of time for more than a day or two. In cold weather you had better recharge them every day or they can freeze on you. In extreme cold, they should not be used if left in the elements. or else bad things happen to them. If you had keep them charge up, this thread and debate would not have ever occurred. You left them 50% or less in extreme cold and you got exactly what you asked for. Don't blame us or try to divert attention from the fact you abused your batteries and let them freeze.

[gardner]

I am typing slowly for you to understand.

Thanks, you're a sport.

[gardner]

Add one panel wired to a seperate charge controller that is mounted vertally on a south facing wall or on a post mount.

Thanks, Wolf. That will be the plan, I think.

I also have to figure out how to stifle the mouse infestations in my generator. If the spark plug cable hadn't been eaten I might have had a chance to charge things off the generator to avoid this problem in the first place.

[Sunking]

I also have to figure out how to stifle the mouse infestations in my generator.

Plug holes with steel wool.

[gardner]

Plug holes with steel wool.

Oooh! I like that idea -- thanks.

[SunEagle]

Oooh! I like that idea -- thanks.

For some reason steel wool works to stop mice and rats. I did that to my daughters travel trailer and it worked. Trust me those critter will find a hole or make one if they get that hungry.

[gardner]

Temps have been above -10C for a few days and it looks like my batteries have thawed out. It will take some time for the OCV to settle out but at the mo it looks to be ~11.6V @ +2C -- pretty low. It will be 6-8 weeks or more till I can travel to check them out in person.

[Mike90250]

For some reason steel wool works to stop mice and rats. I did that to my daughters travel trailer and it worked. Trust me those critter will find a hole or make one if they get that hungry.

Steel wool will rust through in a couple years, and turn to rust dust. Brass Wool from a boat yard (works like steel wool, but does not leave rusty marks on boats) will last many years. Costs a bit more, and if you have a dry area, maybe steel wool will work fine.
Or even the curly sink scrubber pads would do it too.