Every winter I take the battery out of my plane, thinking it will freeze & burst. It's a closed cell, Odyssey PC680, in an unheated hangar. We get down to single digits, but mostly teens overnight. Problem is, when I want to go fly it takes me a lot more time to get ready putting the battery back in, and then taking it out again after flying.

Is this necessary? Has anyone ever had a battery freeze or burst in the winter?

Thanks! ASW.

Hi ASW,

I run a PC680 in the cub, and recently switched the Cessna over. The paperwork is handy, and according to that paperwork the pc680's glass mat technology keeps it freeze proof down to -40° C

It suggests removing the negative terminal to prevent any applied loads (trickle loss) but I suspect you've had the cub long enough to know if you have any such problems.

While not often in freezing temps, my cubs Oddessy has been going strong for 10 years or better, and has had a couple very extended (as in over a year) inactive periods...

I believe SB (over at the other site) keeps an Oddessy in his Cub and Cessna, and am sure he does nothing exotic with their storage...

Take care, Rob

I don't know anything about Odessey. However, with a lead-acid battery it's all about maintaining it in a charged state. Fully charged batteries don't freeze; discharged batteries will freeze and crack. My Gil is frequently subjected to -40 without problems. As said above, disconnecting the negative terminal is your easiest insurance.

Keep your battery warm. If you're in a hangar put a blanket over the cowl and a 150w light down by the cowl flaps. Also use a battery minder. If it's really cold where you're at use 2 lights.

[quote="ASW"]Every winter I take the battery out of my plane, thinking it will freeze & burst. It's a closed cell, Odyssey PC680, in an unheated hangar. We get down to single digits, but mostly teens overnight. Problem is, when I want to go fly it takes me a lot more time to get ready putting the battery back in, and then taking it out again after flying.

Is this necessary? Has anyone ever had a battery freeze or burst in the winter?


Not hardly there Mil spec batteries . I run SBS-J16 (aircraft version of pc680) year around --- no maintenance required summer or dark of winter. Mine has been mounted to the firewall for 11 years. Just check cables and security at annual . Odyssey (Hawker Energy- EnySystem ) are good to many degrees below zero.

I've lived in the Alaska winter environment for almost 40 years and have run auto, ATV, snowmachine, and airplane batteries year-round with rarely a problem of free-up even when temperatures get down to -50F. I also run a solar system for my house and use a lead acid battery storage system throughout the winter with no freeze-up problems.

As mentioned earlier, the key is to go into the wintertime with fully charged batteries. On rare occasions I have had batteries freeze and crack, but that has been a result of my failure to properly maintain the batteries prior to heavy freeze.

Two weeks ago the temperature out here in the Wrangell mountains got down to -47F and all of my outdoor batteries are just fine.

Given your thermal regime, you should have no problem with your batteries so long as the battery can maintain a charge under normal circumstances. If the battery can't, it is probably time to replace the battery anyway.

Nizina

Given your thermal regime, you should have no problem with your batteries so long as the battery can maintain a charge under normal circumstances. If the battery can't, it is probably time to replace the battery anyway.

Yep, that's all there is to it. Keep the batteries charged (i.e high specific gravity -> close to 1.28) and freezing point is mighty low. Another reason the Battery Tender is such a good idea...

Battery Tender is such a good idea...

If you have a recombinant gas or Absorbed Gas Mat (AGM) battery such as the Concorde RG series it is important to keep it trickle charged over the winter. That is in addition to the freezing issue. Unlike flooded lead plate batteries the AGM's don't seem to fully recover from total discharge.

TD

Unlike flooded lead plate batteries the AGM's don't seem to fully recover from total discharge.

I didn't know that. I just converted to a Concorde RG (first one). I fly pretty regularly so have not been leaving the trickle charger on- here's hoping I don't forget the master switch one day...

The Odyssey batteries are about as close to zero maintenance as you can get. 182 STOL pretty much said it.

I've used those batteries with no attention at all, cold (as in not in a heated engine compartment) out in the cold (as in well below -40 at times, and never had a problem with them. They are said by the manufacturer to hold their CHARGE for up to twenty four months without service, and still retain 70 % of their original charge. I've never tested them THAT much, but.....

Great little batteries, and anyone who isn't using one should really consider it. They are about 8 to 10 pounds lighter than a conventional wet cell battery to boot.

MTV