As the weather heats up, you need your summer toys and equipment to push through high temperatures without worrying about the reliability of your lead batteries.
Many batteries perform at a wide range of temperatures; when extreme temperatures come into play you need a reliable battery – and to follow proven charging and storage best practices. Here are some battery maintenance tips to keep your batteries performing in extreme temperatures.
Storage and Use
Extreme heat speeds up the chemical reaction inside a battery and causes an increase in the self-discharge and plate corrosion. This leads to sulfation which can cause irreparable damage to the battery.
For each 10°F rise in temperature, the life of a sealed lead acid battery is cut in half. Therefore, if a battery in a stationary position that should last for 4 years at normal temps, would last 2 years if exposed 92°F and even less if exposed to typical desert temps of 106°F.
In some areas, heat is unavoidable. If this is the case, be sure to store batteries in either a climate controlled space, or under the shade of a garage or parking cover. Once a battery is damaged by heat, it cannot be repaired.
Charging
Batteries can operate over a large temperature range, but when it comes to charging, you need to be careful. Charging temperatures are limited and, for best results, most batteries should be charged between 50°F and 86°F.
To avoid the hazards of heat or cold, the best practice is to let your battery come to room temperature before charging. If you’re not sure which battery can withstand the temperatures of your climate, flooded lead acid batteries are one of the most reliable systems and are well suited for hot climates. With proper maintenance, these batteries can last for many years of reliable service.
Good quality lead batteries perform reliably when exposed to extreme environments and have a wide operating temperature, ranging from -40°F to 120°F. Lead batteries are also more forgiving when subjected to temperature extremes.
For extreme temperatures, it may be best to install batteries that are purpose-built for difficult applications. Crown Battery’s Severe Duty Batteries perform where other batteries stop. Crown’s advanced technology has combined the essential characteristics of a high-performance battery – with the endurance features you’ve come to expect from Crown – into one incredibly tough battery that is like no other. In applications where many products fail due to extreme temperatures, maintenance charging or duty cycle – Crown’s Severe Duty Batteries deliver reliability.
