IF YOU STORE YOUR OLD CAR FOR THE WINTER, THE BATTERY WILL LAST LONGER AND BE READY FOR QUICK START IN THE SPRING IF YOU REMOVE IT AND STORE IT IN A COOL, DRY PLACE. NEVER ON CEMENT

THE FIRST REQUIREMENT, ACCORDING TO THE BATTERY EXPERTS, IS THAT THE BATTERY BE FULLY CHARGED. IT IS RECOMMENDED USING A SLOW CHARGER, WHICH CHARGES AT A LOW RATE FOR A RELATIVELY LONG PERIOD OF TIME AT A CHARGING RATE OF 4 TO 10 AMPS. FOR EXAMPLE, TWENTY FOUR HOURS MAY BE REQUIRED TO BRING THE BATTERY TO FULL CHARGE, DEPENDING UPON THE STATE OF CHARGE TO BEGIN WITH.

A TRICKLE CHARGER, OFTEN USED BY CAR OWNERS, MAY ENERGIZE A BATTERY SUFFICIENTLY TO MAKE IT FUNCTION, BUT MAY NOT BE ADEQUATE POWER TO BRING THE BATTERY TO A FULL CHARGE. IT IS RECOMMENDED A CONSTANT CURRENT SLOW CHARGER WILL DO THE JOB.

A HYDROMETER MUST BE USED TO TEST FOR A FULL CHARGE. THE ELECTROLYTE ( SULFURIC ACID SOLUTION) IN A FULLY CHARGED BATTERY WILL HAVE A SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF 1.265 AT 80 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. (READINGS AT HIGHER AND LOWER TEMPERATURES MUST BE CORRECTED TO 80 DEGREES). STORED AT ROOM TEMPERATURE (ABOUT 70 DEGREES), A BATTERY WILL LOSE ONE POINT OF SPECIFIC GRAVITY A DAY. AT THAT RATE, IT WILL BE DOWN TO 50 PERCENT CHARGE IN ABOUT 45 DAYS OR 1 1/2 MONTHS.

HOWEVER, A FULLY CHARGED BATTERY CAN BE STORED AT TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING WITHOUT FREEZING THE ELECTROLYTE, AND THE SELF-DISCHARGE RATE WILL BE SO LOW THAT IT WILL NOT REQUIRE RECHARGING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS

THE ELECTROLYTE IN A HALF-CHARGED BATTERY WILL FREEZE AT A TEMPERATURE OF 10 BELOW ZERO, BUT THAT OF A FULLY CHARGED BATTERY CAN WITHSTAND TEMPERATURES AS LOW AS 75 DEGREES BELOW. THE KEY IS TO BE CERTAIN THE BATTERY HAS A FULL CHARGE BEFORE STORING IT, THEN CHECK IT EVERY 30 DAYS AND RESTORE IT TO A FULL CHARGE IF NECESSARY.

A HEATED OR UNHEATED GARAGE IS PREFERABLE TO INSIDE THE HOUSE FOR WINTER STORAGE OF A FULLY CHARGED BATTERY. AS LONG AS THE CHARGED IF MAINTAINED IT WILL NOT FREEZE, AND SELF-DISCHARGE WILL NOT BE A CONCERN UNLESS TEMPERATURES RISE ABOVE 70 DEGREES. HOWEVER, A TEMPERATURE OF 30 TO 40 DEGREES IS CONSIDERED THE IDEAL CONDITION FOR STORAGE. FOR A PARTIALLY-CHARGED BATTERY, TO ONE WHOSE CONDITION IS UNKNOWN, STORAGE ON THE CONCRETE FLOOR OF THE BASEMENT IS SUGGESTED. IT WILL STAY RELATIVELY COOL BUT NOT BE THREATENED BY FREEZING AS IT MIGHT IN AN UNHEATED GARAGE. THE BATTERY MUST BE INSULATED. FROM THE CONCRETE

FLOOR, WITH PLYWOOD IF IT HAS A HARD RUBBER CASE. AS DIRECT CONTACT WITH CONCRETE WILL DRAIN CURRENT FROM HARD RUBBER STYLE BATTERIES. PLASTIC CASE BATTERIES ARE NOT AFFECTED BY DIRECT CONTACT WITH CONCRETE FLOOR.

IF YOU CHOOSE TO LEAVE THE BATTERY IN THE CAR DURING WINTER STORAGE, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT BOTH CABLES BE DISCONNECTED. ALWAYS DISCONNECT-THE GROUND CABLE FIRST TO AVOID ACCIDENTALLY CREATING A SPARK THAT COULD CAUSE AN EXPLOSION WHILE DISCONNECTING THE HOT CABLE. YOU CAN LEAVE THE BATTERY CONNECTED IF YOU PLAN TO START OR DRIVE THE CAR OCCASIONALLY DURING THE OFF-SEASON BUT SHORT START-UPS WILL NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH CHARGING TO MAKE UP FOR THE SELF-DISCHARGE. IT IS RECOMMENDED TO CHARGE THE BATTERY FOR ABOUT 12 HOURS ONCE A MONTH WITH A 4 TO 10 AMP CHARGER.

A QUICK DISCONNECT IS ANOTHER OPTION THAT MAKES A VERY SIMPLE METHOD OF PREPARING FOR STORAGE. SULFATION RUINS BATTERIES BUT FULLY CHARGED BATTERIES DO NOT SULFATED AND GIVE MUCH BETTER SERVICE. THE NEW FLOAT TYPE CHARGERS, OR FLOAT TYPE WITH PULSE ACTION, ARE RECOMMENDED AS THE VERY BEST WAY TO KEEP YOUR ANTIQUE / CLASSIC CAR OR TRUCK BATTERIES FRESH AND STRONG.

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