How long does your battery last if you let the truck sit in the cold?

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Red Merle

Red Merle

Joined
Jul 7, 2016
Threads
47
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3,080
Location
Twin Ports of Superior, WI and Duluth, MN
Hi all, I am kinda new to the 100 series world but I was wondering if anyone has paid attention to how long the truck can sit in cold weather before needing a jump. I have a nice Odyssey AGM battery that is less than a year old and I haven't noticed any issues but I just had the truck sitting for 6 days and when I tried to start it this morning, the battery was too depleted to get it started. I used my 80 to jump it and it fired right up but I was a bit surprised that it was needed. It has been really cold here, like -25F at night but the truck has been sitting in the garage and it's not as bad in there.

I am sure there are things draining the battery in the background but I am not sure what is normal and would like to know before I do anything further.

Thoughts?
 
I installed a NOCO Genius under the hood of my LC (dual battery version) and I don't have any problems with dead batteries anymore. The LC sits for long periods of time, months sometimes.
 
Mike6158 said:
I installed a NOCO Genius under the hood of my LC (dual battery version) and I don't have any problems with dead batteries anymore. The LC sits for long periods of time, months sometimes.
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That's not a bad idea. Do you have any sense for my initial question?
 
I am sure there are things draining the battery in the background but I am not sure what is normal and would like to know before I do anything further.

That's not a bad idea. Do you have any sense for my initial question?
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Yes I do. Things ARE draining your battery and as far as I could find out there's nothing that can be done about it (except leave it on a charger). I lost both batteries during a cold snap a few years ago. I had gotten away with switching the 2nd battery in when I needed to start and the main battery was dead but eventually both batteries refused to take a charge. I got the recommendation to install the NOCO and that worked. I probably haven't put 100 miles on my LC in the last two years because I work out of state frequently. Both batteries had good health when I was last home. The dual battery system has a digital bar graph that tells me charge condition.
 
Mike6158 said:
Yes I do. Things ARE draining your battery and as far as I could find out there's nothing that can be done about it (except leave it on a charger). I lost both batteries during a cold snap a few years ago. I had gotten away with switching the 2nd battery in when I needed to start and the main battery was dead but eventually both batteries refused to take a charge. I got the recommendation to install the NOCO and that worked. I probably haven't put 100 miles on my LC in the last two years because I work out of state frequently. Both batteries had good health when I was last home. The dual battery system has a digital bar graph that tells me charge condition.
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Thanks for the explanation! I think I should get one of those as I sometimes leave the truck for days or more than a week in places that are freezing. I think it would be nice to have that boost system but I worry that it would also get cold and not do the job. Do you leave it in the truck or do you treat it more like a piece of gear that you try to keep warm?
 
It's under the hood just in front of air filter box. I keep the power cable for it coiled up and pass an extension cable in from underneath of the bumper I need to make something to secure it better but it hasn't moved so far. I looked for a photo but I don't have one.
 
The factory alarm system is a drain. The clock is a drain. That's the two I can think of off the top of my head.
 
I had battery problems in the cold as well. Knew my battery was older so I got a new Interstate, thought that would fix my problems. Once again though, in the cold, the new battery would die after only a few days. Now mind you I was also just starting the thing up and driving to get the kids to school and back, so not the best for the battery in general. I took my battery back to Interstate thinking it was a dud, they tested and said it was fine. So that pointed to a parasitic drain somewhere. I wasn’t going to troubleshoot in the cold so I got a Battery Tender, snaked a wire between the headlight and the hood so I could quickly connect/disconnect.

When it was warm last year I troubleshooted for parasitic drain and found that the OBD II fuse was draining the vehicle. I was getting a draw of 110milliamp, where normal is like 20-50milliamp. Never found out what was wrong with the circuit, just pulled the fuse, and when I need to read codes, I put the fuse back in.

This winter, for the past two weeks it hasn’t been warmer than -20 during the day, and the truck is in an unheated garage, and I will leave it for days, when i connect the Battery Tender, it starts charging at 80% already.
 
My magazine won't eject and I am suspecting it of being a parasitic drain. How did you disconnect this? I can't find an easy fuse to pull to do it and not a lot of info here about it.
 
I’m not sure you have a parasitic drain issue..

I would never expect anything I own, to sit in sub zero temps for any length of time, and start at all. And I maintain my junk, for the most part. :)

This is just my opinion, of course, but if you’ve ever worked on a farm, then you know DC systems are just going to be drained out by the cold, even in the southern states where I have lived. In cold climates, the best bet is to have them on automatic charging systems when they have to sit for long periods of time (a few days or more)…. cold vehicles are hard to start, the oil is like grease, and the batteries just seem to get weaker and weaker, the colder it gets.

I’m a firm believer that heat kills batteries just as much as cold does, but keeping one on a smart charger during the winter sure helps.

NOCO also makes a fine bunch of ‘jump starter’ devices, that I’ve had good luck with, when needed. You have to keep them charged up via usb, to be effective.
 
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squidmotion said:
NOCO also makes a fine bunch of ‘jump starter’ devices, that I’ve had good luck with, when needed.
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I've had good luck with one of those, and can't believe I cross-countried deep into solitary spots in national forests without having one on hand. Seems an essential carry now.
 
During the winter if I don’t drive my LC once a week or week and a half max it will need jumped to start. Winter temps here in WV swing from single digits to 60’s sometimes weekly it seems, but the colder weather is definitely harder on the 100.
 
1) For those very few, that haven't read the Owners Manual cover to cover. It states:

"Do not leave headlight switch in auto. When parked more than 1 week."

Doing so leaves the circuit open which draws a small current. Most notable the solar cell, indicating light or dark outside. Additional if light on after engine off. They draw off current until, off. Even a few seconds, pulls off some charge.

2) lead/acid Car batteries (typical or AGM). Sulfate when not keep fully charge. This reduces battery's ability to, fully charge. So if just a weekend worrier, rather than DD. You'll get better battery performance and long battery life. Kept on a tickle charger. Batteries type and OAT, determine how long parked uncharged time frame makes notable difference.

3) Battery post & clamp. Any oxidation between them, results in excessive resistance. Thus resulting in a voltage drop. Both in charge battery receives and down stream. Easy test with multimeter. See if voltage the same down stream of battery, as directly on battery post. Any drop in voltage, connection is inhibited. Which can be from oxidation, chemical or loosen connection

Note: I clean battery with baking soda/water mix. Wire brush, sand paper or green scotch pad. To clean post and clamp, until shinny. Then coat post with White Lithium grease. Annually.

I push clamp down on post. Then, sung down battery clamps, 10mm nut. Just until clamp will not rotate by medium hand force. Overtightening clamp, will damage/stretch clamp.

4) Oversized battery. Some will require a modification to boost charging circuit. Or they'll never be fully charged, and thus sulfate even in a DD. "Search mud, for how to"
 
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