Protecting L battery during subzero week

[2ndYearOwner]

Hey, I was checking the forecast and we've got a week of subzero temps coming up here, with nighttime lows dipping to 20 below or worse (yes, without windchill). Since I park in the great outdoors, I'm thinking that that weather has got to kill the battery in my L. It's not quite three years old yet, and hasn't given me trouble, but that forecast has me worried. Since I got that car, it's never been that cold for that long. Would it be worth it to pull the battery each night? I don't have a charger, and I park outside without access to electricity, so those block heaters won't work for me. I don't know if this matters in regards to keeping charge, but I drive the car in two fifteen-minute commutes each day (mostly highway). Or should I just let nature take its course and say a prayer for AC Delco each night?

[Tom92SCm]

Or you could take it to your local parts store and have them put a load test on it. A battery in good standing should be able to start a car in those temps.

--Tom

[beensmoked]

Don't forget to buy dry gas! I had my gas lines freeze in Vermont last year. It was -45

[spork]

-10f This morning, 5 year old battery in a 5 year old LS. No problems, though I might be surprised some morning.

The interesting thing is that these are similar temperatures to what the Mars rovers are experiencing. They have nuclear powered heaters to keep them warm though.

[dieseljack]

If your battery is fully charged, as indicated by the green telltale on the top of the Delco, don't worry about it - it won't freeze. A dead or partially charged battery will freeze.

[Razorbak]

Originally Posted by dieseljack

If your battery is fully charged, as indicated by the green telltale on the top of the Delco, don't worry about it - it won't freeze. A dead or partially charged battery will freeze.

FWIW, sometimes the green ball gets stuck at the top, even though the fluid inside the battery has fallen below it's minimum level. It helps if you give the battery a few taps to ensure that the ball is indeed floating on fluid and not simply stuck in position. The best way to check the health of the battery is to check the actual voltage level. It should be around 12.5 volts if the battery is healthy.

[David]

Razorbak,

I thought that the green light only indicates if one cell is good. That's why I never put much trust in them.

However, now it sounds like they do reflect the general condition of the whole battery. Is this correct?

[Garciavision]

If you live in extreme cold then must buy Car Engine heater and put Dry Gas along with keeping tank half full to prevent lines from freezing and condensation formation. I had battery leaking and coroded cables along with flicker of power last year. They gave me 6 yr Delco and replaced cables.