Frozen battery safety..

[floatingwoody2006]

I just bought a boat rigged with 24v wiring for trolling motor, lights etc..It came with a couple of nice looking deep cycle batteries, but they are condition unknown, and probably frozen solid. I was wondering if i can get them thawed, and recharge them safely without the risk of blowing them up. Nothing on the batteries is cracked, but im sure they are frozen. They dont need to be perfect as i will not troll all day with them, and i know they will never be like new, but if i can revive them, i would rather try this before spending 150 on new deep cycle batts. Any suggestions? Thanks

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Frozen battery safety..

If frozen, chances are the plates have been severely distorted and there is the likelyhood that there are some shorted plates. If you are intent on trying to revive them, do it outside as follows.<br /><br />Let the batteries totally thaw where its warm but not in your house. When thawed, remove the cap from each cell. Caps are located under the label that can be peeled off. Top off cells with distilled water (not tap water). Set the battery outside along with your charger. DO NOT PLUG IN THE CHARGER YET. Connect the charger and a voltmeter to the battery FIRST. Next, connect the charger end of the extension cord to the charger cord. LAST, plug the extension cord into an outlet well away from the battery. The idea of the extension cord is to get YOU, your KIDS, and your PET(s) away from the potential battery explosion. Monitor the voltmeter periodically by disconnecting the extension cord at the outlet. If the battery voltage drops over a short period of time the battery is toast.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Frozen battery safety..

If the batteries actually froze, they were junk before the freezing. A battery with a charge cannot freeze. I have always stored my batteries outside. This year, time got the best of me and they are still in the boat.

 

[floatingwoody2006]

Re: Frozen battery safety..

You guys rock.. Thanks..

 

[NBE]

Re: Frozen battery safety..

The freezing point of 93% sulfuric acid, which is in most lead acid batteries, is around -30 degrees centigrade or roughly -22 degrees fahrenheit (yes, even with the 7% water in the battery too). <br /><br />The acid strength would have to drop to the low 80% range for it to freeze at normal winter temperatures. Any strength below 80% would take way lower temps to freeze than any of the ones listed above in the first paragraph.<br /><br />I don't think that they have frozen on you but if they did, then they were probably pretty much shot already, with no acid, and mostly water in them.

 

[floatingwoody2006]

Re: Frozen battery safety..

My feeling is that that it's not worth the risk i guess..they look older that i thought initially. I just wish i had a way to test the trolling motor before i invest the battery money..I got a pretty nice minnkota with the boat i bought.. has the foot controls. I have a 12 volt jump start unit.. Would that work or hurt anything if i tried powering it up with that?.. Also.. It has a 12v bilge with it. If the troller runs at 24v, how would one operate a 12v device as well?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Frozen battery safety..

Off the starting battery.

 

[floatingwoody2006]

Re: Frozen battery safety..

This motor doesn't have an electric start.. So no starting battery.. Just the 2 in series for troller and lights..Do i need 3 batteries?

 

[PuddleJumper]

Re: Frozen battery safety..

No, the 12 volt device is simply wired to one battery +and- rather than the + of one and the- of the other

 

[floatingwoody2006]

Re: Frozen battery safety..

Thanks deej.. I assumed that, but being a novice, i don't want to make any battery mistakes. If the batteries are wired together for 24v, 12v can still be seen by hooking up to only + and- of 1 battery. I get it..

 

[heycods]

Re: Frozen battery safety..

I got iced in in ardmore Ok. back in the 60s in a 18 wheeler, man it was cold after 3 days of setting the truck wouldnt even click, we carried the battrys (4 big 6vs) to a service station and warmed them for 5 or 6 hrs and put them on charge, they charged right up, and the truck busted right off.<br />I wouldnt have give a nickles chance for them.

 

[JC1933]

Re: Frozen battery safety..

HI fLOATINGWOODY,<br /><br /> BACK IN 1977 I had a chrysler car,and the battery froze twice,recharged both times at 10 amps.<br /> sold the car in 1987 with the same battery.true but hard to believe. This was a chryco battery<br /><br /> Your batteties could stil be good. Have anice day. ,,Claude,,

 

[byacey]

Re: Frozen battery safety..

Wher I live, frozen batteries are quite common. They discharge, and freeze up. More often than not, if you slowly thaw them out first, and then charge they will be OK. Don't worry about exploding batteries. If the battery is fully discharged the only thing that is going to get warm is your charger when the batteries start to draw current. Usually they don't draw current right away, it takes some time. If the cell has shorted plates, that particular cell just won't take a charge.