Will a cold Richmond winter push my car, truck or SUV battery over the edge?

It's winter, it's nighttime and it's cold out. But, though this
Interstate battery is a few years old, it was recently checked
and it should start this car throughout the coming winter.

An article by Interstate, a manufacturer of one of the best-selling automotive batteries in the country, states that a car, truck or SUV battery loses 33 percent of its power when the temperature outside falls below freezing “and over 50 percent of its power when the temperature falls below zero.” Here in Richmond, IL, the temperature does both on an annual basis.

The temperature doesn’t just fall below freezing and zero once or twice. For the prior, we’re liable to have extended periods where the temperature in Richmond is below freezing. Some years, the temperature falls below zero with significant frequency. For instance, in 1985, a meteorological event known as a Mobile Polar High created a cold-weather condition where records were set for the coldest days.

We don’t have to go back that far for the area’s winter with the most days below zero. That frigid record was set in 2014. That year, we had 23 days where the temperature in the Chicago area dipped below zero. What is in store for us this winter? According to an article in the Farmers’ Almanac, we can expect a “Return of the Ice Cold Winter.” This is not good news for Richmond area batteries or those who depend on them.

An older battery will have significantly less cranking power than the same battery when new. The battery begins losing its cranking power as soon as it is manufactured. The ability of a battery to accept a charge diminishes as the internal resistance in the battery increases. Car, Truck and SUV batteries also suffer from what is called ‘self-discharge.’

According to an article titled “Battery Education,” self-discharge is 10 to 15 percent of a nickel-based battery’s capacity in the first 24 hours after the battery is charged, “followed by 10 to 15 percent every month thereafter.” The amount of self-discharge is less with an li-ion battery but the process still occurs.

What this all means is that the battery in your car, truck or SUV will offer diminishing cranking power over time and there really isn’t too much you can do about it. And this makes the prospect of a cold winter cutting the battery’s cranking power by 33 or 50 percent alarming when you live in Richmond where winters do get cold. If the battery is old and weak already, a cold winter can push it over the edge.

What’s a driver to do when faced with a Richmond winter? The answer is ‘be prepared.’ Preparation means checking the battery to make sure it still has enough cranking power to meet the bitter-cold riggers of a Richmond winter at its worst.

The battery also interacts with the vehicle’s starter and relies on the vehicle’s charging system. If either of these are not up to par they will exacerbate the situation. Once again, preparation means checking the efficiency of these electrical components.

Other factors that can help include making sure the battery connections are solid and clean and that the proper oil is in the engine and has been changed according to the prescribed schedule for the vehicle. It also helps if the car runs well. If a tune up is due, you may not want to wait until after winter to take care of that.