Freezing Our Batteries Off

I’m sure most of you have already noticed…but it’s winter! With the colder weather many people have problems with their vehicles. There’s a wide range of vehicular troubles brought about by the cold, however, the most prevalent issue seems to be batteries. Why does the cold make it so difficult for vehicles' batteries to get going in the morning?

How Much Do You Know?

1.     Batteries in general discharge more quickly in cold weather?

a.     True

b.     False

2.     During cold weather electric forklifts can face a possible ____-____% decrease in cycle times.

a.     15-25

b.     25-40

c.     25-50

3.     The electric current that is generated by a car battery is produced by  positive and negative ___________.

a.     Terminals

b.     Neutrons

c.     Peroxisomes

4.     Most forklift batteries are made to withstand temperatures of about _______degrees Fahrenheit

a.     -5

b.     -15

c.     -30

Get This…

So why do car batteries die more often in the winter months? Well the answer is fairly simple, batteries run off of a chemical reaction. This chemical reaction creates electrons, which then creates a current. This current is what gets a battery going. When the weather gets colder this current slows down; if a battery is already in the process of dying this current could slow down so much that the battery stops/dies. Sometimes warming the battery back up can help to get it started again, but typically it’s better to play it safe and invest in a new battery. Besides the cold there are a few other things that can impact the life of your car battery. Constantly having things plugged in to your car, like your phone, can use up a lot of energy, making it harder for your battery to stay charged and recharge. If you want to lengthen the lifespan of your battery unplug your extra devices!  

          Can You Answer This Question???

At 32 degrees Fahrenheit your car loses ______% of its battery strength.

A.    25

B.    35

C.    45

Cold weather can be very hard on industrial batteries. Even when they’re used every day; it can take twice as much current to get an engine started in cold conditions as opposed to more “normal” conditions. It is reported that at 0 degrees Fahrenheit your car battery loses 60% of its strength, and at 32 degrees it loses about 35% (making B your answer). Because of this it’s important to get your batteries tested before the cold weather hits if possible.   

      

Get The Forklift Facts!

There are several different fueling methods for forklifts, and they are all impacted by the cold in different ways.

Electric forklifts can have a 25-50% decrease in their cycle times during cold weather, similar to a car. This is because the electrolytes in the battery thicken, then causing a struggle to complete the chemical reaction needed to power the forklift.

Fuel and diesel forklifts can be harder to start in the winter, so it’s a good idea to make sure the tank is fairly full!

LP forklifts are even impacted by the cold when the engine battery is weakened.

Keep this in mind when purchasing forklifts and preparing for cold winter months!   

…So Call

If you find yourself experiencing any of this issues with your forklift then contact us (513) 842-2012!