How Do I Deal With My Frozen Car Battery?
Climatic conditions and weather change according to the place and time. During cold climates, we hide from the freezing temperatures. Many of our things are hidden in a warmer region. However, the car that we use is covered by snow.
This vehicle is non-covered, and there is no other option to keep it warmer. Well, after the cold drops out. We will start the car, but it won’t start. Yes, of course, you might interrogate why and how. A simple answer to this question.
It is because of the frozen car battery. When the temperature drops to minus degrees, the cold surroundings deactivate the car battery. Sometimes, the battery gets frozen in warmer temperatures, too.
It happens when your battery is not fully charged up to its maximum. If your battery is not charged to the maximum, the sulphuric acid inside the battery and the distilled water inside the battery will not mix properly.
Thus, this distilled water gets frozen even in warmer temperatures. So, with your frozen car battery, it is not at all possible to start your vehicle. To make your vehicle start, we are going to see how to deal with your frozen car battery.
Steps to Recover Frozen Car Battery
Usually, the batteries are safeguarded from freezing. It happens when the battery gets a full charge. The issue may lead to serious damage to the battery. Finally, you have to replace your car battery.
Never attempt to charge the battery or to jumpstart the battery, or else this will make the battery explode in certain cases. (the frozen battery)
1. Inspect your battery with a keen eye.
Photo Credit: http://ezbatteryreconditioning.com/video/?utm_expid=106169069-68.M0GY6VeqQLa-k6HBSqUevQ.1&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Fezbatteryown%2Fcar-battery-for-sale-cape-town-of.html
- This procedure is to make sure that the battery is not frozen outwardly.
- The case of the battery, when frozen, may lead to some cracks outside. So, have a clear inspection of the case. Suppose the case gets cracked. You must need an immediate replacement or take the battery to the retailer.
- If you find that your battery is not damaged, remove the battery with care. Then, move the batter to a safer and warmer place. While removing it, take the time to remove it, and don’t rush this process or else the battery will spoil.
- After removing it, try to keep it in a warm place. Inside the battery, the electrolyte contains 75% of distilled water and 25% of sulphuric acid. Due to the cold climate, the distilled water inside the battery turns into an ice cube.
- As the distilled water freezes, the distilled water inside the battery will expand. This expansion will push the plates, which lead to a short between the negative and the positive plates in this frozen car battery.
- To get a quick recovery, you can take the battery to a well-experienced mechanic or any other person whom you have been there regularly. Check the battery’s volt using a volt meter. Some experts suggest that checking the battery regularly and refilling the oil won’t lead the car to this condition.
2. Check the battery and its condition
While snooping out the battery problem, check whether the battery cables have corrosion with the other cables, and the corrosion will disconnect the power supply. Thus, you won’t be able to start your car.
Since your car battery can produce more power under warm condition. Cover the battery with a battery foil which will stabilize the battery from cold to normal. Keep your car inside the garage to safeguard the battery.
There’s another way to get rid of the frozen car battery. Plug the battery with the block heater and battery blanket for at least 2 hours. Then your car will obviously start. However, the battery should not have any problem and must be within two years.
Sometimes if you just plug out the battery and place it in the car after two days keeping inside will also give a good result in working.
3. Jump Start the battery
Photo Credit: https://mods-n-hacks.gadgethacks.com/how-to/use-your-dead-car-battery-power-emergency-fans-lighting-and-more-0139442/
If you find that your battery is not working completely, then you can give a jump start try. For this, you need a jumper cable and another car to ignite your car’s battery. Connect the two ends of one side of the jumper cable to your battery and the other end to the working battery in a car.
The positive plates are connected as well as the negative plate. To identify positive plate, the battery has a symbol “+” and the negative with the symbol “-“
Connect them to the working battery which is fixed with a car. Start the car and run it for 2000 rotation per minute. If this doesn’t properly, then double check with the cables which you have connected.
Give another try with the same process. If not, then your battery needs a replacementMany mechanics and battery retailers say that battery is a crazy thing. You can never judge a battery by its performance. Because today it might perform, tomorrow it might fail to perform.
Since the battery is a chemical based substance, you can never judge what reaction it will give.
Thus a very common advice given is to keep the battery warm and maintain a full charge in the battery. General precautions to avoid frozen car battery. Then turn on the headlights, if it works the batter came normal or else it has to be charged.
You can also start the car and hold the key for ten seconds. Then you can give the accelerator. If that doesn’t work try it out for another time and your car will start.
- Usage of thin oil
During the cold season, thick oil won’t flow due to the density in it. If you use thin oil, then the oil can flow easily.
When it comes to battery though we have many trail and error methods, only one option is left. You have to replace the old battery.
With a frozen car battery, we can only try with some arbitrary methods or with some attempts. Prevention is better than cure. So it is advisable that you replace your car battery.
