<VV> early battery Failures

[Tony Underwood]

At 03:56 hours 01/11/2005 -0500, UltraMonzaWest@aol.com wrote:
>tonyu@roava.net writes:
>
>> 
>> What IS it with type 53 batteries these days?  We won a 53 battery at a
>> Vair show a few years back, nice and new, worked well ... for a year anna
>> half then went sour and actually froze and split the case during one really
>> cold night while sitting in the battery box of the ragtop (which now has
>> the battery stolen out of the Yugo).   
>> 
>> The  battery wasn't yet 2 years old (since winning it) and it *froze* and
>> cracked.   Go figger...  
>> 
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>
>Tony!  I'm surprised you don't know why battery's freeze..when others don't!
>
>Specific gravity...STATE OF CHARGE   


It *Was* charged.   It was in my ragtop.   


>A charged battery will not freeze! [ YES..leave them in - 50  deg.  for long 
>enough and the charge dissipates]

It didn't get THAT cold...  this is Virginia, after all.    

>The ONLY  reason a battery fails due to construction / quality  is if a Cell 
>SHORTS....which is cheap construction  or  OFF ROAD  abuse!! ggg

Either that or the electrolyte was flaky, mostly water and the Vair
engine's being easy to crank was hiding the fact that the battery was below
par.    I admittedly did not check the HG, no need to do so since the
battery was practically "new".   Then came the stretch of 10-20 degree
weather and the battery froze.   

That suggests flaky electrolyte.   


>I seldom have a battery that doesn't last 5-7 years [in vehicles that I keep 
>that long...]

Likewise... the 51s currently in use have years on them and they're hanging
in there.    


>BUT....I regularly CHARGE them.....1 amp trickle charge for a week or so
at a 
>time...

This stuff simply gets driven...   


>Batteries will CRANK  an engine when having only 20%  CHARGE......or even 
>with just a "Surface charge" [  jump start,  or  quick charge =1 hr. or so]

Yep.    


>The plates sulfate quickly when living with only 30-50% charge.....then the 
>battery goes away!

Still, even a sulfated battery won't freeze.     


This one simply had sorry electrolyte, all I can think of.    


tony..