Does your battery drain quickly in winter? A cheap way to insulate a battery

A car battery does not hold a charge well when cooled. In cold conditions, chemical reactions slow down in it. Even a new battery at 0 degrees Celsius produces only 85 percent of its normal capacity. The more the battery freezes, the less charge it will release. In addition, if the battery is completely discharged in the cold, the acid from its electrolyte will react with the coating of the grids. As a result, water and lead sulfate are formed. This reduces the density of the electrolyte. If it drops to a level of 1.11, then the battery will freeze inside and its case will swell at minus 7 degrees Celsius. You can minimize the loss of capacity in the cold by insulating the battery.
The battery discharges quickly in winter A cheap way to insulate the battery

Materials:


  • foil backing for laminate
  • scotch.

For insulation, you can use a foil backing under the Teploizol type laminate. This material is also sold as a reflective screen for heating radiators. It is enough to buy the thinnest 2 mm substrate and simply wrap the battery in a couple of layers.

Battery insulation


The backing is unwound on the floor or table. The removed battery is installed on it. It needs to be wrapped in insulation almost like a mailbox or a gift. Since the backing is not as flexible as paper, it needs to be cut at the inner corners. All side bends are cut, except for bottom creases.
The battery discharges quickly in winter A cheap way to insulate the battery

The insulation is applied to the battery, the resulting folds are fixed with pieces of tape. In this case, it needs to be cut at the terminals in order to have access for connecting the wiring.
The battery discharges quickly in winter A cheap way to insulate the battery

The battery is covered with several layers of foil backing, after which it is surrounded by a couple of rolls of tape.
The battery discharges quickly in winter A cheap way to insulate the battery

The battery discharges quickly in winter A cheap way to insulate the battery

Next, the battery is installed in its seat.
The battery discharges quickly in winter A cheap way to insulate the battery

You shouldn’t overdo it with insulation so that the battery can fit in later. Of course, you need to try to reel it in as much as possible. If the fastening design allows for easy modernization, then it is better to add more insulation and then securely tighten the battery in a non-standard way than to wind only 1 layer so that it does not interfere with the installation of the clamp. The positive terminal has a standard rubber insulator, so there can be no short circuit. Also, the reverse side of the insulation has no conductivity.
The battery discharges quickly in winter A cheap way to insulate the battery

In spring, the backing can be carefully removed by cutting the tape. It is rolled up and stored until next winter in the garage. This is a budget-friendly and effective way to prevent constant battery drain in cold weather. Foil backing is cheap, and is also sold in hardware stores, so it is enough to buy 2 m of it.

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Comments (3)
  1. Sergey K
    #1 Sergey K Visitors December 27, 2019 01:17
    5
    What is the meaning of this action? If you don’t take the battery to a warm place overnight after each trip, then no amount of insulation will help...
  2. Denis
    #2 Denis Guests December 27, 2019 05:09
    14
    Another bearish lifehack. The battery will still freeze overnight, and after starting the engine, the foil will keep the cold inside and the battery will always be cold, it will be worse at accepting a charge - as a result, this “insulation” will have the opposite effect
  3. Vlad
    #3 Vlad Guests 27 December 2019 14:39
    7
    Well, if there is a heat source there, then yes, but if you just wind it up, it will become equal to the street temperature overnight