Quote:
Originally Posted by 4TthAnnyZ
... if the amps provided are enough to keep the cells from freezing. I had a brand new battery freeze and blow out on me last year and I'm not looking to have that happen again as they don't warranty batteries if they freeze unfortunately (not to mention the mess of acid all over the floor in the spring). ...
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As far as freezing goes, it's the concentration of acid that matters (indirectly measured by battery charge; full charge = greatest concentration = lowest freezing point) not the amps that the charger/tender puts out. As long as the tender will keep the battery fully charged (shouldn't be a problem unless your battery is in bad condition), chances of freezing will be minimized. I don't recall what the freezing point of battery electrolyte is but I've seen -30F with no freezing problems (it cranked real slow, but didn't freeze). If you think your storage area will get below that, use a heater.
Edit: looked it up and a fully charged battery (SpG = 1.265) is good down to about -75F. At 75% charge (SpG = 1.22; 12.4V for conventional Pb-acid battery, 12.8 for maint-free), you can get down to -35F before freezing.