Battery blanket to the rescue

[SkyRyder55]

So I have not started my car in about a week. been off work.
The temperature for the last few days has been hovering around -30*C. Yes it is possible. that is before windchill.
Went to go start it today. has not been plugged in. It turned over once and that was it. Went and bought a battery blanket and just plugged it in. not block heater. 3 hours later go to start it and it fires right up. Very impressed this old diesel started in that temp.

 

[yatzee]

wow, haven't seen a battery blanket in years and years. The science does support their usefulness - batteries have progressively less output as they get colder. I can't find a chart - on these interwebs somewhere....

I still think that combined with synthetic oil, a coolant heater is the best way to go, both for engine wear and for human comfort. Shouldn't have to glow it more than once if your glow plugs are in order.

 

[SkyRyder55]

How can you say that science does not support a blanket. The battery is heated. thus restoring it to normal capacity. The package said that at -25C you had 45% of battery capacity available. So heating it back to 100% capacity would make a huge difference in starting ability. I jave a block heater as well but wanted to test the battery blanket.

 

[Steve Addy]

How can you say that science does not support a blanket. The battery is heated. thus restoring it to normal capacity. The package said that at -25C you had 45% of battery capacity available. So heating it back to 100% capacity would make a huge difference in starting ability. I jave a block heater as well but wanted to test the battery blanket.

I think you misread what he wrote.

A cold battery is not your friend. When people can't get their car started and the battery is beginning to wane I always suggest that they get the battery into the house for several hours to help bring it up to temperature. If that can't be done break out a battery blanket or even an old heating pad, anything to help raise the temperature of the battery.

Also, don't continue to crank on a waning cold battery. Give it 10 minutes and then go back, you'll be surprised how much the battery has recovered in that amount of time on its own.

Steve

 

[TDIDaveNH]

The science does support their usefulness

How can you say that science does not support a blanket.

You read the syntax and not so much the words.
I've been leaning towards use of the BB for this winter. I like my block heater, but you see it in the electric bill, besides I have a snow brush to clear the hood with.

 

[SkyRyder55]

Oops my bad
yes I like my blanket

 

[Abacus]

I have the battery blankets and magnetic pan heaters on all our VW's and they worked so well my brother abandoned using the lit charcoal grill (not kidding, see pictures below) and went to them as well. The difference in starting is amazing.

I put them on an outdoor timer set to come on at 3AM so when I leave at 6:30 everything is ready to go. This also minimizes the electric bill. If it's going to be excessively cold then I bypass the timer and go direct.

GM vehicles came with a battery blanket but you can get the same one cheaper from Amazon. I have one from each and they are exactly the same blanket. I get the magnetic heater from Tractor Supply and it's also a Katz.

 

[Steve Addy]

I have the battery blankets and magnetic pan heaters on all our VW's and they worked so well my brother abandoned using the lit charcoal grill (not kidding, see pictures below) and went to them as well. The difference in starting is amazing.

I put them on an outdoor timer set to come on at 3AM so when I leave at 6:30 everything is ready to go. This also minimizes the electric bill. If it's going to be excessively cold then I bypass the timer and go direct.

GM vehicles came with a battery blanket but you can get the same one cheaper from Amazon. I have one from each and they are exactly the same blanket. I get the magnetic heater from Tractor Supply and it's also a Katz.

Hmmm...I can't believe that the flame disk can do that much good that far from the engine, other than perhaps setting it on fire from some bit of oil on the undercarriage? I would also think that outside even the smallest breeze would carry away any heat before it reached the engine.

I've been thinking about what to do about engine heating and I think on the B3 conversion I'm going with the silicone pad heater stuck to the oil pan inside the diaper. I hate to sacrifice the diaper, especially in the winter, and with the thin pad heater I think it'll do fine.

I think the timers are great for getting the heater going when you want, and if the weather is bad you just trip them to the on position for a couple days until it passes.

I will probably still install a frost plug heater but that will be for backup and supplement should the weather be really horrible (like it is right now) or in case the pad heater craps out.

Steve

 

[SkyRyder55]

i could not imagine putting that under my car. space heater maybe. I would love to see what the insurance company would think about that.

 

[993er]

-30*C. Yes it is possible. that is before windchill.

Windchill does not affect engines.

The vast majority of chemical reactions (what a battery is) work better at elevated temperatures.

 

[993er]

wow, haven't seen a battery blanket in years and years.

Canadian Tire carries them in two sizes.

 

[Abacus]

i could not imagine putting that under my car. space heater maybe. I would love to see what the insurance company would think about that.

That assumes there is more than liability on the car. Rest assured, there is not. He said it worked so well at very cold temps he went out and bought a dozen.

It also leaks every fluid it holds but I've been whittling the list down over time. It's a true testament to how much you can abuse a B4 and still have it run well. This is the car on which I watched the whole engine rotate backwards and slam into the firewall due to a broken front mount. He couldn't figure out what the bang was when accelerating from a stop. He uses whatever oil he can find in it, diesel rated or not, and has an OCI of about 20K or whenever he remembers. The car has over 350K and it's still running strong much to my disbelief, but I have a cam to install in it soon since his was worn out.

This was the one that had the loose steering rack, the door handle that fell apart when I removed it, the Campbell's soup can flex pipe, and the rear bumper that fell off. I keep it going when I can but he's busy and doesn't have a lot of time to spare. Still, he may borrow the wife's B4 for awhile so I can knock some stuff off the list. It's still a good car despite being slightly neglected.

 

[Steve Addy]

That assumes there is more than liability on the car. Rest assured, there is not. He said it worked so well at very cold temps he went out and bought a dozen.

It also leaks every fluid it holds but I've been whittling the list down over time. It's a true testament to how much you can abuse a B4 and still have it run well. This is the car on which I watched the whole engine rotate backwards and slam into the firewall due to a broken front mount. He couldn't figure out what the bang was when accelerating from a stop. He uses whatever oil he can find in it, diesel rated or not, and has an OCI of about 20K or whenever he remembers. The car has over 350K and it's still running strong much to my disbelief, but I have a cam to install in it soon since his was worn out.

This was the one that had the loose steering rack, the door handle that fell apart when I removed it, the Campbell's soup can flex pipe, and the rear bumper that fell off. I keep it going when I can but he's busy and doesn't have a lot of time to spare. Still, he may borrow the wife's B4 for awhile so I can knock some stuff off the list. It's still a good car despite being slightly neglected.

Good lord, that is a testament. I especially like the pic of the bumper cover on the ground. The story about the front motor mount is good too though...lol.

Those flame disks might work well, but after a dozen of them at $5 ea that's more than what a good permanent solution costs.

Steve

 

[Abacus]

Very true, which is why he bought a battery blanket and a magnetic pan heater.

Isn't technology great.

It's funny though, because this is the guy who wired his house to a $10 PLC he bought at a yard sale and wrote his own program, so he now logs onto his private website and adjusts the heat and lights before he gets home. The guy is a freaking genius, I kid you not. His garden has 11 remote wireless temp sensors in it that transmit instantaneous readings to the central hub inside his house that plots a graph.

 

[SkyRyder55]

Windchill does not affect engines.

The vast majority of chemical reactions (what a battery is) work better at elevated temperatures.

I'm well aware of that. Thanks

 

[Steve Addy]

Very true, which is why he bought a battery blanket and a magnetic pan heater.

Isn't technology great.

It's funny though, because this is the guy who wired his house to a $10 PLC he bought at a yard sale and wrote his own program, so he now logs onto his private website and adjusts the heat and lights before he gets home. The guy is a freaking genius, I kid you not. His garden has 11 remote wireless temp sensors in it that transmit instantaneous readings to the central hub inside his house that plots a graph.

That is very cool!

Steve

 

[Vince Waldon]

 

[Steve Addy]

That's where we are today, right around zero. Supposed to get to +14F but I doubt it. Tonight will be worse and tomorrow high of -2 forecast.

 

[Vince Waldon]

Cry me a river... we've been -30C (-22F) for a while now.

 

[Col Sanders]

I feel so guilty, the B4 sits in a 72F garage. My big gasser SUV sits in the cold. Wife's SUV is always in the garage no matter temp. It's nice to work on in your shirt sleeves when it's -0 outside !

 

[Col Sanders]

Steve Addy. there is a 97 B4 up in Waterloo, dark blue, been on Craigslist for some time now. I talked to the guy, seems like a good deal for $1900.00. a little over 3K on her.

 

[Steve Addy]

Steve Addy. there is a 97 B4 up in Waterloo, dark blue, been on Craigslist for some time now. I talked to the guy, seems like a good deal for $1900.00. a little over 3K on her.

Hmmm....didn't know that, I assume it's on CL? I will go have a look see at it.

EDIT: not showing up on CL, must already have gotten sold? I think I remember seeing one on there a while back but didn't pursue it because of holiday / sedan / etc.

Steve

 

[nicklockard]

Windchill does not affect engines.

It very much does. Increased wind increases the rate of heat removal (heat tranfer). It may not affect final temperature, but does affect how quickly it is reached. For a running engine, it increases rate of heat rejection as wasted heat.

It also speeds up how fast your engine cools down, thus making it harder to start versus having no wind chilling.

 

[SkyRyder55]

if the engine has not been run in a long period of time and has not stored internal heat, the windchill will not effect the temperature the engine is it. If it is -30, with a windchill of -40, the engine is at -30. windchill will not effect the startability. it will cause the engine to take much longer to heat up though if it is exposed to the wind.

 

[nicklockard]

That is true, SkyRyder. But to say that wind chill does not affect engines categorically is false. That's all I was nitpicking on. I know you and 993 understand it already.

 

[993er]

It very much does.

Not when the car is parked overnight. If it is -30C out no matter what the windchill, that engine is at -30C.

It'll col down a hot engine faster just as an air cooled engine relies on airflow, but who cases if the engine is already running.

And if it cools down back to ambient, then we are back to my first comment above.

 

[nicklockard]

Not when the car is parked overnight. If it is -30C out no matter what the windchill, that engine is at -30C.

It'll col down a hot engine faster just as an air cooled engine relies on airflow, but who cases if the engine is already running.

And if it cools down back to ambient, then we are back to my first comment above.

Fuel economy and engine tuning cares. The categorical statement was false. Are you arguing that, really?

 

[993er]

Fuel economy and engine tuning cares.

But we're not even talking about that.

Read the first post. We're talking about the ability to start from a cold engine that sat for a week. Who cares about windchill in that case. The engine doesn't.

 

[nicklockard]

In some specific context it may not matter. It does matter over lunchtime and during errand running.

But you wrote a false absolute. Go read your quote again.

Not man enough to admit when you're wrong, I see.

 

[993er]

Not man enough to admit when you're wrong, I see.

Buddy, take a hike and some basic schooling.