Freezing lithium battery

[mike killay]

Having just had a battery re balanced, I was advised not to leave the battery in the garage in the cold.
However, e-cars are left out in all weathers, so what is the answer.
Can a lithium battery stand freezing?

 

[sjpt]

As I understand it e-cars have complex heating/cooling systems semi-integrated with the batteries to counter extreme temperature.

I think it isn't too bad to leave a battery in the cold, just don't charge it in the cold. But not sure if even leaving it includes below freezing cold.

 

[D C]

Woosh state that batteries shouldn't be stored indoors which is very sensible for the folk in the south but my outbuildings all get down to below minus 10 each winter so I've no choice but to keep them in my porch. They stay in the shed from around May to around October.

 

[Andy-Mat]

Woosh state that batteries shouldn't be stored indoors which is very sensible for the folk in the south but my outbuildings all get down to below minus 10 each winter so I've no choice but to keep them in my porch. They stay in the shed from around May to around October. View attachment 34431

Why not keep them in the house while you are at home, but under a smoke detector. And on a hard floor on a metal sheet, with a bucket of cold water handy, if you really want to be correct.
In an insulated box while outside.
If I remember correctly, when cold they lose a lot of capacity. I do not remember if cold damages them or not, sorry.
Andy

 

[flecc]

They do lose capacity at low temperatures as Andy says.

I doubt your minus 10 will do any harm since Norway has gone in for lithium battery e-cars in a very big way with 52% of all registrations being e-cars. They are in use there right up to the arctic circle and all their batteries are underslung so exposed to the outside cold. Some do have battery heaters when in use to preserve range, but not all.
.

 

[GLJoe]

Having just had a battery re balanced, I was advised not to leave the battery in the garage in the cold.
However, e-cars are left out in all weathers, so what is the answer.
Can a lithium battery stand freezing?

It can 'stand' being out in sub zero temperatures, but the available power will be reduced when the battery is cold. So you can safely leave it out in the cold (and that should actually extend its life as it degrades slower) but you should bring it indoors to warm up for a few hours before using it.
However with certain (most?) types, what they recommend is to try not to CHARGE them between 0 and 10c , but categorically NOT to attempt charging AT ALL if its below freezing.

I'm told that if you plug an electric car in to charge when the temperature is too low, it will delay the actual charge until the heating elements around the batteries have raised them up to a safe temp.

 

[flecc]

I'm told that if you plug an electric car in to charge when the temperature is too low, it will delay the actual charge until the heating elements around the batteries have raised them up to a safe temp.

Only some. For example, Nissan Leaf e-cars used to have a battery heater, turning on at -16 degrees C and turning off at -10 degrees C.

But the latest model that I own doesn't have it, Nissan finding it unnecessary it seems.

Conversely many e-cars have battery cooling to cope with hot climates. Most use a fan for that, but some including Tesla use liquid cooling, with ribbon tubes running around the tubular 21700 cells in the pack.
.

 

[Wicky]

One answer to keep batteries warm & cosy in freezing conditions is look on online /ebay / amazon for RHU heater units (and lead lined shorts) - good ones produce heat continuously for several decades...

Each Lwrhu capsule produces 1 watt of heat. The LWRHU units are mechanically attached singly and in groups so as to maintain the temperature of critical electonics and batteries.

 

[mike killay]

One answer to keep batteries warm & cosy in freezing conditions is look on online /ebay / amazon for RHU heater units (and lead lined shorts) - good ones produce heat continuously for several decades...

Each Lwrhu capsule produces 1 watt of heat. The LWRHU units are mechanically attached singly and in groups so as to maintain the temperature of critical electonics and batteries.

Can you actually buy them?
They contain plutonium di-oxide.

 

[Wicky]

Ebay seller 'Mayak' from Russia - he'll even mark it as a gift to avoid customs hassle.

 

[Deleted member 25121]

Ebay seller 'Mayak' from Russia - he'll even mark it as a gift to avoid customs hassle.

Mayak lives near Chernobyl but I don't know where he gets his raw material from.

Marking them as a gift makes them perfectly safe to use, what could possibly go wrong?

 

[Nealh]

Chernobyl I've heard of that name somewhere .

 

[Deleted member 25121]

Chernobyl I've heard of that name somewhere .

It rings a bell with me but I can't think why, maybe its their vodka??