 fartnesscomputersoc dot comPremium
join:2003-03-25
Look Outside | Killed battery I kept my 2012 Subaru Legacy parked in my garage for a week when I didn't use it. I ended up killing the battery. It's been 20 to 30F here. Will the battery freeze? Can I wait a few more days until it warms up to jump it? Too cold outside, I'll drive my other vehicle.
I have a booster pack or whatever it's called. I watched a Youtube video and it said to place the booster pack on the floor and attach to the battery. The cables aren't long enough though, so where should I safely put it? It said don't set it down near the engine but I don't know where else I can set it down.
Do I put the red cable on the + and blue cable on the -, then turn the booster on, then try starting it, then shut the booster off, then take blue cable off, then red? Is that the exact order? |
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 CylonRedPremium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County | "Do I put the red cable on the + and blue cable on the -, then turn the booster on, then try starting it, then shut the booster off, then take blue cable off, then red? Is that the exact order?"
Read the manual...
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Brian
"It drops into your stomach like a Abrams's tank.... driven by Rosanne Barr..." A. Bourdain |
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 cdruGo ColtsPremium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN
kudos:7 | reply to fartness
said by fartness:I kept my 2012 Subaru Legacy parked in my garage for a week when I didn't use it. I ended up killing the battery. It's been 20 to 30F here. Will the battery freeze? Can I wait a few more days until it warms up to jump it? Too cold outside, I'll drive my other vehicle. You can jump it or charge it when it's cold. 20-30 degrees isn't cold enough to freeze the battery.
I would also check to see what all you have plugged in to accessory ports. You should be able to go a week with a almost brand new car in 20-30 without having to charge the battery. My wife's Rendezvous had a similar problem where the battery would run dead after about a week of not driving her vehicle (we usually take my vehicle and carpool to our jobs). Thought it was a weak battery since it's the original from 2005. Battery tested fine though. It ended up being her GPS that was always plugged in but in a storage compartment. Unplugged it and it's been fine ever since.
If you're going to be leaving the vehicle sitting for long(er) periods, you might consider getting quick disconnect posts. This would allow you to easily remove the battery and keep it someplace out of the very cold. Or keep it in the vehicle but preventing any phantom current. Down side is that it may cause convenience issues (radio lock out, lost presets, relearning idles, etc). |
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One week shouldn't be enough to discharge a relatively new battery without extra drain.
One possible solution is to find out why it got discharged and fix it, another one is simply to buy a a float charger ($5.99 at Harbor Freight) and keep it hooked up.
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Wacky Races 2012! |
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fartnesscomputersoc dot comPremium
join:2003-03-25
Look Outside | reply to fartness
I killed it due to electronics that I forgot to turn off. Not the car's fault. Mine.
I watched Youtube videos for 30 minutes on what to do since I can't find the manual. It showed me what I need to do. I hooked it up and it did not work.
First time:
When I switched the jump pack to on, the horn kept beeping (alarm or something), and I tried starting it and it would not start. Just the lights would go on the dash as if I clicked the key twice.
Second time:
Just the lights would go on the dash as if I clicked the key twice. The lights then "clicked" at me as if that is a feature to tell me to stop trying.
What am I likely doing wrong?
I can call a tow truck but my insurance will go up if I do since this would be the 2nd time I've killed the battery. First time, I deemed the jump pack too hard to use and just called. I don't want to keep calling. Geico is funny like that. |
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 Vchat20Landing is the REAL challengePremium
join:2003-09-16
Columbus, OH | reply to fartness
If the horn was going off, likely the alarm is locking out starting of the vehicle. Did it try to crank at all and was just too slow or did it not do anything?
Is it an aftermarket or factory alarm? If aftermarket, what brand? This would help narrow things down. Generally though most would be able to be disarmed with the keyfob. When it does this again, try cycling lock and unlock from the fob.
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I swear, some people should have pace-makers installed to free up the resources. Breathing and heart beat taxes their whole system, all of their brain cells wasted on life support.-two bit brains, and the second bit is wasted on parity! ~head_spaz |
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fartnesscomputersoc dot comPremium
join:2003-03-25
Look Outside | It has no alarm in it. I've set that "horn" off using the valet key in the past. I used the regular keyless entry key. The 2nd time, I did not get a horn going off. Horn turned off when I had control of the actual key, rather than setting the jumper box to on and then trying to start it.
I think it acted like it could start but wasn't even close. Made a noise for 100 ms and then stopped, then the lights happened as I described.
No issues last time I had someone come out and jump it. |
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Vchat20Landing is the REAL challengePremium
join:2003-09-16
Columbus, OH | Even if it doesn't have a full 'alarm', many cars today have an immobilizer/antitheft feature. If the horn kept going off in a regular pattern as you mention, it is likely the antitheft system going off. If this is indeed the case, it would also trigger the immobilizer which would keep the vehicle from starting until it was disarmed.
Does the horn continue while trying to start the car or does it stop at any point? If it continues, try the keyfob cycle I mentioned (and no the physical lock cylinder). If it stops, you may need to let the jump pack sit on it longer before trying. Or worst case, try to get it jumped from an actual vehicle. Jump packs are good in a pinch if maintained. Like any other battery, they are finicky if left to sit idle and not regularly exercised.
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I swear, some people should have pace-makers installed to free up the resources. Breathing and heart beat taxes their whole system, all of their brain cells wasted on life support.-two bit brains, and the second bit is wasted on parity! ~head_spaz |
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If you expect this to be happening frequently, it might make sense to invest in an AAA membership. At the very least they'll tell you no rather then increasing your insurance rates if you call too often. |
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 Doctor OldsI Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
kudos:18 | reply to fartness
said by fartness:I kept my 2012 Subaru Legacy parked in my garage for a week when I didn't use it. I ended up killing the battery. It's been 20 to 30F here. Will the battery freeze? Can I wait a few more days until it warms up to jump it? Too cold outside, I'll drive my other vehicle.
A dead/discharged battery will indeed freeze. Then it will damage the plates even further than the dead/discharged state is already damaging it. Your battery may be kaput.
It is highly recommended that you manually recharge a 12 volt automotive lead acid battery after it drops below 12 volts (instead of forcing the alternator to run full load until it recharges the battery) as a fully charged automotive starting battery has 12.6 Volts for it's minimum state of 100% charged. A lead acid battery at 10 volts may indicate that the battery has a dead or shorted out cell and it can also cause permanent damage to the battery to discharge it that low.
Below 10.5 volts can severely damage a 12 Volt Lead Acid Starting Battery.
Most Modern Electronics (ECM, Fuel Pump, Injectors, Etc) will not run on less than 10.5 to 11 volts.
»www.progressivedyn.com/battery_basics.html
quote:
Discharging a lead acid battery below 10.5 volts will severely damage it!
Do lead acid batteries develop a memory?
Lead acid batteries do not develop any type of memory.
Do I need to completely discharge my lead acid battery before recharging it?
No, in fact you should never discharge your lead acid battery below 80% of its rated capacity. Discharging it below this point or 10.5 volts can damage it.
Can my batteries freeze?
If your battery is partially discharged, the electrolyte in a lead acid battery may freeze. At a 40% state of charge, electrolyte will freeze if the temperature drops to approximately -16 degrees F. When a battery is fully charged the electrolyte will not freeze until the temperature drops to approximately -92 degrees F.
What are the most common mistakes made by owners of lead acid batteries?
• Undercharging - Generally caused by not allowing the charger to restore the battery to full charge after use. Continuously operating a battery in a partial state of charge, or storing the battery in the discharged state results in the formation of lead sulfate (sulfation) on the plates. Sulfation reduces the performance of the battery and may cause premature battery failure.
• Overcharging - Continuous-charging causes accelerated corrosion of the positive plates, excessive water consumption and in some cases, damaging temperatures within the battery. Lead acid batteries should be charged after each discharge of more the 50% of its rated capacity and during or after prolonged storage of 30 days or more.
• Under-watering - In lead acid batteries water is lost during the charging process. If the electrolyte level drops below the tops of the plates, irreparable damage may occur. Check your battery water level frequently.
• Over-watering - Excessive watering of a battery results in additional dilution of the electrolyte, resulting in reduced battery performance. Add water to your battery after it has been fully charged, never when the battery is partially discharged.
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What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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cdruGo ColtsPremium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN
kudos:7 | reply to fartness
What "booster pack" (brand/model) are you using? Some may be able to supply enough current to quickly jump it, but not to really recharge the battery. And once you start recharging the battery, not provide enough current to jump it. |
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lutful... of ideasPremium
join:2005-06-16
Ottawa, ON Reviews:
 ·TekSavvy DSL
| reply to fartness
This happened to me in November. Subaru was left out for a week in the cold ... with the passenger door slightly ajar ... and battery was essentially dead.
But I managed to revive it when it got a bit warmer (0C/32F) by first applying 2A low current charge for 6 hours and then 6A faster charge overnight. Those are the only two current settings in my cheap charger.
*** Do NOT apply high current to discharged/frozen battery. You need to warm it up gently and apply low current for some hours. Then wait a bit and check if the voltage has risen above 12V. *** |
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 SnakeoilIgnore Button. The coward's feature.Premium
join:2000-08-05
Mentor, OH
kudos:1
 ·RoadRunner Cable
 ·magicjack.com
| reply to fartness
quote:
I can call a tow truck but my insurance will go up if I do since this would be the 2nd time I've killed the battery. First time, I deemed the jump pack too hard to use and just called. I don't want to keep calling. Geico is funny like that.
Why would this be reported to the insurance company?
Typical jump start from a tow service is under 100/200 bucks, or so I would think.
That said, can't you ask a relative or neighbor for a jump start?
It shouldn't be that hard to push the vehicle to an area where it's accessible for jump starting.
Though what you could do is remove the battery and have it tested to see if it's good. Or if it was damaged by the cold. Pep Boys, Autozone, or even a local garage should be able to check that for you.
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Is a person a failure for doing nothing? Or is he a failure for trying, and not succeeding at what he is attempting to do? What did you fail at today?. |
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Reviews:
 ·WesTex Connect
| said by Snakeoil:Why would this be reported to the insurance company?
Typical jump start from a tow service is under 100/200 bucks, or so I would think.
That said, can't you ask a relative or neighbor for a jump start?
It shouldn't be that hard to push the vehicle to an area where it's accessible for jump starting.
Though what you could do is remove the battery and have it tested to see if it's good. Or if it was damaged by the cold. Pep Boys, Autozone, or even a local garage should be able to check that for you.
Might as well just go buy a new battery for that price. $99.99 at autozone.
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CompTIA Network+ Certified |
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Doctor OldsI Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
kudos:18 | said by TheTechGuru:Might as well just go buy a new battery for that price. $99.99 at autozone.
Might as well SAVE 20% ON SHIP TO HOME ORDERS of $100 or more. Use Code: AZSAVE20
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What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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Reviews:
·WesTex Connect
| said by Doctor Olds:said by TheTechGuru:Might as well just go buy a new battery for that price. $99.99 at autozone.
Might as well SAVE 20% ON SHIP TO HOME ORDERS of $100 or more. Use Code: AZSAVE20 Batteries aren't available for ship to home.
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CompTIA Network+ Certified |
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Doctor OldsI Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
kudos:18 | said by TheTechGuru:said by Doctor Olds:said by TheTechGuru:Might as well just go buy a new battery for that price. $99.99 at autozone.
Might as well SAVE 20% ON SHIP TO HOME ORDERS of $100 or more. Use Code: AZSAVE20 Batteries aren't available for ship to home. Some batteries are, they just need to be dry charged and shipped with separate electrolyte. Or delivered by a localized truck setup for wet batteries.
Or they can use code P20 for 20% off at Advance Auto Parts and purchase online but select the "pick up in store" option.
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What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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 neonhomerKK4BFNPremium
join:2004-01-27
Edgewater, FL | reply to Doctor Olds
Re: Killed battery said by Doctor Olds  It is highly recommended that you manually recharge a 12 volt automotive lead acid battery after it drops below 12 volts (instead of forcing the alternator to run full load until it recharges the battery) as a fully charged automotive starting battery has 12.6 Volts for it's minimum state of 100% charged. A lead acid battery at 10 volts may indicate that the battery has a dead or shorted out cell and it can also cause permanent damage to the battery to discharge it that low.
[/BQUOTE :It surprises me how many people will let their alternator recharge a dead battery instead of putting it on a charger. A simple 2A/6A charger is $30, compared to $100-200 for a new alternator.. and $100 for a new battery...
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"F is for Fire that burns down the whole town...
U is for Uranium...... Bombs...
N is for NO SURVIVORS!!!!!" Sheldon Plankton
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