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What do you do with you tractor batteries for winter?

1

1939farmall

Member
I usually put my tractor batteries on the work bench and charge them a couple of times over winter. This year I had several that I limped alone till they would not hold a charge anymore and replaced them. Im not sure I want to leave new batteries on the bench this winter in an unheated space. I might put them in the basement instead. What do you do with your batteries over winter?
 
Leave it in the tractor and hook it to a battery tender. I have 4 pieces of equipment and three trucks hooked to them 24-7. They start every time I need them no matter the temperature. Some set as long as a month or longer.
 
Leave them in and Rotate battery tenders on everything that sits idle in the winter. I have 4 tenders and at least a dozen batteries on things I don't use in the winter much.
 
I put em in the basement if I have something Im not going to be using . A battery maintainer would be easier
 
line them all up on their space on the workbench, wire them together in parallel, and stick my smart charger on them. When they're done charging, the charger only comes on to top them off. steve
 
I disconnect the ground cable, a good safety practice if the wiring is questionable or in case of rodent chewing, also eliminates parasitic drain.

I have a very low amp solar charger I put in the window and leave connected to the battery. Keeps it charged and ready to go, prevents freezing.
 
I take them out, rotate them around. One on the charger, the rest get swapped around on battery powered fencers when not on the charger. The electric fences are for running cattle out on stock fields. Take battery off charger, swap with a fencer battery. Bring that one back to the charger. Make a complete round every week or two. Nothing goes completely dead. They might if you went long enough. Spring time comes, they go back in the tractors. Fencers are no longer needed.
 
Charge them after the tractors are put away for the year. Then look at em again in the spring.

I have a couple with battery maintainers plugged in, plan is to go more this route. Need to retire shed first for it to be practical.
 
Cheap battery tenders from Harbor Freight, Put one on everything with a battery and leave plugged in all winter. On seldom used tractors, leave them on all of the time.
 
Park it and start next time I need it. With about probably 50 batteries around I don't have enough time to fool around shuffling batteries like that besides some are pretty heavy like those big 8D batteries.
 
I just leave them in the tractors. My tractor batteries usually last ten years. I have one in a Kubota that I bought new in 2012, that needs to be replaced now since the weather has got cold. It wont crank the engine fast enough to start the tractor cold. Just bought two new 6 volt batteries for my Case 930, same reason. Cost $36.00 for the pair of group 2 , 6 volt batteries. The old ones were 11 years old.
 
I have 7 batteries in vehicles / equipment that dont get used in the winter. I charge these on the 1st of every month (that way I dont forget). Right now I move a few maintainer / float chargers around to do this, but Im looking for a few more so I can just leave them plugged in.
 
If you have a small parasitic drain and no electricity in the barn, pull the battery, put it on the bench, charge it...a dead battery freezes and no good.

Leave it, check the charge. Charge is necessary.

This is my most useful
battery tool.

Not just a voltmeter.
cvphoto109189.jpg

Battery conductivity tester.

It has never failed me.
Carry it in the truck.
 
I just leave them in the tractors which are parked in a fully enclosed but unheated Morton shed. The ground (-) on each battery is disconnected. Before starting in cold weather, factory block heaters and transmission heaters are turned on and battery charger is used to make sure battery is fully charged. After engine is warm tractor will start as if it's summer. I should add that I put winter diesel fuel in the tanks as soon as it is available. Here is a picture of the original battery on my Kubota M6800 which lasted 20 years. May, '01 til May '21. I replaced it with a John Deere battery. Top of the line 'StrongBox(tm) Original Equipment'. The John Deere parts manager at the dealership told me that John Deere contracts with Exide for their batteries. It should be noted that they offer 2 grades of batteries. Original Equipment and 'Standard Duty'. I went for the 'Original Equipment' battery. About $200 bucks.



cvphoto109191.jpg


cvphoto109192.jpg
 
(quoted from post at 09:15:54 11/27/21) [b:074771eb33]Just bought two new 6 volt batteries for my Case 930, same reason. Cost $36.00 for the pair of group 2 , 6 volt batteries.[/b:074771eb33]
Click to expand...

Where are you getting them at that price?
 
My practice for long term cold weather starting OVER FIFTY YEARS OF FARM USE AND WHEN A USED TRACTOR DEALER is:

Fully charged BEFORE storage
Top off electrolyte
Clean battery top and terminals
Disconnect a cable
Use a small trickle charger battery maintainer in a safe location

John T
 
I put a solar power battery charger on the 560 Diesel battery . It will start in January if I need it ! Very happy with it for a battery maintenance. Been using it for 20 years .
 

I just park the tractors and walk away from them. Sometimes in the spring I'll put the charger on overnight before starting them the first time--other times not. Doesn't seem to matter that much. Either the battery's good or it's not.
 
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