At the end of a long harvest season, your equipment — and batteries — have been put to the test. Now that winter is on its way, it pays to properly store your batteries so you can avoid potential failures and start the planting season at peak efficiency come spring.
The problems of improper battery storage
It can be hard to get everything on your pre-winter checklist out of the way. Higher-order concerns take center stage, and battery maintenance often falls by the wayside. Unfortunately, leaving batteries unattended all winter long can cause a variety of problems that lead to headache-inducing issues during planting season:
- Unmaintained batteries will break down from a long season of work: Vibration, temperature and periods of disuse all lead to reduced battery life. Using a genuine OEM power source, such as our MagnaPower™ Premium Heavy-Duty battery; inspecting your battery for signs of damage; and investing in a professional battery charger are all ways to increase battery life and prevent untimely failures.
- Batteries left unattended can freeze and fail: When batteries are left in a discharge state pre-winter, this can lead to a drop in the specific gravity level of the battery acid within. As the gravity level drops closer to the natural level of water, freezing can begin to occur, causing internal damage to battery plates. Left unattended, this can cause reduced performance or total battery failure.
Protecting your batteries with pro maintenance tips
One of the best ways to protect your battery all winter long is to invest in a maintainer. This will help extend battery life considerably and prevent freezing. If you opt to not use a battery maintainer, the next best option is to fully charge your battery before placing it in storage and continue to check it monthly to ensure the charge is kept all winter long.
If your battery becomes discharged after prolonged storage, Schumacher DSR Jump Starters from your local Case IH dealer are a great option to get your equipment started up again. These jump starters boast powerful performance, digital displays and high-output AGM batteries.
The benefits of OEM batteries
Using a standard car battery to power your equipment can lead to productivity issues down the line. That’s because heavy machine vibration can easily crack car battery plates.
Case IH OEM premium power sources, such as the MagnaPower™ Premium Heavy-Duty battery, are designed to hold up through tough conditions so they enter storage in a healthy state. These batteries are tested to ensure vibration resistance and exceed the resistance of a standard aftermarket battery. They are also maintenance-free and offer sealed covers or gasketed screw caps to eliminate electrolyte loss through evaporation.
Find the right battery for your equipment
Looking for more productivity and maintenance tips this winter? Talk with your Case IH dealer about investing in the right batteries and battery maintenance equipment for an efficient planting season next spring.
