Battery Removal Advice

[cdnred]

Since I retired I relocated back home to the Southern Great Lakes area, Winter temps here would range about 20-25 F, not all that extreme. I keep everything parked in a double unheated garage. In the past when putting my teardrop (lithium), e-bike (lithium) and riding mower (AGM) up for the winter, I'd remove the batteries and bring them into the house for winter storage. With the climate around home (not that severe) I begin to wonder if that's really necessary any longer. A backyard mechanic down the road from me told me just to leave them hooked up. What are other people's thoughts on the subject..? How are you putting things up for the winter, leaving in place or removing..?

[mary and bob]

Any of my equipment that does not get used in the winter I pull the batteries, put them in my basement, and about once per month put them on a charger for a day. Some people like to use a battery tender but I don't like leaving any type of charger connected all the time, especially if I'm not home.

[Pmullen503]

I wouldn't leave them hooked up.

Lithium (as opposed to lithium-ferro-phosphate) batteries should not be allowed to run down to to zero. Even below 3.0V/cell is damaging. So leaving them hooked up may mean even a small parasitic current can deplete them. It's also better to store them at 50%-75% charge rather than fully charged as well. Li-Fe batteries can tolerate storage at full charge or deep discharge better than Lithium. A fully charged LiFe battery is 3.6V/cell. A fully charged lithium battery is 4.2V/cell. A typical "12V replacement" LiFe battery is 4S (4 cells in series) and 14.4V and a lithium battery is 3S and 12.6V.

As far as temperature is concerned, as long as you aren't using them or charging, they'll be OK. Removal and storage at room temp is best but that isn't always practical or safe.

[cdnred]

That's what I felt was the best method also but wanted to get some reassurance from others..