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Cold weather Battery and Antifreeze V70-XC70 2002

posted by  gamma on  Mon Dec 22 07:48 CST 2008
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last visit: Wed Nov 6 18:35 CST 2013
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My original battery is getting old. Is it ok to remove it overnight to keep it warm inside a house when i visit VT this winter? Will computers not like it?
Also, is the density gauge I have used in the past for Prestone antifreeze to measure the lowest safe temperature of the coolant in my 240 also useful to measure the Volvo coolant in my V70?
Warm thanks on the winter solstice.








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    Cold weather Battery and Antifreeze V70-XC70 2002

    posted by  KlausC on  Tue Dec 23 11:39 CST 2008
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    last visit: Fri Oct 24 10:15 CST 2014
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    Using your car a few times a week means that the battery will NOT have to be extracted. If you plan to let it sit for a very long time, plug it into a trickle charger.
    Cold doesn't drain the battery as much as age. If the battery is original to the car, Volvo sells a new one for $100 or shop around. Most batteries are made by 2 companies with various lables on them.

    Antifreeze should be flushed once in a while. If you take a volt meter and stick the pos lead into the fluid and the neg to a ground and get a charge, the fluid needs to be replaced. Your fathers tester still works for new cars.

    Make sure that the oil is synthetic and changed at 5K intervals. The higher the numbers, the harder it will be to crank the engine. But, if you are only going to VT for the weekend, don't worry about it. Carry jumper cables in with the spare tire and drink lots of eggnog!

    Klaus
    --
    Volvoless. Sold the R. There is now a void...








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      Cold weather Battery and Antifreeze V70-XC70 2002

      posted by  gamma on  Wed Dec 24 13:46 CST 2008
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      last visit: Wed Nov 6 18:35 CST 2013
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      Thanks, Klaus...your ideas are always informative.
      A "charge" sensed by my voltmeter? Does that mean a voltage difference of a few millivolts will be sensed...or larger? Does that mean the electrical conductivity of the coolant changes with age? It can't be an electrochemical reaction since both my voltmeter probes are made of the same metals?
      As to the battery in VT...in the past i've nursed weak batteries through an extra season/year by squeaking past those few terrible nights of negative Farenheit temperatures by keeping the battery electrolyte warm in my house. Yes, i'm a cheapskate and also old enough to have been using the density system for measuring my coolant (and battery cells) since the 60s. I did some EV research where i was sticking in a specific gravity meter in the cells of 20, 6-volt batteries in a converted Ford Fairmont (that's a total of 120 volts).
      But i respect your advice and shall replace the coolant and get a new battery come spring.
      Thanks again.








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        Cold weather Battery and Antifreeze V70-XC70 2002

        posted by  KlausC on  Wed Dec 24 15:01 CST 2008
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        last visit: Fri Oct 24 10:15 CST 2014
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        Older antifreeze will have greater conductivity and can be measured with a volt meter. At about 1V, the antifreeze is much too old.

        The old farts on the RWD section taught me this. Actually, it was a reminder of what my dad taught me in the 60's.

        Klaus
        --
        Volvoless. Sold the R. There is now a void...








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    Cold weather Battery and Antifreeze - use Battery Tender Plus V70-XC70 2002

    posted by  someone claiming to be V70driver on  Tue Dec 23 07:51 CST 2008 [RELATED]

    Pull the battery out every night. Do you need another pain in the $#@! in your life? I suggest a little battery maintenance device like the Battery Tender Plus. About $50 or so. You need an electric outlet somewhere, however.

    Antifreeze? Just flush and install new Volvo brand antifreeze at 50/50% concentration. Then don't worry about it. The joys of winter....








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    Cold weather Battery and Antifreeze V70-XC70 2002

    posted by  TimeToBakeTheDonuts on  Mon Dec 22 10:01 CST 2008
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    last visit: Thu Aug 29 16:10 CST 2013
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    Hi - I just replace my antifreeze every 3 years. My dad used a density gauge, but he didn't believe in changing antifreeze. Our old Cadiallac needed a new water pump, heater core and radiator shortly after he died. Just my 2 cents.

    I would pull the battery overnight - sounds good to me. I don't know of any problem that will cause. Good luck. My local farmers say Feb and Mar should be warmer than average after a colder Dec and Jan. I hope they are right.

    Don

    ps I have had good luck with a "smart" charger that has multiple cycles. Brought up a weak battery I got in the V70.

    '05 V70 2.5T '98 S70 Turbo








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      Cold weather Battery and Antifreeze V70-XC70 2002

      posted by  LilHelpHere on  Mon Dec 22 13:09 CST 2008
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      last visit: Wed Oct 15 22:09 CST 2014
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      Hi,
      IMHO you shouldn't have to pull the battery, even in VT. If the battery is old, and displaying symptoms, then slap a new Interstate in there, and you won't have to worry about it. It sounds like a pain to pull the battery. Does the '02 have radio codes? If so, you'd have to enter them each time.
      With the coolant, if it's Volvo coolant 50/50, and not super old then no worries there either.
      Have fun
      --
      '97 855na, Mobil 1, K&N, various IPD's and eBay's







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