Have to move my bota to outside shed instead of garage. Tractor can sit for a month without use. It has always started, but it's been in a heated garage. I live in Virginia so it can get somewhat cold for weeks. should I take the battery out and store in heated garage?
Battery care for tractor stored outside
- Thread starter nhman
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I'm in northern IL and my tractor's been out in a tent since I bought it. Haven't done anything with the battery and I only run mine once or twice a winter. So I'd say you don't need to do anything. If you're not going to run it at all for the winter, probably worth bringing it in just to extend the life a little bit.
SLHawkins
Gold Member
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2007
- Messages
- 343
- Location
- Northern Virginia
- Tractor
- John Deere 5403, International Harvester 584
nhman,
You'll be ok leaving the battery in the tractor. Never had an issue (with a good battery, of course) cranking any of my tractors and other equipment during the Virginia winters. Last winter, I did not have to use ether on any of the farm tractors. But, the Case 450 did need a shot or two. While I was home on R&R, my John Deere fired right up after 6 months of sitting.
Hawk
You'll be ok leaving the battery in the tractor. Never had an issue (with a good battery, of course) cranking any of my tractors and other equipment during the Virginia winters. Last winter, I did not have to use ether on any of the farm tractors. But, the Case 450 did need a shot or two. While I was home on R&R, my John Deere fired right up after 6 months of sitting.
Hawk
rpraymond
Silver Member
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2006
- Messages
- 218
- Location
- Madison Co., central NY
- Tractor
- Kubota L3430HSTC, Kubota B2320 w/FEL, Allis-Chalmers D10
Both of my tractors are in my unheated garage. The B always starts with no problem, and the L has a block heater. It starts effortlessly no matter how cold it gets.
vabiker23518
Gold Member
nham, I'm in central Virginia (Lunenburg Cty) too and its not unusual to get temps in single digits Jan and Feb. I've always taken mine out in December, at end of hunting season, and kept in the cabin until first use in March or so. Guess its overkill based on other posts, but makes me feel better!
Your tractor should be fine, provided the dealer put in sufficient anti-freeze in the radiator solution (easy to check). It's going to take a few more seconds for the glow plugs to heat up, but that's it. The battery when new will be fine for quite awhile, but there ain't no magic about batteries, tractor, boat, auto or otherwise, and with time the ability to maintain a full charge for a month at low ambient temperatures will diminish. My Kubota battery died last year (at 9 years) during the winter, and for the prior few years had benefited from a trickle charger when I wasn't using it every week or 2.
