# Ice in the Battery **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [February 2, 2009, 2:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-in-the-battery/25897 "2009-02-02T02:50:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sydney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Sydney](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Sydney)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 2:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-in-the-battery/25897/1 "2009-02-02T02:50:10Z")
I have a car wintering in an extra garage when I thought I would check the battery. Upon opening up the cell covers, there was ice in 3-4 of the chambers. I charged it up, and the ice disappeared. Was that ice in a discharged battery a bad thing, or doesn’t it really matter? ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 2:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-in-the-battery/25897/2 "2009-02-02T02:54:26Z")
The ice may well have damaged the plates in those cells. However, if the ice had only formed on the surface, it should be okay. A load test is in order. BTW, NEVER try to charge a frozen battery! It can explode. You were lucky this time. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-in-the-battery/25897/3 "2009-02-02T02:55:47Z")
You got ice because it was a near-dead battery. The ice might have done some damage by expanding inside the plates. You’ll see when you try to use it in the spring. ---
**Author:** ![Sydney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Sydney](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Sydney)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 3:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-in-the-battery/25897/4 "2009-02-02T03:00:05Z")
The slushy looking ice appeared to be just on the top. Is that right, even with any ice the battery might explode when charging it? ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-in-the-battery/25897/5 "2009-02-02T03:06:07Z")
No, it probably won’t explode under those conditions. But the electrolyte may be shot out if the rate of charge is high enough. And since it wasn’t solid ice, the battery will probably be okay. ---
**Author:** ![Sydney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Sydney](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Sydney)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-in-the-battery/25897/6 "2009-02-02T03:08:38Z")
Thanks for the good info. I guess I’ll keep a closer eye on all of the batteries I’m not using in the winter. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 3:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-in-the-battery/25897/7 "2009-02-02T03:17:09Z")
If it happens again, take the battery out, warm it up before charging. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 4:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-in-the-battery/25897/8 "2009-02-02T04:52:09Z")
I hope the battery is not touching the bare floor. A battery on the ground is a battery in use and will discharge. If you go near one on a concrete floor, wear eye protection. The battery will be unpredictable (you don’t know if it will explode, it usually doesn’t, but you don’t want to be standing over it if it does). I’m not brave any more. Sorry, the battery is probably still in the car. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 11:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-in-the-battery/25897/9 "2009-02-02T11:17:42Z")
The old battery on the floor problem disappeared years ago with the advent of different materials. Of course the new materials does not proven potential temperature problems when the floor is colder than the air. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 11:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-in-the-battery/25897/10 "2009-02-02T11:20:06Z")
``` Frankly I suspect you are due for a new battery. Have it checked at your local part's store. It usually is free to get tested and they are usually good honest test. How old is this battery? Discharging a battery is hard on it and it sounds like between being stored discharged and likely old age, it is not very good anyway. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 12:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-in-the-battery/25897/11 "2009-02-02T12:07:39Z")
Ice in a battery = A dead battery that will never hold a charge. The battery requires replacement. Tester