Car battery shelf life

Soldato
Joined
9 Dec 2009
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5,163
Location
Bristol
My car is 10 years old and I think the battery is too. She started struggling to start in the cold last winter but 24 hrs on trickle charge sorted it and she's been fine since. I'm going to buy a replacement but due to wfh and us having another car which is used daily I'm loathe to fit it straight away.

The plan is to buy the replacement and keep it in the garage on a shelf and when she starts struggling in the cold I'll swap over then, but if she starts fine over the winter I'll keep the new battery in storage until needed. My thinking is I'd rather store is in a warm (well warmer) garage than on a car that is barely being given a run once per week.

Will a new battery keep for a year or so with no ill effects?
 
Man of Honour
Joined
13 Oct 2006
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90,824
Shouldn't be a problem but I would charge it every ~4 months (preferably with good ventilation though that is less essential on modern car batteries) to maintain condition if you can.
 
Soldato
Joined
5 Mar 2010
Posts
12,306
How long do you intend to keep the car for?

Considering a battery can easily last 5 years, and are for the most part sub £100, i'm not sure i'd bother with the faff, and just get it swapped over in prep for winter/colder months.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
13 Oct 2006
Posts
90,824
Yeah - I don't really see much advantage to not just changing it out - 10 year old car battery that has shown signs of failing could go any time - likely when you need the car the most :s
 
Soldato
OP
Joined
9 Dec 2009
Posts
5,163
Location
Bristol
Best time to buy a new car battery is a month of so after the first decent frost
best chance that its new stock and hasn't sat on the shelf for a year since the first heavy frosts of the prior year
Obviously more popular models and larger chains should get through and hence rotate stock faster on average

Good shout I'll do this, also cheers @Rroff if I end up keeping it in storage past winter I'll give it a top up charge.
 
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