Are lights / batteries degraded by cold conditions?

[CanucksTraveller]

I originally used to park my bike in the garden (locked up of course) and used to take the ancillaries (lights, computer etc) off each night to store inside.
Due to concerns on security I've managed to clear a space in my brick outhouse and I now lock the bike away in there. Because of the increased security of the building (it's got pretty much a main door lock on it) I no longer have to take off the ancillary items.

The building is vented and unheated and is probably only a degree or so warmer than the outside air. So are the lights and computer okay out in the cold all the time? I worry a little about whether there are degrading effects on the electrics and batteries in cold, damp air.

I know that I could still take them off, but it's very nice not to have to worry about these little details at the end of a long cold ride. And I do worry about these little details, 'cos I'm just like that.

Any electrical experts in residence?

 

[marinyork]

I used to have severe dimming issues with my uniross batteries in temps below 5°C. They were awful batteries though. Not had the issue since. Temperature does affect voltage output. The effects shouldn't be too severe though.

 

[TheDoctor]

Pretty much any chemical reaction is slowed by low temperatures, but it's not really an issue in the kind of temperatures you get in the UK.
I've certainly never noticed it.

 

[snailracer]

If you’re worried about long term reliability, it’s probably better NOT to take your lights/batteries indoors, as the resulting condensation will tend to corrode them.

 

[avalon]

Here in Australia many people store batteries in the fridge as they believe the extreme heat will shorten their life.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

It's probably the corrosion aspect I'm more concerned with as opposed to actual performance of batteries. There is something about modern lights and computers that just says to me "That electrical stuff, plus moisture, equals bad".

 

[BSRU]

According to the things I read on various battery websites this morning, Li-ion should be fine down to -20 Celsius, unfortunately they cannot be charged in temperatures less than 0 Celsius, big no-no.

Extreme heat is very bad for Li-ion's and storing them in a fridge is a good idea in such situations.

 

[Wobblers]

The short answer is yes, batteries deliver less charge and at a lower voltage in the cold.

The longer answer is it depends on the battery. Nickel metal-hydride batteries dramatically lose capacity below freezing while lithium ion batteries are less affected.

Your lights etc should be protected against water ingress so condensation ought not to be a problem. I've never had a problem with leaving my lights out in my unheated garage. The only caveat is do not attempt to charge any battery in the cold - warm them up first.

 

[HJ]

What McWobble said...

 

[Garz]

I have known it to effect them sometimes but as someone said earlier not often due to the temperatures here rarely drop stupidly low.

 

[Davidc]

The capacity of NiMH batteries goes down at low temperatures. I did have a few issues last winter - funnily enough with the same brand marinyork had problems with. I hope their new Hybrio ones are better.

The data sheet I have on P3 LEDs (the rest are probably similar) has a graph showing reducing light output as the temperature drops, but I doubt we'd notice in the UK as it seems to be below -10C that it really drops off. Electrical heating of the LED would tend to restore output as well.

 

[Arch]

Pretty much any chemical reaction is slowed by low temperatures, but it's not really an issue in the kind of temperatures you get in the UK.
I've certainly never noticed it.

You don't drive a glorifed milkfloat for work.

Our Beryl really struggles at this time of year, creeping back to base with a load at 2mph is quite embarrassing...