The Alberta Motor Association (AMA) is attending to an enormous number of failing starter batteries during the polar vortex. It says many could be been avoided if its customers made a habit of using block heaters to keep their auto engines warm overnight. Plug in your block heater when the temperature falls to -15 C it advises, and keep your starter batteries warm. Yet 70% of Albertans say they don’t follow that advice.
How the Battery Benefits When You Plug in Your Block Heater
A block heater takes power from a standard AC outlet to keep engine oil warm so the motor turns over easier. It also prevents the starter battery from freezing up and suffering irreparable damage,
However, the big debate among Albertans seems to be “when is cold, cold enough?” The AMA sets the bar at -15 C. Yet the motoring club heard another story when it surveyed 2,300 members, and found 70% were going their separate ways. Of these, 29% wait until the mercury falls to -20 C, with a further 11% waiting for -25 C to show. Another 5% wait for -30 C to arrive, while a third of all participants don’t block heat at all.
Plug in Your Block Heater 4 Hours Before Driving at -15 C or Colder
The AMA says some of these folk believe newer vehicles “don’t need the extra help”. On December 26, 2019 it took 2,600 battery-related calls. This is equivalent to the average rate for a normal winter month.
Plug in your block heater, it recommends, to prevent the battery straining unnecessarily. Have it tested regularly if it is older than three years. Be alert for signs of a failing battery.
These signs are engine slow to turn over; headlights dim while idling; and digital systems powering down quickly. Remember, a battery is most likely to fail completely during a freezing winter.
If you are unable to use a block heater for any reason, then use synthetic engine oil in winter instead. This makes the engine easier to turn over, which may keep your aging battery alive a little longer.
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Preview Image: Not a Good Place for a Dead Battery in Alberta
