When cold is... COLD

[BigBrother-84]

Since now 20 days, weather is unusually VERY cold here.  Day 0°F, night -20°F (often -31°F).  Here's a picture of the interior 2 1/2" wood thick frosted doors, between "temperate" stable and "cold" barn sections.  And one of the cats conviced that it is not worth looking for mice out of the iced pet flap door.
Although BigBrother is a tough guy and was already equipped with a block heater, he had its battery hard frozen (just one year old).
So, in a snow strom, I went buy a new one.
Plus a maintenance charger.
Plus a battery heater.
Hey.  Comme on Cold Winter.  We're ready now.

[Gary Lewis]

Wow!  That's COLD!!!!  

I've never had a frozen battery.  But I guess -31F might do it.  

[salans7]

Wow, that's crazy.

It was 26*F in sunny central Florida this morning. My buddy in southwest Florida couldn't get his 7.3 started quickly the last few mornings because he didn't think it was cold enough to need a block heater. He finally plugged it in last night, and the truck started right up this morning.

[Nothing Special]

That's cold, even by Minnesota standards!  It's 0 here now (8:30 PM), heading for -17 tonight, and a sub-zero high tomorrow (I went for a run today, because it was a relatively balmy 10 above!).  But it'll be in the 20s in a couple of days.

Although that, as well as the Green Bay / San Francisco game on Saturday, remind me that "The Frozen Tundra" of Lambeau Field is actually south of where I live.  And most of Minnesota is north of me!

[mat in tn]

this is exactly why I am not moving back north! i can't stand being frozen out for a week let alone a season. much of my family just deals with it in Maine. and I too have for short visits. it was 60 here today. need I say more?

[Machspeed]

I would want nothing to do with that cold. I'm in Oklahoma and this is as far north as I ever want to live. Frankly, I'll take 100 degree heat any day over 32 degree weather.  

[Rembrant]

mat in tn wrote

this is exactly why I am not moving back north! i can't stand being frozen out for a week let alone a season. much of my family just deals with it in Maine.

I'm east of Maine, more or less. I'm right on the coast, and while we do most definitely get winter, we also get the Gulf Stream way up here. No snow on the ground right now, and it's currently -6C (22F). I hate the winter personally, but lots of my buddies like it (sled heads). I also don't like the heat all that much either...the humidity here is gross in the summer. I'd be pretty happy if it was 75F all year long lol.

[mat in tn]

there aint a whole lot "east of Maine". prince Edward island??

[Rembrant]

mat in tn wrote

there aint a whole lot "east of Maine". prince Edward island??

Nova Scotia. If you go directly east of Portland, or better yet Bar Harbor, you’ll hit us.

[reamer]

I'll be in Bar Harbor this summer!

[mat in tn]

it's about time I go see dad this spring. I will probably wait till mud season is over first.

[Nothing Special]

Yesterday morning when I woke up it was 15 below.  This morning when I woke up it was 30 above.  And no, I didn't go on vacation, that was just the swing in overnight low temp in just one day!

[Lima Delta]

I have two block heaters in my 351w. One is fine if I'm going to leave it plugged in overnight, but two is better if you want to plug it in on "short notice". Still takes about an hour using two heaters to get an easy start at -20C (-5F).
It's rare to have a battery problem on the warm side of -30C (-22F) if the engine's been plugged in long enough so as to avoid a lot of cranking. I've never bothered with a battery blanket.

All bets are off when it gets colder than -35C (-31F). The engine may start after taking precautions, but you have to take it very slow - the tires get hard flat spots where they were sitting, power steering sounds like it may explode, differentials have tar for lubricant, door handles may suddenly break off etc etc

[BigBrother-84]

Lima Delta wrote

... colder than -35C (-31F)... the tires get hard flat spots where they were sitting

Yep.  Here we call it «to ride on square tires».

[Nothing Special]

... and if that pattern kept up it would be 75 tomorrow morning!  Instead they're forecasting -7 F.