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Warming your battery up

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
61,537
303
North Carolina
How many here turn their headlights on for about 10seconds in these frigid temps to “warm the battery up” some? When I was a kid and first started driving my neighbor was a truck mechanic and told me to turn the headlights on for 10-15 seconds so the battery has a lighter initial load vs cracking a cold motor right off the bat. It seems to work, or I could just be imagining it lol.

I only do it when it hits the teens and the engine does seem to turn over a little faster.
 
Not the first time I've seen this advice. It seems contrary to what one would normally do but makes sense. I always forget to do so.
 
Never heard of that one before despite spending 10 years in automotive. We sold lots of engine block heaters, trickle chargers, and diesel anti-gel during cold temps.
 
It has to do with electron speed, and the conductivity of the battery cable material -

If v t h {\displaystyle v_{th}} v_{{th}} is defined as the most probable speed, then

v t h = 2 k B T m {\displaystyle v_{th}={\sqrt {\frac {2k_{B}T}{m}}}} v_{{th}}={\sqrt {{\frac {2k_{B}T}{m}}}}.

If v t h {\displaystyle v_{th}} v_{{th}} is defined as the root mean square of the total velocity (in three dimensions), then

v t h = 3 k B T m {\displaystyle v_{th}={\sqrt {\frac {3k_{B}T}{m}}}} v_{{th}}={\sqrt {{\frac {3k_{B}T}{m}}}}.

If v t h {\displaystyle v_{th}} v_{{th}} is defined as the mean of the magnitude of the velocity of the atoms or molecules, then

v t h = 8 k B T m π {\displaystyle v_{th}={\sqrt {\frac {8k_{B}T}{m\pi }}}} v_{{th}}={\sqrt {{\frac {8k_{B}T}{m\pi }}}}.
 
It has to do with electron speed, and the conductivity of the battery cable material -

If v t h {\displaystyle v_{th}} v_{{th}} is defined as the most probable speed, then

v t h = 2 k B T m {\displaystyle v_{th}={\sqrt {\frac {2k_{B}T}{m}}}} v_{{th}}={\sqrt {{\frac {2k_{B}T}{m}}}}.

If v t h {\displaystyle v_{th}} v_{{th}} is defined as the root mean square of the total velocity (in three dimensions), then

v t h = 3 k B T m {\displaystyle v_{th}={\sqrt {\frac {3k_{B}T}{m}}}} v_{{th}}={\sqrt {{\frac {3k_{B}T}{m}}}}.

If v t h {\displaystyle v_{th}} v_{{th}} is defined as the mean of the magnitude of the velocity of the atoms or molecules, then

v t h = 8 k B T m π {\displaystyle v_{th}={\sqrt {\frac {8k_{B}T}{m\pi }}}} v_{{th}}={\sqrt {{\frac {8k_{B}T}{m\pi }}}}.

I see a lot of FRAC'ing and SQUIRT in there. I don't want to know what that formula is REALLY for lmao.