Winter battery care

Lithium batteries handle a Canadian winter fine if you follow a few rules. The big one: don't charge them below freezing.

The rules

1. Charge above 0°C. Most LFP power stations list a charging range of about 0°C to 40 or 45°C. Charging colder can permanently damage the cells. Some newer models have built-in heating; check the manual.
2. Use them above about -10 to -20°C. Most allow discharging in colder temperatures than charging, but capacity drops in the cold.
3. Store at roughly 50 to 80%. For long storage, a partial charge is kinder to the battery than 100% or empty.
4. Top up every three months so it's ready when a storm hits, and set a calendar reminder.
5. Keep it indoors. An unheated garage or shed in January is too cold for charging.

Before a forecast storm

• Charge every power station and battery bank to 100%.
• Charge phones, laptops and flashlights.
• Test anything you plan to run on backup power, especially a furnace inlet, so you aren't learning it in the dark.

Generators in winter

If you also have a generator, use fresh fuel with stabilizer, keep it outdoors and clear of snow, and never move it into a garage or porch for shelter. Carbon monoxide builds up quickly.