# Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) for winter **URL:** \ **Category:** SON240sx Automotive\ **Created:** [December 8, 2008, 9:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444 "2008-12-08T09:23:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Martino](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/martino/32/5674_2.png) [@Martino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Martino)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 9:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/1 "2008-12-08T09:23:08Z")
Whats the reccomended CCA for winter? My cars been sitting for 2 days…no start nothing, and I went to go turn it over this morning and it was completely dead. Haven’t had time to charge the battery, as I’m at school. But I curious as my battery might not hold in the winter weather? ---
**Author:** ![87s15lt1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/87s15lt1/32/5706_2.png) [@87s15lt1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/87s15lt1)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 10:02am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/2 "2008-12-08T10:02:10Z")
parasitic draw. left something on? two days…battery should not go dead. CCA on a KA? roughly 550 - 600 is more than enough. just looked it up ranges from 550 - 800 CCA ---
**Author:** ![Martino](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/martino/32/5674_2.png) [@Martino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Martino)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 10:07am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/3 "2008-12-08T10:07:14Z")
I don’t believe I left anything on. I have a Redtop Optima battery…not sure the CCA on it. I don’t think the motor would take any affect into it no? Unless somehow my alternator is draining my battery… ---
**Author:** ![87s15lt1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/87s15lt1/32/5706_2.png) [@87s15lt1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/87s15lt1)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 10:10am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/4 "2008-12-08T10:10:05Z")
I doubt that. The optima batteries are great. Just when they sit…they are shit. i have a trickle charger on my s13 right now non stop over the winter. If you have a chance, pass by my shop and i can put do a test on it. More then likely needs a slow charge which i can do for you as well. Invest in a trickle charger. Yet still…2 days and a dead battery. I’d look into that bro. ---
**Author:** ![Martino](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/martino/32/5674_2.png) [@Martino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Martino)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 10:11am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/5 "2008-12-08T10:11:37Z")
Yea, i’ve got a trickle charger at home. I’m just at school right now chilling before class. Didn’t have time to diagnose before school, so I just took my brothers car lol Gonna check her out when I get home. ---
**Author:** ![Intense\_Motorsports](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/intense_motorsports/32/5593_2.png) [@Intense\_Motorsports](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Intense_Motorsports)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 10:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/6 "2008-12-08T10:13:08Z")
Never had great luck with the Optima’s in the winter and sitting for longer then a couple of days. The interstate rep told me to jump start the charge on it then switch to trickle to get it back. Also at minus 17\* last night doesn’t help either. Adrian ---
**Author:** ![87s15lt1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/87s15lt1/32/5706_2.png) [@87s15lt1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/87s15lt1)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 10:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/7 "2008-12-08T10:13:16Z")
Well good luck. Hopefully it’s something stupid. I know my yellow top went dead after i left the door not completely closed after only 2 days. Like i said…if you wanna get it tested. Just stop in if your in the area. ---
**Author:** ![87s15lt1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/87s15lt1/32/5706_2.png) [@87s15lt1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/87s15lt1)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 10:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/8 "2008-12-08T10:14:23Z")
> [@FS: 84 Trans Am](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fs-84-trans-am/19411/23): > > Never had great luck with the Optima’s in the winter and sitting for longer then a couple of days. The interstate rep told me to jump start the charge on it then switch to trickle to get it back. Also at minus 17\* last night doesn’t help either. > > Adrian Yea, our rep told us the exact same thing. These batteries are great.Yet they are garbage to sit. Nothing but a pain in the ass ---
**Author:** ![Martino](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/martino/32/5674_2.png) [@Martino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Martino)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 12:43pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/9 "2008-12-08T12:43:19Z")
Hmm, I think I know why my battery is dead… On my car the passenger side door, the sensor is kind of buggy. So its very sensitive. It will stay _open_ even just resting your finger on the door, or even going over bumps… It could possibly be that when I parked it on my driveway the sensor was stuck open (for those 2 days) and drained the battery. I wouldn’t have known it was open seeing as how I have the back seat dome light turned off, because it comes on on every bump, turn, or when anyone is leaning up against the door panel. ---
**Author:** ![87s15lt1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/87s15lt1/32/5706_2.png) [@87s15lt1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/87s15lt1)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 12:50pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/10 "2008-12-08T12:50:37Z")
Definite good place to start. ---
**Author:** ![Leafsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bbce88/32.png) [@Leafsfan](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Leafsfan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 9:56pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/11 "2008-12-09T21:56:13Z")
take a multimeter, disconnect one of the battery terminals. now put the multimeter (set to mili amps) inbetween the battery terminal and the wire you just took off. With the key off it should be reading for most manufacturers 25-75miliamps at the most. if it is any more than this start pulling fuses until it drops down within these limits. when it drops down that is the circuit with the draw. might be that bad door switch, try holding in the door switch or disconnecting it to see if it drops. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/2X/b/b7170c8eddc0b95ece6b88172b2f416a08489a45.png) [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:50pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/12 "2008-12-10T20:50:57Z")
you got it leafsfan, there is no way it should go dead that fast. I did not start my nissan for 3 weeks with my eliminator battery and she went with NO problems. ---
**Author:** ![87s15lt1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/87s15lt1/32/5706_2.png) [@87s15lt1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/87s15lt1)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 10:18pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/13 "2008-12-10T22:18:41Z")
it’s like a broken record in here… ---
**Author:** ![Martino](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/martino/32/5674_2.png) [@Martino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Martino)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 10:40pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/14 "2008-12-10T22:40:14Z")
Yea I’m pretty sure my door drained it… Its been working fine since I charged it. So I believe that was the culprit. ---
**Author:** ![big\_diesel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@big\_diesel](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/big_diesel)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/15 "2008-12-10T23:12:40Z")
so just unplug that switch if you can and it should stop the drain ---
**Author:** ![87s15lt1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/87s15lt1/32/5706_2.png) [@87s15lt1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/87s15lt1)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 5:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/16 "2008-12-11T05:59:48Z")
or just flip the light switch on the roof… Martino - if the door switch is the same as a 300 i can give you one…or both if i can find them? ---
**Author:** ![Martino](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/martino/32/5674_2.png) [@Martino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Martino)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 6:48am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/17 "2008-12-11T06:48:17Z")
I already have the light turned off, always have, or else it would just stay on… Where exactly is the sensor or w.e it is? ---
**Author:** ![87s15lt1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/87s15lt1/32/5706_2.png) [@87s15lt1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/87s15lt1)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 9:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/18 "2008-12-11T09:03:38Z")
if i recall corectly it is very close to the latch/striker on the car. not on the door. covered by a rubber…cover lol. and if the master light switch was turned off, always. Then your battery should not of died since the switch would not let the lights turn on. ---
**Author:** ![Leafsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bbce88/32.png) [@Leafsfan](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Leafsfan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 9:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/19 "2008-12-11T09:54:03Z")
> [@87s15lt1"](#): > > and if the master light switch was turned off, always. Then your battery should not of died since the switch would not let the lights turn on. (+1) The drain might be coming from somewhere else, ie. glove box light, trunk light, rear defog. should def try unpluging the switch and checking to see if the drain goes away like big\_diesel said. ---
**Author:** ![kimmerkaze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9d8465/32.png) [@kimmerkaze](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/kimmerkaze)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 11:27pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cold-cranking-amps-cca-for-winter/120444/20 "2008-12-11T23:27:59Z")
if it’s the same door switch i’m thinking of, try checking in the area right under your b-pillar behind the interior panelling. i remember disconnecting the plugs there when i stripped the back half. i guess you can cross-check with the fsm to make sure though.