Prolonged exposure to cold temperatures also has a big impact on battery performance and safety. When temperatures drop the internal resistance of the battery is increased. This means that it requires more effort by the battery to charge, in turn lowering the capacity. However, it is important to note that the loss of capacity also depends on the charge and discharge rates and the effect of the cold weather is different for batteries made with different chemistries. For example, a lead-acid battery may provide just half the nominal capacity at 0° F.
The operating temperatures of batteries are also different based on the type of battery you are working with. For example, lithium-ion batteries can be charged from 32°F to 113°F and discharged from –4°F to 140°F (however if you operate at such high-temperature levels you do run into the problems mentioned earlier). But Lead-acid batteries can be charged and discharged from -4°F to 122°F. It’s very important to be aware of the charging temperatures that a battery can accommodate. If batteries don’t operate at the accepted temperature, charge acceptance will be decreased because ion combination will be slower. Forcing high current can build up pressure causing explosions of sealed batteries.