One nice thing, I find that my 6.4 starts way easier than the 7.3 when its cold and not plugged in.
I try to keep it plugged in, but there is always the odd time you forget, or didn't plan on using it and it wasn't plugged in.

 

Same amount of snow in manitoba here too.

 

6.4 starts up right away without plugging it in, but it warms up a lot faster if you plug it in.

 

Not all 7.3Ls are equal! I knew a fellow that had an 01 and he had a hard time getting his going when it was +20°C (68F) but I had a 97 and that one fired right up at -22°C (-8F). Even at -35 it would fire up, but I hate doing that. That time I had it plugged in...with a bad extension cord.

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Speaking of bad extension cords, I had one with the little orange light in the end so you could see it's plugged in...

I literally had it sitting there with nothing plugged in, and I heard buzzing, looked over, and it was shooting sparks and flames out the end lmao, not even exaggerating.

Now i wont buy another one with the little orange light lol.

 

Fireworks, eh? My grandpa always those cords. He had one go bad as well but had his Suburban plugged in at the time. One morning there was but charred remains of plug on the end of the cord, and the headlight was badly melted. I'd say he was lucky it didn't burn the whole truck down.

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That reminds me of a trip i took up north a year ago or so

 

Wow that's pretty! Well, for anything but driving!

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It's been hanging around 0°C (32F) here pretty well all night and day. Last night I drove my truck for about 45 minutes then it sat since then. I went and checked the battery voltage and it only had 11.76V. That's key off, lights off checking battery post. Is that too low? Seems low to me but what do you think? Gonna charge them up a while, then unhook charger and have batteries disconnected overnight and check volts again in the morning. Planning to put about 2,000 km on next week and don't wanna deal with bad batteries in between...

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Yeah that seems very low i wouldn't expect no less then 12.60 on good batteries charged up and resting overnight

12.70 =100% charge
12.64 = 95 % charge
12.46 = 80 % charge
12.36 = 70 % charge
12.20 = 50 % charge

11.94 = 10 % charge
11.76 you basically have dead batteries at that point

 

Hmm ... and they're less than a year old. Just found my receipt! Whew!!
I'll check them in the morning and then I'll know if they're both bad or only one.

And the ones I took out had a 2009 date on them. They've been sitting in the shop since Monday. I checked them too and one had 10.6 while the other had 12.4, Wow! But then, they were genuine MotorCraft!

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LOL, typical weather for us Northerners, it was cold as all get out last year, good thing I have a plug at work that's close to were I park!

 

Wow I'm surprised theres not more plugs available. I lived in northern Minnesota international falls right on the Canadian border and Fort Frances for 7 years, -40 to -60 or more with windchill if you didn't plug in and your car was outside you weren't going anywhere...lol that being said almost every you go has a post with a plugin. All the heavy equipment had quick couplers to connect your truck so you could circulate the coolant so it would start....... don't miss any of that, so then i moved to Vegas where you just melt in the summer 115+.......one evil to another

 

Not that far North, besides we have the lakes surrounding us so it tempers the weather a little, till they freeze over, -40 to -60, Nooooo Way, a couple of days of -20 is good for me.
My dogs didn't even like the -20, so if it's too cold for them, I shouldn't have to go outside at all!

 

So what the world? Checked both battery voltages this morning. One was 11.83 the other 11.86. Gonna take them to town and get them tested then go for warranty....

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