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LSC9901 · 10-21-2018, 05:51 PM

We live in the Northern reaches of Vermont and I am one who covers my coach. I can still access the inside but it is a small job. My question really doesn't have a lot to do with the weather or the cover. Is there an easy way to determine that my batteries have the correct amount of water in them. I keep my bus plugged in for the winter so that the batteries do get/stay charged. I usually let it charge for a few days and then kill the breaker for a few days. As I noted I can still get in the MH but the battery location is a less than easy spot to check levels. My batteries are under the entry way stairs. I know they make an auto fill system but temps here in the middle of the winter can easily drop below 0° so the small lines will just freeze. I'm also aware they make a fill can that stops when the level is correct but I'm fairly sure that there isn't enough room in the battery compartment to use that type of product. Overfilling is not good, so I'm told. Running low on water is also a no-no.

Is there an easy way to check the level ??

Thanks

gcamper · 10-21-2018, 06:06 PM

We live in TN and also have temps that get between 5 and O. We had the watering system on our 5th wheel for 5 years and never had a problem with it. We now have AGM’s in our coach and they are worth the money!

Robi.1014 · 10-21-2018, 07:57 PM

You might consider disconnecting the batteries once they have a full charge, then connect them to a FLOAT CHARGER. The batteries can/will go for months without needing water being added.

Jim_HiTek · 10-22-2018, 07:48 AM

There is a trick to use with flooded batteries that's been around for over 100 years, recommended by Edison himself, that will help keep them happy and reduce the work required to keep them filled with the correct amount of water.

First, service the batteries like you would normally. Verify that the converter is working correctly and outputting the proper voltage. Your service manual for the converter will have testing procedure most likely. Or if it's been working fine for a long while, you can just assume it's OK. That's all I did with mine.

Using a plastic turkey baster, remove 2oz of liquid from each cell. Replace that with 2 oz of mineral oil (3-in-1 oil) in each cell.

What the oil floating on the surface of the electrolyte in each battery cell does is reduce evaporation, prevents most corrosion by reducing the forcefulness of those tiny charging bubbles when they burst on the surface, and contributes to a long healthy battery life by greatly reducing water evaporation. As a result, much less maintenance is required.

Been doing this with my flooded cell batteries for decades and never have to mess with corrosion. And seldom have to add water.