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12-05-2018, 01:37 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 75
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Can I leave the RV plugged in while it’s in long term storage?
I live in Hawaii so we Store our coach in Vancouver, Washington. The storage facility has 110v available and many RV’s are left plugged in. I think I read that Winnebago recommends not leaving it plugged in. Anyone have experience with this situation? It’s a 2006 Itasca Meridian 36G.
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06 36G Itasca Meridian
350 hp cat towing a 2011 Jeep Wrangler unlimited
We live in Hawaii so this is our second home
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12-05-2018, 01:41 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 3,808
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HD-
Is there a reason to keep it plugged-in? If not, then better not to.
An unrelated topic: You should add a "signature" to your profile. It contains whatever info you want; most people put info about their coach there, so they don't have to type it into each message. Instructions for adding a signature are here.
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Mark
2008 Holiday Rambler Admiral 30PDD (Ford F-53 chassis)
2009 Honda Fit Sport
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12-05-2018, 01:59 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Orlando, Florida
Posts: 2,985
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If you don't leave it plugged in, you need to disconnect the batteries or they will be dead when you come back to coach.
I leave mine plugged in to 20A extension cord and I keep a dehumidifier running (with dehumidifier drain going to shower drain - but I also need to check the gray tank level periodically or it will fill up). i'm in Florida so there is a lot of humidity in the air.
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- Mike
2005 Beaver Patriot-Thunder, 42ft, Tag, 525HP Cat C13, Allison 4000, carrying a 2014 V-Star 1300 Deluxe on a HydraLift
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12-06-2018, 12:01 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Fulltiming now in- Desert Hot Springs, CA
Posts: 1,340
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What inverter/charger do you have?
My Winnie 2004 came with a 2000 watt Dimension inverter/charger. It has a 3-stage charger with a 13.2 volt float charge. I left it plugged in all the time.
Use a digital meter to check your battery voltage after it's been plugged in for a few days. If it's 13.2v you're good to go. If it's 13.6v or more then it will boil out the battery water in a few months.
You will need to use a jumper cable to connect the coach batteries to the engine battery so it gets charged too. Remove the jumper cable when you're ready to go camping.
My 1985 Lance Camper had a 12v converter that put out 13.6 and it would cook the battery if I left it plugged in 24/7. So I used a lamp timer and it would charge for 1/2 hour each day. That worked for me for 15 years I had the camper.
Good luck,
Bill
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Bill (Dune'r) & Helen
Last of the Chieftains, 2004 39T, W22, UP tune, Banks, Koni's, Safe-T-Plus, SMI brake
2017 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid towed 4-down
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12-06-2018, 06:16 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Indiana
Posts: 121
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I leave my rv plugged in to 120vac and use a Battery Tender.
My rv's converter sometimes would boil the house batteries and does not charge the chassis battery. After losing a couple sets of batteries over the winter, I do it this way and haven't had a problem since. I just unplug the converter and plug in the Battery Tender.
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Jack
2007 Winnebago Sightseer 35J
2003 Ford Sport Trac
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12-06-2018, 01:18 PM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 75
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Thanks everyone for your advice. I guess the safest route would be to leave it with the batteries switched off as I have done for the past 13 years or so. Since I am paying for the electricity I just wondered if I should be using it. Now I will try to figure out how to leave a signature as recommended.
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12-08-2018, 03:35 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North America somewhere
Posts: 15,623
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hawaii Dick
Thanks everyone for your advice. I guess the safest route would be to leave it with the batteries switched off as I have done for the past 13 years or so. Since I am paying for the electricity I just wondered if I should be using it. Now I will try to figure out how to leave a signature as recommended.��
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A few items are not routed through the disconnect switch, as previously suggested, remove the negative battery terminals to insure there is no battery drains.
Then again, if your coach has a 3-stage battery charger it may not harm the batteries to leave the coach on 102VAC all winter, just make sure they are full of water.
Our MH with 3 stage charger, is plugged-in any time we are home. Another possibility is just using a trickle charger/maintainer on the battery banks and bypassing the MH charger.
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2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA. "We the people are the rightful masters of both the Congress and the Courts - not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow men who pervert the Constitution. "Abraham Lincoln"
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12-09-2018, 11:03 AM
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#8
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Community Moderator
Winnebago Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Weyauwega, WI US
Posts: 6,391
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My previous motorhome was a 2003 Chieftain and my last one was a 2005 Horizon. Both motorhomes had a 2000 Watt inverter with a 3 stage charger. I left both of them plugged in 24/7 12 months of the year. My last set of batteries were 4 years old and still working well. I just replaced them this Fall as a matter of preventive maintenance. Based on my experience if you have a 3 stage charger you should be able to leave your rig plugged in 24/7.
Don
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Don & Bev Morgan Weyauwega WI, 05 Itasca Horizon 40KD, 400 HP Cummins, Adopted by a great couple, Toad 07 Saturn Vue AWD, Air Force One, TST 510 TPMS, Mayor of Weyauwega 2007 - 2013, Waupaca Co Board Supervisor 2010 - 2014
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12-09-2018, 02:00 PM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 75
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I will definitely check the output of my charger the next time I’m using the coach. Unlike you, I can’t go outside to check on everything. I have left the coach unplugged with the batteries switched off for 6 months and have not had a problem in the last three years. Your Horizon is probably equipped with the same charger that mine came with so I feel like it’s a safe bet that I can leave it plugged in.
Thanks,
Dick
__________________
06 36G Itasca Meridian
350 hp cat towing a 2011 Jeep Wrangler unlimited
We live in Hawaii so this is our second home
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12-09-2018, 02:08 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Vancouver Wash
Posts: 4,293
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Why turn it off....If I'm not traveling, mine stays plugged in and have never had a battery problem.....people that fulltime never turn theirs off...you can change out the circuit board to a 4 stage....Boondockers RV has them...and I live in this one 6 month at a time every year..
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2010 Rockwood Sig Ultra lite 5er 8280......'99 Ram 2500, Cummins. 4x4.....Pullrite Superglide.......Use to work in calender factory.....got fired for tak'n a few days off.....
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12-12-2018, 06:42 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Commercial Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: behind the steering wheel
Posts: 1,449
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when you disconnect the batteries, some items lose their memory. if you leave it disconnected long enough, the engine computer will take a little time to relearn its functions. but thats not normally a big deal.
i do leave mine plugged in all the time, because i want the batteries to remain charged all the time. i have to leave on very short notice sometimes, and i find thats one less item to worry about.
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