Community Forums

HavasuRed · 03-08-2014, 06:44 PM

Have a 2005 Allure, and I store it in a garage without power, away from the house. How long, typically, can I store it without bringing it back to the house and plugging it in, without damaging the batteries by taking them down too low. They are fairly new and I don't want to drain them too low. I have a fear of coming in and not being able to start it. I used to take the batteries out on my fifth wheel, but not very practical with a motorhome. The rig has an echo charger, so if I leave it charging long enough, both house and chassis batteries get charged.

CJBROWN · 03-08-2014, 07:59 PM

If they are flooded lead acid they will discharge on their own about 1% per day. That is if they are truly shut off without any stray 'phantom draw' as they call it - led indicators, sniffers, sensors, etc.

How far away from the house? You could rig up a solar panel and run leads into the garage to a controller that would keep everything up to charge. It would only take about 1 watt per amp-hour capacity of your bank.

I would not want to let them set for more than a month or so before topping them up.

AGM's have a very slow self discharge - more like 1-2% per month. Probly a VERY expensive option.

Let's see, Allure - that's a DP, right? Probly 400+/- ah on house, maybe 160 on chassis. You could get a sunsaver duo and a 60-80 watt solar PV and be good to go. That's a couple'a hundred bucks for piece of mind and protection for a pretty expensive battery bank.

My little coach has an optional 10w panel they connected to the house batts. But I always ended up putting a portable battery charger on both house and chassis the latter would get to be half charge in a few weeks. So I switched the panel lead over to the chassis batt and put a real charger in for the house - it stays plugged in. Thinking seriously I'll add some solar panels to charge the house batts as well. We like to dry camp and not having to run the genny would be a blessing.

pumper9x9 · 03-08-2014, 08:46 PM

I shut off the isolation switches for the house and chassis batteries I also have a solar panel that keep them up with no muss or fuss.

HavasuRed · 03-08-2014, 09:42 PM

Yeah, unfortunately, it is at a storage center with separate indoor storage units. There is no where I could put solar panels. It looks like bringing the unit home once a month and topping off the batteries is the best I can do unless I spend the money for AGM's. Not really what I want to do. I have the room at the house to park it, but outdoors and not the best place to put a M/H in AZ in the summer.

CJBROWN · 03-08-2014, 10:18 PM

Maybe the storage place would let you 'park' a panel on the roof. The charge lead could be a 10gauge extension cord. Surely there are vents in the roof to run a cord through?

Time to get creative!

My folks lived in havasu for about 15 years. Dad passed about ten years ago, but we sure had good times over there when they lived there. They had a place on London Greens, and a boat at the marina. They bought one of those Alfa-Seeya's when they first came out.

They built those condos across from the city buildings on Mccullouch blvd.

Smitty77 · 03-09-2014, 10:36 PM

Excerzing the rig monthly is good. When you pick it up, start up the Hyro/Aqua Hot, the generator with at least half load, turn on the fridge LP, run the roof and dash AC for a bit too. Use it or lose it, goes with RV's too

!

Take it home, charge it until topped off, then return it.

A Win/Win.

Best,
Smitty