Cooked batteries... IN STORAGE?!?

[TBS-POPS]

Just throwing this out there but any chance someone "traded" your batteries in storage ??? Was your compartment locked?? Funny things happen in storage.

[Wryly Blithe]

Originally Posted by TBS-POPS

Just throwing this out there but any chance someone "traded" your batteries in storage ??? Was your compartment locked?? Funny things happen in storage.

Yeah, it was locked, but ya know... those keys are everywhere. Still, pretty sure those were my T105's... I'd recognize those terminals anywhere

[Wryly Blithe]

Originally Posted by computerguy

I had a vacation home in Vegas a few years ago. I would only go every other week or so. Every time without fail in the summer, the toilets would be dry as a bone after just 2 weeks from the heat and lack of humidity in the air. Makes me believe without maintenance on a flooded battery the same would happen.
Live and learn. We've all made mistakes so don't beat yourself up.

That's an excellent point. It's been extremely hot this summer, even for Vegas, and she's been just sitting there bakin' in it the whole time. I doubt the heat was the cause, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that it made it worse.

Thanks!

[WillandJane]

Originally Posted by Wryly Blithe

Unless your plugged in and using your inverter, your house batteries ALWAYS power the coach...

I don't understand... do you mean plugged into shore power? If so, why would I be plugged in AND using my inverter?

If your not plugged and using your inverter, the 120 volt conversion is coming from a DC source outside of that all your lights, fans and alarms, propane and Co2 are powered by your house batteries.

Well, I think I've mentioned at least twice now that I NEVER USE MY INVERTER. Not shouting, just emphasis

To check that, simply plugged in or not, turn off your battery disconnect switch and see what works. Instead of looking for the cheapest batteries, I'd get the best one I could afford.

I'll admit, I haven't tested every switch and socket, but... with the house batteries in store mode none of my lights will work, none of my fans will work, the water pump won't work, the basement fridge-freezer won't work... it's kinda the reason why I put it into store mode when I store it - in case I forgot to turn any of these off.

So, by never using the inverter, and either always being plugged in or running the generator, the batteries never discharge much below full. So... if I never deep-cycle the batteries - and I never have - why do I need to spend double the money on batteries that deep-cycle better than cheap ones?

You guys that run everything off the batteries / inverter all day and night need the very best batteries you can get, I understand that. But cheap or expensive will all run the lights and fans for the few hours it takes me to pack up the rig before a trip, so I don't understand what the advantage is for me?

Yes, when you are plugged into shore power it's your batteries that are doing the work.....your lights and fans etc are all 12vdc.....plugging them into shore power just keeps your batteries charged. Depending on what type of charger you do have, exercising your batteries occasionally, taking them down to 80 percent or so helps to maintain them though a good intelicharger should be able to do that for you.

Again you run everything off the batteries except for perhaps the microwave and some bigger TV's of course which can be run off the inverter depending on the size of the inverter (WHICH YOU NEVER USE) and the strength of your batteries but should something go wrong and in the RV world it does even when your coach is in storage as you have seen......the parks power goes down for a day, your generator does not start and your batteries are to dead to start your engine, you will be the first with no lights and that's not a situation I want to be in at least not without giving myself a better chance.

WDK

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by WillandJane

Depending on what type of charger you do have, exercising your batteries occasionally, taking them down to 80 percent or so helps to maintain them though a good intelicharger should be able to do that for you.

WDK

Never heard of a charger that would exercisie your batteries by bringing them down to 80%. Do you have one ?

How is exercising like that helping then ?

Your other point about the batteries doing all of the work don't ring true to me.

Let's say you have a 60 amp converter/charger and keeping the batteries at 13.5 , float voltage, is using 6 amps of its output.

That leaves you 54 amps of current, to draw on, before you dip into the battery capacity. If you go over the output capabilities of the converter, then you need the batteries.

Your batteries sit at 100% charge.

[WillandJane]

Originally Posted by twinboat

Never heard of a charger that would exercisie your batteries by bringing them down to 80%. Do you have one ?

How is exercising like that helping then ?

Your other point about the batteries doing all of the work don't ring true to me.

Let's say you have a 60 amp converter/charger and keeping the batteries at 13.5 , float voltage, is using 6 amps of its output.

That leaves you 54 amps of current, to draw on, before you dip into the battery capacity. If you go over the output capabilities of the converter, then you need the batteries.

Your batteries sit at 100% charge.

The intelicharger conditions your batteries so that exercising is not necessary.....but if you don't have one using them is conditioning them so long as you try not to go below 60 to 50 percent unless they are litheon ion batteries, never exercising them and keeping them at 100 percent shortens the life span. You are right, the converter can take up some of the slack for your batteries depending on the load when your plugged in.

I work for a utility and batteries are the life's blood of most electrical systems though they are experimenting with different methods not commonly on the market yet. I just finished replacing a set because of heat shortened their life and capacity .....they were good batteries but we require at least 360 amp hours for 125 vdc system in case we loose AC power. The batteries ensure circuitry and circuit breakers keep protecting the system until we can get the AC back....we have less time depending on the loading conditions and generation is needed. Our chargers are designed to apply a load to the batteries to exercise them as well to equalized above float for a period of time when needed automatically and some smart chargers on board RV's are doing the same.

WDK

[JohnBoyToo]

One thing to check is that your charger KNOWS the right AmpHR ratings of your batteries - when I put my 4 trojan 105's in place of the old L16's I had to change the charge rate, etc...

[noserider]

I also was not aware our smart chargers put a load on batteries to exercise them. Heck I did not even realize that exercising them was a benefit. When I read up on my converter/charger different stages this was not mentioned about the load being placed on them. I did discover that my 60 amp Progressive Dynamics 9160 could be
upgraded by installing a Charge Wizard which I purchased for only $20 .

[Wryly Blithe]

For how I use house batteries, cheaper brands makes more sense for now. If I only get half the lifespan out of them compared to T105's, that's fine with me... they cost half as much so we're even. And I'm pretty sure that if I'm nowhere near shore power and my generator won't start, these batteries will take up the slack... maybe not for as long as a better brand, but for long enough. I don't think we'll be without lights or water for long

But the point is well taken that I should probably exercise them once in a while... certainly can't hurt. I think I'll run the fridge off the inverter for 6-8 hours to cool it down before trips... that should do it.

Thanks everyone!

[WillandJane]

Originally Posted by Wryly Blithe

For how I use house batteries, cheaper brands makes more sense for now. If I only get half the lifespan out of them compared to T105's, that's fine with me... they cost half as much so we're even. And I'm pretty sure that if I'm nowhere near shore power and my generator won't start, these batteries will take up the slack... maybe not for as long as a better brand, but for long enough. I don't think we'll be without lights or water for long

But the point is well taken that I should probably exercise them once in a while... certainly can't hurt. I think I'll run the fridge off the inverter for 6-8 hours to cool it down before trips... that should do it.

Thanks everyone!

.....that would work!! 👍

[Trackrig]

Yes, especially when storing in hot temps, you must check and fill the batteries before storing the MH. Hot weather is a lot worse on batteries than cold weather.

If you're using the MH factory battery disconnect, it does not disconnect everything such as some of the safety devices so the batteries will always have a draw on them. When mine goes into storage, the batteries get disconnected, then there's no chance that I forgot to disconnect or turn something off. The wrenches and headlamp stay in a baggy by the door where I can reach them from the ground and it only takes a few minutes to reconnect them.

As for Trojan batteries, they're good batteries, but in the heat, I'm not sure they're cost effective. When I got my DP it had four Trojan 100s. Since there is a lot of room height wise in the battery compartment, I replaced them T125s for more capacity. Three plus years ago the T125s were over $150 per battery. You can buy a GOOD 6V battery at Costco for $85. I think when the Trojans go bad, I'm going use Costco batteries.

Bill