Question about an idle coach

[Engle]

When you guys are not using your coach for a few weeks, what do you do? I have been told to keep it pluged in, set the AC about 85 degrees, and leave the refrigerator running. Being in south Alabama, it gets pretty hot and humid here. I kind or agree with leaving the AC on but I am not sure about the refrigerator.

Thanks

[Jim Estes]

You will no doubt get many answers on this one! I kill all power...I do go in and out of it several times a week doing things...cracking a couple of windows will help ventilate it...but I leave her buttoned up...I plug in a day or so before hitting the road...bringing all systems up...you just need to monitor your batteries...dont want them going bad!

[tcopeland]

I do the same once a week if setting for awhile. We are on the road at lease once a month.
Crank the engine and let it warm up.
Run the genset with a load (usually one a/c).
I leave the frig doors open to air.
Three days before departing I close it up, turn on power (have connection on house). Turn on frig, check batteries, engine, tires, etc. Get ready to roll.

[RickO]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I button up my rig and throw the battery switches to off when I'm storing it for any period of time, but... that's because I don't have AC power available at my storage facility. If I had power available I would leave it plugged in with AC set to around 85*, but I would probably turn off the fridge.

I also lower my jacks so that one spot on the tires aren't taking the full weight of the coach for an extended period of time. Not sure if that helps or not but it's what I do.

Rick

[Mr_D]

I leave mine stored in the side yard, this year it was for 6 months due to my wife's health.
Plugged in, refer on, one covered vent slightly open, inverter on. Leveled with the front tires off the ground, 100W light in the wet bay right next to the water pump, shades closed. A couple of 1500W heaters set to keep the rigs water pipes from freezing.
That's about all I do.

[Jim_HiTek]

Leaving the refer on all the time, even in storage, improves it's lifetime. Turning it off in a seasonal manner will get you an average of 7 years life before you develop a leak. This is because when you shut it off, moisture attacks the tubing. Especially if you're near the ocean. That moisture causes rust, which eats through the tubing. Each sunrise and sunset can cause moisture to accumulate on the tubing as it's massive enough that it retains heat longer then air. Moist air contacts it, boom, you have condensation.

Leaving the refer on all the time, drives moisture away. An absorption refer can easily last 70 years. The longest I've heard for an RV refer is 25 years as I recall.

If you decide to turn off the refer though, I suspect you can lengthen it's life by sealing the vents (that vent outside on the side of the rig) so air isn't allowed to move and exchange with outside air. Maybe block the chimney too...


Don't know if it's been mentioned, but if you decide to store it without power, be sure to disconnect the battery grounds.

[Coaster1]

South Alabama here. The RV is kept under a carport with one vent open. Power on, reefer off. I am in and out on a regular basis doing stuff. For those really humid times when not on the road, I keep a portable electric fan running to maintain air circulation.

Hadn't thought much about the tires except that they are covered...........maybe I should give them more thought.

[vsheetz]

We are once a month weekenders:

• Plugged in to power, with a timer allowing about six hours a day of on time
• Refrigerator off
• Jacks down
• Slides in
• Ceiling vent in bathroom open, and fan on low in summer (has a shroud, should it rain)
• AC set to ~85 degrees in summer

Nothing differing for cold months, as we are in SoCal.

[Melmoses]

I am from Montgomery AL and whether or not to leave the fridge running depends on whether you have a residential or not. I have the residential and I leave it on at all times even when parked for 4-5 months while we work during tax season. Ours sits by the house on a pad plugged in. We don't run the generator (they say to run it 2 hours per month with a load) but if you can't, word is don't run it at all. We have the jacks down, slides in, and temp set to 80 (winter set to 45 on heat pumps). I use Damp Rid from Costco and hang about 3 around on cabinet doors replacing once a month. We have had this coach for three years (four tax seasons) and it has had no issues when we finally do get on the road.

[Chuck13]

We go almost every other weekend during the "season". More often midsummer and fall. When parked, we put it in it's shelter, plugged to power, frig left running on electric. In winter we completely winterize and shut everything off.

[MSHappyCampers]

We leave our coach plugged it all the time. I keep the A/C set to 80 in the summer and the heat to 50 in the winter. I leave the fridge on all the time. I take it out for a 30 minute drive every week or so, and run the generator with both A/C's on for 30 minutes at least once a month.

[CruisinCondo]

We live in the desert area with average temps of 98 degrees in the summer. I am on my second motorhome and also had 2 trailors before that. We keep our motorhome plugged into 120 power at home, open one window on each side of coach in the summer when temps reach 90 degrees. I am too lazy to put covers on the wheels, but we usually get coach out once per month. Manufacturer states diesel engines should go for a drive every 20 days. I have had no problems and usually keep my rig for 10 years before trading.

[Oldme]

We parked it at the end of November due to health reasons.

Electric on, ref on (electric setting) and a small portable electric heater to keep anything from freezing set at 45*.

Motor started at least twice a month for 30min and the generator at least once a month for 30 min. Went for gas the other day, everything running fine.

Hopefully we will have a get-away soon.

[Bama Fan]

Originally Posted by RickO

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I button up my rig and throw the battery switches to off when I'm storing it for any period of time, but... that's because I don't have AC power available at my storage facility. If I had power available I would leave it plugged in with AC set to around 85*, but I would probably turn off the fridge.

I also lower my jacks so that one spot on the tires aren't taking the full weight of the coach for an extended period of time. Not sure if that helps or not but it's what I do.

Rick

Ditto. Same here.