Starting engine during storage

[Trynforpar]

About to put my MH in winter storage and was wondering if I should start the engine every 3 to 4 weeks or let it go until the spring. Also should I plug it into a 30 amp circuit to keep the batteries charged.

[palehorse89]

Hi Tom, if you use the "Search bar" and do a search on this subject, you will find a lot of different opinions. I do not start anything I own unless I intend to use/operate it. Mine sits all winter.......sleeping........with no ill affects in the spring. Keep it plugged in 24/7 is a great way to maintain your batteries.

[brian-nicola]

We winterize ours, diesel stabilizer, fill the tank, top off the batteries, plug it in, on her jacks and monthly check the water level in the batteries. My nephew who is a diesel tech says unless you are going to drive it...leave it alone.

[pagosajoe]

What palehorse89 and brian-nicola said. Same here.

[Pusherman]

Originally Posted by palehorse89

Hi Tom, if you use the "Search bar" and do a search on this subject, you will find a lot of different opinions. I do not start anything I own unless I intend to use/operate it. Mine sits all winter.......sleeping........with no ill affects in the spring. Keep it plugged in 24/7 is a great way to maintain your batteries.

ditto -- what palehorse89 said. Good advice.

Starting the engine during storage never allows it to reach operating temperatures to dry out the moisture generated while starting, especially in the transmission. If you can't get it up to operating temperatures (which means driving it for a significant distance), let it rest until spring.

[Mr_D]

Direct from Cummins in writing:

This is a very good question. From the perspective of the
Cummins engine it is good to do either one of two things:

1) Start the engine and drive it or 2) do not start the engine.

Our engines do not gain anything by idling. In fact a diesel engine
on low idle will not ever get up to operating temperatures which is
bad for the engine and can cause an increase in soot production.

The other side of the story is that starting the engine and letting it
idle is probably good for other things like air brakes, heating and
cooling, etc. So probably the best answer to try to get both worlds
to meet is to occasionally take the unit out for a drive during times
of prolonged storage.

I leave ours plugged in 24/7 over the winter non-use period.

[Trynforpar]

Thanks for the useful information. When you say that you leave it plugged in all winter, does that mean that you plug it directly into house power or do you use a trickle charger to keep the batteries. Charged.

[palehorse89]

Originally Posted by Trynforpar

Thanks for the useful information. When you say that you leave it plugged in all winter, does that mean that you plug it directly into house power or do you use a trickle charger to keep the batteries. Charged.

I think your new Coach has a converter or a optional inverter/charger to maintain the batteries when plugged into shore power Tom. You can run a 12/3 extension cord to it and use a dog-bone to connect to the Coach's power plug.

[Gary RVRoamer]

IMO there is no real benefit to periodically starting the engine. And if you do start it, let it run until thoroughly warmed up or you can actually causes harm rather than prevent it. The "best practice" says you can start it, warm it up thoroughly and then take it for a short drive to get all the parts moving and re-lubricated. Short of that, just let it sit and don't start it at all.

The generator, on the other hand, is vulnerable to moisture build-up in the wiring and running it periodically (under load) will heat it up and dry it out. For a gas genset, it also prevents carburetor gum-up from stagnant fuel.

The batteries definitely need charging while in storage - they will suffer if they go dead (and they will) and are vulnerable to freezing if the temps drop low enough. A dead battery freezes easily, while a fully charged one is good to about 75 below. Your Itasca has a nice 3-stage charger, so leave it plugged in. Just make sure the batteries have adequate water in the cells (if a flooded cell type battery).

[Steve Ownby]

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

IMO there is no real benefit to periodically starting the engine. And if you do start it, let it run until thoroughly warmed up or you can actually causes harm rather than prevent it. The "best practice" says you can start it, warm it up thoroughly and then take it for a short drive to get all the parts moving and re-lubricated. Short of that, just let it sit and don't start it at all.

The generator, on the other hand, is vulnerable to moisture build-up in the wiring and running it periodically (under load) will heat it up and dry it out. For a gas genset, it also prevents carburetor gum-up from stagnant fuel.

The batteries definitely need charging while in storage - they will suffer if they go dead (and they will) and are vulnerable to freezing if the temps drop low enough. A dead battery freezes easily, while a fully charged one is good to about 75 below. Your Itasca has a nice 3-stage charger, so leave it plugged in. Just make sure the batteries have adequate water in the cells (if a flooded cell type battery).

I agree with Gary 100%. When the generator is started, load it up to over 50% capacity and let it run for an hour or more if possible.

[sbleiweiss]

Originally Posted by Steve Ownby

I agree with Gary 100%. When the generator is started, load it up to over 50% capacity and let it run for an hour or more if possible.

I see this said (exercise the generator under load) all the time but don't understand why. I am not necessarily disagreeing, but would like to hear an explanation why under load is important. My observations that make me wonder are: 1) my home back-up generator automatically exercises once a week but doesn't do it under load (designed that way by the manufacturer); and 2: my MH generator does get up to operating temperature without being under load.

[Tony Lee]

Mine sits outside. Change the oil. I winterize it using compressed air, put blocks under the jacks to within 1/2" and dump the air so most weight is off the tyres, have the solar set up so it keeps both batteries charged, saturate the area with heaps of rat bait - and leave it for up to 18 months.

[Tony Lee]

Originally Posted by sbleiweiss

I see this said (exercise the generator under load) all the time but don't understand why. I am not necessarily disagreeing, but would like to hear an explanation why under load is important. My observations that make me wonder are: 1) my home back-up generator automatically exercises once a week but doesn't do it under load (designed that way by the manufacturer); and 2: my MH generator does get up to operating temperature without being under load.

Many large engines take a long time to warm up unless under load.
Any commercial generator I've been associated with exercises it at least once a month to make sure it still works and the rats haven't taken up residence AND it is either connected to the actual load, or a dummy load is installed to make sure it gets up to full operating temperature. Also recharges the batteries plus getting it normal operating temperature and supplying electricity stress tests all components.

[bigdaddy5120]

Originally Posted by sbleiweiss

I see this said (exercise the generator under load) all the time but don't understand why. I am not necessarily disagreeing, but would like to hear an explanation why under load is important. My observations that make me wonder are: 1) my home back-up generator automatically exercises once a week but doesn't do it under load (designed that way by the manufacturer); and 2: my MH generator does get up to operating temperature without being under load.

My Onan says to run an hour and put half load on it monthly. see page 9. You should have the same as me .