Community Forums

TCayer · 07-22-2007, 07:47 PM

When you park your rigs for long periods- Do you put the slides out? Do you leave it plugged in to AC all the time? If you go weeks at a time do you start it up every so often? What interval? Just curious how everyone else does it...

TCayer · 07-22-2007, 07:47 PM

When you park your rigs for long periods- Do you put the slides out? Do you leave it plugged in to AC all the time? If you go weeks at a time do you start it up every so often? What interval? Just curious how everyone else does it...

TXiceman · 07-22-2007, 08:37 PM

Our 5er,we stored outside with slides in And unplugged most of the time. Before a trip, we'd extend and plug in.

For a motorhome, starting and running it for a few minutes does more harm than good. You need to drive the coach for a good 30 minutes to allow allow all of the fluids to come up to temperature. If you don't get everything up to temperature, there will be moisture and acid problems. Also lets you exercise the transmission and A/C to keep the seals lubricated. Same for the generator. It needs to be run at 1/2 load or more for 30 minute every 4 to 6 weeks.

If you can't drive it, you are actually better off, doing a storage procedure and letting it set.

About the longest we ever let our motorhome set was 6 weeks.

Ken

Farmerjones · 07-23-2007, 03:32 AM

jax down
rig leveled
slide in
front AC set to 85
rear AC set to 89

slides got an awning, so just like any awning susceptable to wind damage. It's gotta be pretty pleasent before i go off and leave an awning unattended.

Cousin Ed · 07-23-2007, 04:18 AM

WE do:
Jacks down
Slides in
Shades down
Plugged in two weeks
UnPlugged two weeks
Drive 30 minutes each month
Run Genset with a load one hour per month.

Roland · 07-23-2007, 04:55 AM

For us:

jacks down - rig leveled - slide in - 50 AMP shore power - front & rear AC set to 85 - Solar screens & tire covers in place - Shades down - awnings stored position - refer on

The longest we lay-up this year is 54 nights while we are volunteer hosts at a NFS campground. Only this time, before going in we also fill the fuel tank with diesel and sta-bilt. Slide and awnings out as we are living in the coach, Generator run every 4 weeks approx 1 hour 3/4 load. Main engine started about 3 or 4 days before leaving to make sure no problems. The Trik-L-Start charges the engine batteries while we are parked. Normaly only the house battery bank would be charged from shore power.

Green lights and soft breezes,

Cruzer · 07-23-2007, 05:12 AM

Ours is parked in the driveway whenever home. We keep it plugged in with the jacks down and air bags dumped 24/7. During winter the fridge is off and the coach is winterized but we take it out every now and then to exercise it so it never sits more than a month. Once we dewinterize the fridge stays on (residential fridge) all the time and the holding tanks are either empty or very low and the fresh water and fuel is full. Out lifeboat can go at a moment's notice.

During normal times we leave the slides out because we are always going in and out. In summer the vent covers are open (MaxAir turbo covers keep the rain out). If severe weather is coming (or a snowstorm in winter) we pull the slides in temporarily and close the roof vents if it looks to be areal gully washer. We never leave the awnings out unless we are in the coach, even when camping. I don't trust the automatic wind sensor and with power awnings it's easy enough to deploy them whenever you want them.

Typical winter exercise is once a month. It involves heating the coach with the Hydronic heat, warming up the engine and a brief drive down the road to keep the wheel bearing, axle, and transmission lubes circulating. It takes an hour to effectively burn off any condensation and that includes running the generator at at least 1/2 load.

Steve&Dora · 07-23-2007, 08:14 AM

In the driveway slides in jacks up covered. Fairly level. plugged in fridge off until day before we leave. Run the generator if not planning a camping trip within the month.

Izzyblueye · 07-23-2007, 03:23 PM

slides in, jacks up, fridge doors open, closet doors open, vents open with covers,window cracked open, battery switch off, two battery minders plugged into 110 to maintain at rest charge. Also blinds down except on North side of coach.

Pusherman · 07-23-2007, 03:42 PM

In the barn...

Slides in, all systems off, air bags inflated. House batteries off.

During long storage periods (winter) house and chassis batteries off. I plug in about 2-3 days every 2 weeks or so, then back to shutting everything off again. Note --- I turn the chassis batteries on to charge, and then off during the 'rest' cycle.

On my old coach had both the engine and house batteries last 4 years this way.

fun time · 07-23-2007, 03:53 PM

Hi Homer- Ours is stored inside with the following:
Slides in
Refrig. doors open
Plugged in but will unplug for a few days every week or so
Chassis switch on
All systems off
Air bags inflated
roof vent open and drivers window open
jacks up
Take it out about every three weeks for a road trip to when we fuel up, work on a project or just for the heck of it.
I usually work on it or fiddle with it every 3-5 days.

**Petro** · 07-23-2007, 06:06 PM

Ours is stored in a unheated garage. The jacks are always down and slides are usually out in our camping season May - Oct. We are always plugged in summer & winter. After we put it to bed end of Oct we put the slides in and leave the jacks down. We never have a battery water problem as we have a 3 stage charger. I lubricate the jacks with WD42 on a rag twice a year. Never have had a problem with jacks or batteries.

Don

rvten · 07-23-2007, 07:33 PM

Ours sets in a garage. Eletric connected.
Slides in.

TCayer · 07-24-2007, 02:23 AM

WOW! So many different opinions! This will be my first experience with diesel (and a coach with high end options) If the jacks are hydraulic, won't they suffer from the constant pressure of being down all the time? If your pad is fairly level, do what's the benefit of dropping them?
Like our last rig, it probably won't sit for more than 2 weeks in good weather. We'll also head south at least once in the winter. You've all given me lots of food for thought.