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10-19-2019, 04:15 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Joplin, Mo
Posts: 54
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Winter time battery storage
I have shore power available for my coach batteries this winter. Should I leave them plugged in? Also what would be best for the chassis battery? Pull it and keep it inside or leave under the hood?
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10-19-2019, 04:31 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Dallas,OR
Posts: 4,584
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Leave them plugged in, check the water level monthly. A fully charged battery will resist freezing way down.
__________________
Don and Lorri
Resident Dummy.
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10-19-2019, 05:02 PM
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#3
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Registered User
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Blairsville, GA & WPB, FL
Posts: 3,993
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Since you have a smart charger, leave it plugged in.
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10-19-2019, 06:08 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 2,106
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I just make sure they are fully charged , then disconnect them. In the spring reconnect and your ready to go. They will easily survive the coldest of winters.
__________________
1993 Tiffin Allegro Bay 32'
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10-19-2019, 07:09 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 229
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Soppy
I just make sure they are fully charged , then disconnect them. In the spring reconnect and your ready to go. They will easily survive the coldest of winters.
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IMO, that is bad advice for a deep cycle battery.
__________________
99 Tradewinds, 37ft, pushed by 2013 CRV, connected by Brute Elite tow bar.
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10-19-2019, 07:31 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,442
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lockinload
IMO, that is bad advice for a deep cycle battery.
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Why ?
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10-19-2019, 07:32 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Phoenix, Oregon
Posts: 2,207
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I've always left mine connected to at least a trickle charger or charged them every month or so with a battery charger.
Last summer we went on our 2-3 month trip with the Flair and I left the Monaco plugged in to the 50 amp service as I had during the winter. I made certain the fluid levels were up before leaving. The difference was that while we were here during the winter I could maintain the fluid levels, when we were gone I could not. When we got back one of the cells in a house battery had very little liquid in it and was boiling. The rest were down considerably. After filling both batteries with distilled water and charging them overnight neither would take a charge. I replaced both. They were about 2 years old. As previously advised, it is a good idea to check the fluid levels every month or so.
Steve
__________________
1994 30' Monaco Dynasty, 5.9 230 HP Cummins, MD 3060, 1992 Geo Tracker.
1996 Dodge Cummins 2500 with 1996 Lance 945 camper
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10-19-2019, 09:40 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Braidwood Il.
Posts: 8,300
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dix39
I've always left mine connected to at least a trickle charger or charged them every month or so with a battery charger.
Last summer we went on our 2-3 month trip with the Flair and I left the Monaco plugged in to the 50 amp service as I had during the winter. I made certain the fluid levels were up before leaving. The difference was that while we were here during the winter I could maintain the fluid levels, when we were gone I could not. When we got back one of the cells in a house battery had very little liquid in it and was boiling. The rest were down considerably. After filling both batteries with distilled water and charging them overnight neither would take a charge. I replaced both. They were about 2 years old. As previously advised, it is a good idea to check the fluid levels every month or so.
Steve
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That sounds like bad cell in one battery drawing higher amps then the charger upped the volts out of float and just cooked them.
A good tender probably wouldn't have cooked the other battery.
Poeple have done great with plugged in, disconnected and on tenders. I would just stay away from cheap tenders that go bad and take you batteries with them . Show green charge light with no AC voltage, until batteries are flat.
__________________
95 Monaco Crown Royale
M11 400hp, 4060 trans.
Aquahot, Generac Guardian7.5k
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10-19-2019, 10:33 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Branson, MO
Posts: 286
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I notice your in Joplin, MO. I kept a bass boat North of there winters and kept it plugged in. It wintered over well. Joplin is a pretty moderate climate. On the other hand you could fully charge them and disconnect them. That would work and you would not have to check the water levels as you should with them plugged in. Winters are short there but personally I like to start my rigs, boats or shore toys, every month or so and bring them up to temp. Yes, a drive would be even better. But with short winters a few months of downtime will be fine.
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10-20-2019, 04:41 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 3,400
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ivylog
Since you have a smart charger, leave it plugged in.
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How do you know he has a smart charger?
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10-20-2019, 04:46 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 3,165
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lockinload
IMO, that is bad advice for a deep cycle battery.
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Mine is parked on a seasonal site year round with no electric in the winter. Been doing that for 4 years is western MA. No problem. I just disconnect the cables when I leave.
__________________
2011 Keystone Sprinter 323 BHS. Port Charlotte Fl/Hinsdale MA. Retired Master Electrician. All Motor homes are RV's. All RV's are not Motor homes.
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10-20-2019, 05:04 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 229
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twinboat
Why ?
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In my 25 years plus of owning RVs I have lost too many batteries do to poor maintenance. I've had new batteries that sat all winter, took a charge in the spring and died by the end of the year. Why take the chance on an expensive item? It's just too easy to keep them maintained. A quality battery that is not abused should last many many years.
__________________
99 Tradewinds, 37ft, pushed by 2013 CRV, connected by Brute Elite tow bar.
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10-20-2019, 05:18 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 3,165
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lockinload
In my 25 years plus of owning RVs I have lost too many batteries do to poor maintenance. I've had new batteries that sat all winter, took a charge in the spring and died by the end of the year. Why take the chance on an expensive item? It's just too easy to keep them maintained. A quality battery that is not abused should last many many years.
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Kinda hard to do maintenance on a battery from 1500 miles away.
__________________
2011 Keystone Sprinter 323 BHS. Port Charlotte Fl/Hinsdale MA. Retired Master Electrician. All Motor homes are RV's. All RV's are not Motor homes.
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10-20-2019, 06:34 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,442
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lockinload
In my 25 years plus of owning RVs I have lost too many batteries do to poor maintenance. I've had new batteries that sat all winter, took a charge in the spring and died by the end of the year. Why take the chance on an expensive item? It's just too easy to keep them maintained. A quality battery that is not abused should last many many years.
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Ever think that you abused the batteries during use and that's why they failed.
I live in the NE and have had boats for 40 years, and I still do have, boats in NY and FL.
I disconnect the batteries during the off season and they last for years.
In some storage yards its a requirement.
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