Community Forums

kerfcutter · 11-13-2005, 02:31 AM

Now that winter is approaching here in the north. Is it ok to leave the batteries in the RV for the winter. I have a DC disconnect and cut the power to the batteries. I have done this in the past and seem to suffer no ill effects. I just plug in in the spring and the batteries charge and good to go. I have checked them in the spring and I have only lost 1 charge light through the winter.

Do others do this?

kerfcutter · 11-13-2005, 02:31 AM

Now that winter is approaching here in the north. Is it ok to leave the batteries in the RV for the winter. I have a DC disconnect and cut the power to the batteries. I have done this in the past and seem to suffer no ill effects. I just plug in in the spring and the batteries charge and good to go. I have checked them in the spring and I have only lost 1 charge light through the winter.

Do others do this?

Hitchhiker · 11-13-2005, 03:42 AM

I leave mine in and disconnected but I'll plug the rig in about once a month so they stay as close to 100% charged as possible. A battery left in a discharged state for a few weeks won't last very long after being charged back up, they get sulfated which diminishes their life and storage capacity.

Ken Lenger · 11-13-2005, 03:44 AM

If you cannot keep the battery charged all winter, then the battery will freeze and fail. I'd remove it.

Bill1374 · 11-13-2005, 03:44 AM

I've always left them in. Before the disconnect, I would disconnect the battery but leave it in the trailer. Now with the coach, I just disconnect and check occasionally during the winter for charge level. I'm still running the original chassis batteries.

Bill

Rick A · 11-13-2005, 05:53 AM

I leave both batteries in and connected all winter. I do keep them charged with solar so I have never had a problem. Before I installed the solar panels I left them in but made sure to keep them charged so they would not freeze.

Gary RVRoamer · 11-13-2005, 07:23 AM

Leave them in and charge them once in awhile - plugging the Rv in for 24 hours once a month is good. Or hook up an automotive type battery charger for a day once a month. If you don't have a way to power a charger, take the batteries out and store in an above freezing place (but its still a wise idea to charge them periodically).

Another alternative is to buy a trickle charger and leave that hooked up all the time, either in the RV or in storage.

They will last a lot longer following this regimen.

kerfcutter · 11-13-2005, 09:00 AM

Thanks to all the replies...

Fxrscotty · 11-14-2005, 02:30 PM

I leave in and plugrd in to shore power and have never had a problem. Scotty.

ajbjrvers · 11-14-2005, 03:43 PM

kerfcutter;

hello, and welcome to irv2

currently on our 7th rv, a newmar diesel pusher, but now to your question re; battery removal. the past 3 motorhomes i have had solar panels, this one has 3 120 watt panels with 21.3 amps of charging capacity. living north of boston ma., it can get mighty frigid in winter. i do not have any hook-ups where i store the rig , so the panels keep the 8 6 volt house batteries fully charged and ready to go at any time. the engine batteries are kept charged by a 10 amp panel,

yea, solar costs money, but you save removal, the risk of damage to batteries,where to store removed batteries and keeping them charged for 4 to 5 months while stored. much safer with solar, and a lot less labor.if we get more than a foot of snow, i use a heavy push broom from a ladder, i don't get on the roof.

the big asset is being able to go whenever you want without a lot of fuss.

hope this info is of help---- ajbjrvers