Battery Question . . . for next year!

[dmason]

We store our RV from November to March (still have a day job) in a lot with no electrical connection capability. Weather permitting I put it on the road monthly for about a 75 miles trip to exercise the motor/generator/systems while recharging the batteries. Coach batteries have a date code of 11/06. So far, so good.

For next year's storage season should I remove batteries, bring 'em home and keep them charged or continue as before? I would think by their age I'll soon be replacing them. Was below freezing several days this winter (live in Maryland), but batteries "appeared" to survive the cold. Recommendations appreciated as always. Thanks.

[HMXDave]

I live in Canada and store my rig October to April....November to March is just about ALL below freezing. All I ever do to my rigs is make sure the batteries are fully charged, then disconnect them. They won't freeze if they're charged.

[Gary RVRoamer]

As long as you can run it regularly to charge both house and chassis batteries, and they do not discharge too much in between, what you are doing is fine.

[JimM68]

I'll be dealing with the same question. This year, I put in a junk battery for the coach prior to storage, and left the house battery in place, as I intend to replace it.

My boat battery's go in my heated garage when the boat goes into storage.

While it's true that charged battery's won't freeze, it seems like mine don't often stay as charged as I'd like.

When I spend $$$ on good battery's, they will either come out in the winter, or I'll setup some sort of reliable and effective solar charging system to keep them charged. Supposedly my coach came with a soler trickle charger, but I've yet to determine what if anything it actually puts out.

Not beging used is REALLY bad for flooded lead acid batterys. Not being used and being cold is much much worse.

[wa8yxm]

4 months.. Charge fully, remove all wires from the most negative lead on the battery bank, and forget 'em till spring

When you re-connect, job one is re-charging.

[dmason]

wa8yxm,
By the "most negative lead" do you mean the first negative lead that comes off the main wiring harness that connects to the coach? Another question - Would the house/chassis disconnect switches serve the same purpose?

[JimM68]

The disconnect switches certainly are supposed to, but no, probably not. On my pace arrow, the "black box under the hood" (RV custom products charge controller) is still powered, and the rooftop solar trickle charger is still connected, and who knows what else.

My batteries go dead even with the disconnects disconnected. A discharged battery may freeze. A battery that has ever been frozen is toast.