Good advice posted above!
Here is the owner's manual. See section 8 for answers to your questions.
https://www.fleetwoodrv.com/wp-conte...overy-2010.pdf
How to keep main batteries and house batteries full when in storage?
Lead acid batteries must be stored fully charged for long service life. Fully charge for 14 to 18 hours before storage. (Yes, that long. It is in the chemistry.) Fully recharge 10 hours before battery terminal voltage drops below 12.4 volts.
Check water level after charging. Charging consumes water.
Different RV’s are wired differently. Make sure you are reading battery terminal voltage. Get a $20 digital voltmeter from your local hardware store to be sure. Sometimes built in panel meters are monitoring something else.
There are two main methods for battery maintenance. They are disconnected, and plugged in.
Plugged in:
Most motor coaches can maintain batteries for storage while plugged into a 15 amp 120 volt outlet. Make sure any high power 120 volt devices are “off”. Electric water heaters, electric space heaters, microwaves, air conditioners, and everything else should be “off” to avoid tripping circuit breakers on the shore side of the outlet.
The Fleetwood Discovery 40G built in battery charger charges both house batteries and engine start batteries. (See owner’s manual referenced above.)
Sometimes a home outlet has other outlets on the same circuit. High power appliances on other outlets can load the circuit and combined with RV draw can trip a circuit breaker.
Sometimes home 15 amp outlets are actually 20 amp outlets. Of course 20 amp outlets can support more 120 volt appliances. In any case a circuit breaker will trip if you try to draw too much.
Inverters convert 12 volts DC to 120 volts AC. Some people call an inverter/charger an “inverter”. Inverters should be “off” when stored on 15 amp shore power. Chargers should be “on”. See inverter/charger operator’s manual for instructions.
Different RV’s are wired differently. Monitor battery terminal voltage using your digital voltmeter until you know voltage is being maintained at proper storage level. 13.2 volts is optimum for long term storage. 13.6 is acceptable for flooded cell lead acid batteries. 14 volts or higher is too much for long term storage.
Monitor water level until you get a feel for how much is being consumed. Higher terminal voltage will consume more water.
Storing disconnected:
Lead acid batteries must be fully charged 14 to 18 hours before disconnected storage. Flooded cell batteries in good condition may last for 6 months. Fully recharge for 10 hours before terminal voltage drops below 12.4 volts.
RV’s often have a
disconnect switch near the entry door. Switch it “off” for disconnected storage. Monitor battery terminal voltage until you know how long your batteries will last. It could be 1 to 3 weeks.
Usually the door switch does not disconnect all 12 volt appliances. A parasitic draw remains and batteries don’t last more than a week or two. Engine start batteries may last for a month or more.
RV’s sometimes have a main
disconnect switch near the battery bay. These switches usually disconnect all 12 volt appliances. Fully charge, then monitor terminal voltage until you get a feel for how long your batteries will last. Flooded cell batteries usually last up to 6 months.
For long term disconnected storage without a disconnect switch near the battery,
remove the negative cable from the battery bank. If you have a Magnum inverter/charger, refer to the Magnum owner’s manual for disconnect instructions. It probably requires disconnecting the positive cable first.
I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!