|
|
12-24-2012, 04:22 PM
|
#1
|
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 43
|
Plug in?
I store our Motorhome in our rv garage. When nit using the coach for several weeks Is it better to leave it plugged in or should I unplug and turn off the battery disconnect ?
Chad
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
12-24-2012, 04:31 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 10,310
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sniperchad
I store our Motorhome in our rv garage. When nit using the coach for several weeks Is it better to leave it plugged in or should I unplug and turn off the battery disconnect ?
Chad
|
Hello and Merry Christmas! My coach is also stored indoors and even if it was out side, Mine is plugged in all the time, the chargers keep the battery's at 13.6 vdc all the time.Just watch water levels if not maintance free. K eeping the battery's at this voltage will prolong thier life, it is just like putting a battery tender on a battery, I have them also for my bikes and other things that have batterys, I get good life out of my batterys by doing this.
__________________
2012 Essex 4544 2011 Jeep JK, M&G Braking, 2014 MTI 27' Hog Hauler, Wireless brake control, 2006 Ultra & 1989 Springer, 2003 Harley-Davidson
FLHR Road King Anniversary
|
|
|
12-24-2012, 04:34 PM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Vintage RV Owners Club Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 605
|
Same here. When I lived in a S&B I left it plugged in all winter. I also used an electric heater set at the lowest setting.
__________________
Steve, Mary & Buddy our 2-year-old Chihuahua mix
1995 36' HR Endeavor, 460 w/Banks, 2005 PT Cruiser
Fulltimers originally from Michigan, hanging out in Oregon for a spell.
|
|
|
12-24-2012, 04:56 PM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Angola State Prison - Murder
Posts: 4,230
|
Leave plugged in 24/7 for best battery life. If your coach is older or has a single stage charger (13.6v continuous) you will want to monitor the water in the battery(s) about once a month, until you know how long it takes to "boil" the battery low on water.
A 3 stage charger will maintain batteries at 13.2v, which will not boil them, so water adding will be greatly reduced.
__________________
John & Clare Lyon
2007 43.5' Monaco Dynasty Palace III (All Electric)
Towd: 2011 Chevy Equinox
|
|
|
12-24-2012, 05:08 PM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club Solo Rvers Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 37,725
|
I've left ours plugged in 24/7/365. The batteries lasted one month short of 10 years. I also put 4 oz of mineral oil in each cell which cut way down on water usage. They were Interstate U-2200 6 volt deep cycle. Did so well I got the same ones again.
__________________
2009 45' Magna 630 w/Cummins ISX 650 HP/1950 Lbs Ft, HWH Active Air
Charter Good Sam Lifetime Member, FMCA,
RV'ing since 1957, NRA Benefactor Life, towing '21 Jeep JLU Rubicon Ecodiesel
|
|
|
12-24-2012, 05:18 PM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Angola State Prison - Murder
Posts: 4,230
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr_D
I've left ours plugged in 24/7/365. The batteries lasted one month short of 10 years. I also put 4 oz of mineral oil in each cell which cut way down on water usage. They were Interstate U-2200 6 volt deep cycle. Did so well I got the same ones again.
|
A classic case of properly maintaining your batteries! I am amazed the RVers that buy new batteries every year or so.
__________________
John & Clare Lyon
2007 43.5' Monaco Dynasty Palace III (All Electric)
Towd: 2011 Chevy Equinox
|
|
|
12-24-2012, 05:52 PM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Fulltime, USA
Posts: 16,706
|
I never has the luxury of plugging in during storage.....until now, with new rig.
|
|
|
12-24-2012, 06:01 PM
|
#8
|
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 43
|
Great comments. I do maintain the batteries. Fill every 3 mo or so. They have a filler system that I can fill all at the same time.(I forget the name). I still have the same interstates from when the coach was new. 3 yrs old.
Merry Christmas to all
|
|
|
12-24-2012, 06:09 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Thor Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,893
|
We plug in all year and during the winter we plug in an marine air dryer/dehumidifier which helps.
|
|
|
12-24-2012, 07:18 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Palmer Ak
Posts: 1,136
|
Our MH is plugged in 24/7/365. It is under a carport and it does get a little 'cold'. While we do not use it during the winter, it is set up as an energency shelter. So far we have not had any issue with the batteries. I do check them often and top off the water level as needed.
__________________
2009 38' Diplomat
CSM- retired, wife as co-pilot
Reka & Ali providing security (our 2 labs)
|
|
|
12-25-2012, 07:16 AM
|
#11
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 27,697
|
Ours is always plugged in, but you need a good quality charging system to do that safely. Some will overcharge batteries if left on/24/7. But even then, keeping up with the water in the cells is usually sufficient.
__________________
Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is West Palm Beach, FL
|
|
|
12-25-2012, 06:15 PM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Damon Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,024
|
Depends on the converter.
magnetek 6300 series: UNPLUG
Parlallex 7300: not sure.
Progressive Dynamics 9200: Plug in.
NOTE, all 3 of the above are examples only, For example there are at least a dozen more I can think of that fall into the "Plug in" group. this group includes all quality 3-stage converters not made in china, and may even include a china made if it's known to be working properly.
__________________
Home is where I park it!
|
|
|
12-25-2012, 06:31 PM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club Solo Rvers Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 37,725
|
We have a 2000 watt Freedom 458 modified sine wave inverter. The control allows me to specify how many amps the unit can pull. I set it for 5 amps when storing the unit. That may somewhat account for why the batteries don't boil fluid out and the long life.
__________________
2009 45' Magna 630 w/Cummins ISX 650 HP/1950 Lbs Ft, HWH Active Air
Charter Good Sam Lifetime Member, FMCA,
RV'ing since 1957, NRA Benefactor Life, towing '21 Jeep JLU Rubicon Ecodiesel
|
|
|
12-25-2012, 06:36 PM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Full Timing
Posts: 751
|
I found this thread to be very interesting an informative. I have a pretty good understanding of batteries in general but not so much on the workings of a motorhome.
Yesterday I did a few checks on our new to us Gulfstream Sun Voyager. I found that the generator charges the house batteries but not the chassis battery. Then I plugged in to shore power and found the same. So I thought about my charging strategy, my coach is parked in front of my second (detached) garage.
Starting voltage on the chassis battery was 12.8V (full charge after 1 week of inactivity). House batteries were at 12.65V @ ~30f. I tried to set up a Battery Tender but didn't have enough extension cord length. So I put a portable solar charger on the chassis battery and used shore power for the house batteries.
Today I checked the results. The chassis battery at ~30f was at 12.89V, so the solar charger seems to be effective. The house batteries were at 13.67V . The convertor will obviously overcharge the house batteries.
My conclusion at this point is to keep the solar on the chassis battery and only plug in the shore power intermittantly - maybe a few hours a week, I don't know for sure until I do a few more tests.
__________________
Mike
2003 Alpine Coach 40MDTS - 400HP Cummins ISL
Can Am Spyder Roadster
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|