Storage confirmation

[neilnoff]

In reviewing the emails from Entegra over the past few weeks, I re-read the one form Joyce with the link regarding recommended storage procedure. We have a 2020 Anthem, stored in an enclosed RV Barn with 50amp power and the power cord reaches the outlet. Per the instructions:

1. Empty fridge, icemaker & external freezer (Done & we turned the fridge off)
2. Unplug any unnecessary power cords (phone chargers, coffee maker,etc.) - (Done)
3. Turn off all lights in the coach (Done)
4. Turn off the inverter(s) as precaution against the storage facility losing power & our batteries running down. - Didn't do this (yet) because I remember from our dealer orientation the instructions were to "never" touch the inverter(s). We have stored various rigs here for 4+ years, with never a loss of power, but what do you all think?
5. Turn off main power switch at passenger console - Didn't do this either (yet). I assume this is the "Salesman switch" red light button on the lower panel by the entry steps passenger side. Any thoughts on this and does it make a difference in turning this off based on whether or not the inverter(s) are left on or off? OR should I just basically leave everything "as is?"

I assume the factory knows best, but just want to do a sanity check with you all to see how you all are taking care of your storage "settings." I typically screw things up when I start making changes and don't want to cause any unforeseen problems. Thanks as always & stay safe everyone--

[Gary.Jones]

Well, this is just me, but it sounds to me like Entegra is assuming that you have your coach parked in the middle of a field with no power connected to it at all.... that sounds like a complete shut down.

In my case, the coach is "stored" in front of my third garage in my driveway beside the house. With my 2015 Anthem and now with this Cornerstone, I store my coaches thusly.... I plug it into 50 A shore power from the house on the outer garage wall. I hook up the water hose. I turn off the main in-coach refrigerator, and leave the refrigerator in the basement turned "on", and I touch nothing else.... salesman switch is on, inverters are both turned on and potentially charging, everything else turned off now but either space heaters or roof heat pumps turned on in the winter to keep at ~55 degrees, and roof AC units turned ON in the heat of the summer to keep the coach at a reasonable temperature.

I've had no trouble doing this. I really think that either someone at Entegra was not listening to you when you said the coach was plugged into 50 amp commercial service or I am doing everything wrong....

Gary

[neilnoff]

Thanks for feedback. The info from Entegra did have several categories of storage, including: No power at all, Power 50, 30, or less than 30, etc. I showed in my post, their recommendations for 50amp. Thanks again for your input!

[Mark_K5LXP]

Well, there's "recommended" and there's actual. A dealer may "recommend" to never turn the inverters off so they don't get phone call or a service problem because stuff doesn't run. So is this advice in their best interest or yours?

Is it hard or complicated to turn them off, or back on again? Maybe it is for your kind, I don't know. Mine is a single switch. On, things work and off, they don't. Even if there is a shutdown and startup procedure it might not be a bad idea to become familiar with it because even if you don't do that now, there will be a day you will need to do that. Hopefully not on the side of the road, in the dark, frantically looking for the owner manual with the light of your phone.

My take on it is any time you have something connected to AC mains there's an opportunity for a surge, brownout or other event even as simple as the plug getting pulled that has the potential to cause damage. So if you won't be in the thing and if nothing in it requires power to perform some critical function I personally wouldn't leave anything powered at all. I find that it's trivially simple to leave shore power unconnected, hit the salesman switch and float the batteries on a maintainer.

Many leave shore power connected, converters/inverters energized and essentially leave the RV in hot standby mode all the time. That's fine but you're entrusting the inherent durability and assuming an ideal operating environment for all the systems. Of course, it "should" be OK, it was built for that. Seeing how these things are put together and reading on the forums of the myriad of problems, issues and downright gross misapplication and deficient installation of equipment I don't trust anything to work right when I'm in it much less when I'm not. Not leaving it plugged in lessens the chance of a problem, especially those kind that are bad enough when they occur but if left unattended for a long period of time causes other damage or issues.

Upshot of this post other than my optimistic viewpoint is to figure out what you hope to achieve during the storage period, and come up with your own procedure that accomplishes that. Going by generic or usual recommendations, or that which you read on internet forums may not be what you want.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

[Jose67]

We store in our garage, plugged to 50 amps service, refrigerator ON (ice maker OFF and empty), inverter ON, inverter distribution panel circuit breakers all OFF except the refrigerator and "Main Power" OFF. In fact, our refrigerator and inverter/charger has been ON from the day of delivery (2/5/2015) through now, except for when the batteries were upgraded to 4 each L16's and when the solar charger was connected. This consisted of around 2 hours OFF total. Everything works just fine.

[HarleySG]

Originally Posted by neilnoff

In reviewing the emails from Entegra over the past few weeks, I re-read the one form Joyce with the link regarding recommended storage procedure. We have a 2020 Anthem, stored in an enclosed RV Barn with 50amp power and the power cord reaches the outlet. Per the instructions:

1. Empty fridge, icemaker & external freezer (Done & we turned the fridge off)
2. Unplug any unnecessary power cords (phone chargers, coffee maker,etc.) - (Done)
3. Turn off all lights in the coach (Done)
4. Turn off the inverter(s) as precaution against the storage facility losing power & our batteries running down. - Didn't do this (yet) because I remember from our dealer orientation the instructions were to "never" touch the inverter(s). We have stored various rigs here for 4+ years, with never a loss of power, but what do you all think?
5. Turn off main power switch at passenger console - Didn't do this either (yet). I assume this is the "Salesman switch" red light button on the lower panel by the entry steps passenger side. Any thoughts on this and does it make a difference in turning this off based on whether or not the inverter(s) are left on or off? OR should I just basically leave everything "as is?"

I assume the factory knows best, but just want to do a sanity check with you all to see how you all are taking care of your storage "settings." I typically screw things up when I start making changes and don't want to cause any unforeseen problems. Thanks as always & stay safe everyone--

I do, as you have it written above as my storage lot is not close to home, where I can keep an eye on the power provided by the facility. Same holds true if your storage lot has 50 amp or 15 amp. Again, in my case, it's because i'm remote from my MH and want to preserve the batteries as much as possible.

1, 2, and 3 are pretty straight forward.
4. On my coach, (can't tell what year your coach is), I have one inverter and use the Magnum Control to enable the charger, and disable the Inverter. Why do I disable the Inverter. Because I don't have the means to remotely monitor the supplied power from the Storage Facility. If the facility looses power for an extended period of time, leaving the inverter on, will drain your batteries over time, until the power is restored. Leaving the Inverter on, while not at the coach, serves no purpose for me. Why supply power to your inverter circuits if nothing is plugged into them anyway.
5. Yes, it's the salesman switch. Again, nothing to gain by leaving it on, so I power mine off.

Cheers!

[Nowabeachbum]

We turn the refer off(throw the breaker and leave it open). We also turn the inverters off. We do not turn off the “salesman switch”. We leave it on so that we can contact the Vegatouch, although now that Firefly will be charging for this, we may reconsider. We also have a dehumidifier plugged in and it drains into the sink.

[Turbojack]

Keep Coach at home in garage on 50A power

Refrig on
Summer 1 AC on about 85 or 88
Inverter Off.

There is nothing much in the refrig so if loose power for long time would just throw away what spoiled. With inverters off do not have to worry about batterys running down on a power failure. Have had a few this last year. Most time the outage was around 3 or 4 hours so was not worried about refrig getting too warm and also batteries being run down by inverters.

[hdgoldie]

Ours is stored beside our house with 50 amp power. Power is on, fridge is on but ice maker is off, A/C is set between 80 and 85 depending on zone. We are far enough south to not worry about freezes but if we ever got that cold I would turn the heat on low. Basement freezer is off but the coach freezer is stocked with enough supplies to make an emergency exit if ever needed. Our inverter is on but we have never had issues with extended power outages. Something to think about tho -

[GKW]

I have my coach in a hanger on 30 amp power and leave the refer on all the time.On my last coach I always turned off the residential fridge in storage and had the refer compressor fail in the first year as soon as I turned it back on before a trip. My thinking was that refers in most homes run for years with no problems at all being on all the time. With that in mind I keep the refer on while in storage with the theory that with most all things electro-mechanical the more use the better it will last.

[Marcosdad]

I store indoors with 20 amp. Refer and microwave off with doors open (breakers tripped). Inverters off and salesman switch off. My garage has lost power before (twice in about 6 years) and having parasite draws off helps the batteries maintain until "help" arrives.

[brobox]

I store in an aircraft hanger with 20 amps. Both inverters off, one battery charger on. Refrigerator is on to keep the beer cold and a dehumidifier running on the kitchen counter.
If I want to run one A/C while working inside the coach, turn off the fridge and dehumidifier and one AC will run.
If I had 50 amp I wouldn't shut anything down except the inverter to help if the power did go out.

[neilnoff]

Just to close the loop on this thread, I decided to follow the directions from the tech at Entegra. Plugged in to 50amp, with all lights, fridge, etc. off, turned off the inverters at the VegaTouch & turned off the salesman switch. Not too far from my house, so will be checking every week to keep an eye on things. Thanks to you all for your comments & responses.

[soundsuperio]

If anyone has the storage email from Joyce and PJ could you either post the entire thing here or forward a copy to me at hilreneee@hotmail.com.
Thanks, I cannot find the email and think it would be good to put a Copt in my book.
Thanks
Steve