RV Storage and Power Settings (opinions please)

[JKC2020]

Looking for options/opinions on how to set up our RV when in storage lot... I searched to see if there were any similar threads and did not see one with my conditions... Thanks in advance for any/all inputs

Our scenario:

Pretty nice paved & covered storage setup that has 15amp service (only 2hrs per day - on a timer) for each RV parking spot...

Have anything from large Class A to small travel trailers at the facility. I noticed that most Class A & Class C units are plugged in. Some 5ers and TTs are plugged in and some not...

In the past we have plugged in (we are Super C), kept the Battery Switch for both Truck and House ON and let the Magnum Inverter/Charger do its own thing when we get our 2hrs of electrical power per day. We have everything OFF in the RV (fridge, microwave, AC units, etc. OFF at the breakers), but know that the Smoke/CO2 detectors etc. are still drawing some... Everything has been fine for the 10+mths we have been there (until this past couple weeks)... Sometime in the past couple weeks we lost power

So the House batteries were dead... I had to get my portable charger to the RV to get the House batts back above the min 9volt for the Magnum to work. The Truck batts are still fine! I got everything back up and running now, but will see how bad the House/two AGM 8Ds are (if they will hold a charge?!?!)... Come to find out my/our power post has some kind of power issue. When I got everything up and running (and the storage facility reset my power breaker) I plugged into my assigned plug. About 5min the power post breaker blew again (controller was showing normal ops with BULK Charge)!!! I plugged into open plug for storage spot next to me (each 2 parking spots on separate breaker) and sat there for an hour and all worked fine... So facility is working on getting an electrician out to check the problem/fix our 15amp service as it doesn't look like an RV issue...

So my questions are:
- Run like I have been with power connected for past 10+mths and let Magnum do it's thing every day for 2hrs?
- Turn OFF the Battery Switch for both the Truck and House every time I park?
- Buy a Battery Minder, still turn OFF the Battery Switch, and have that work the 2hrs I get each evening?
- Other ideas?? OR questions???

[amosnandy]

Originally Posted by JKC2020

Looking for options/opinions on how to set up our RV when in storage lot... I searched to see if there were any similar threads and did not see one with my conditions... Thanks in advance for any/all inputs

Our scenario:

Pretty nice paved & covered storage setup that has 15amp service (only 2hrs per day - on a timer) for each RV parking spot...

Have anything from large Class A to small travel trailers at the facility. I noticed that most Class A & Class C units are plugged in. Some 5ers and TTs are plugged in and some not...

In the past we have plugged in (we are Super C), kept the Battery Switch for both Truck and House ON and let the Magnum Inverter/Charger do its own thing when we get our 2hrs of electrical power per day. We have everything OFF in the RV (fridge, microwave, AC units, etc. OFF at the breakers), but know that the Smoke/CO2 detectors etc. are still drawing some... Everything has been fine for the 10+mths we have been there (until this past couple weeks)... Sometime in the past couple weeks we lost power

So the House batteries were dead... I had to get my portable charger to the RV to get the House batts back above the min 9volt for the Magnum to work. The Truck batts are still fine! I got everything back up and running now, but will see how bad the House/two AGM 8Ds are (if they will hold a charge?!?!)... Come to find out my/our power post has some kind of power issue. When I got everything up and running (and the storage facility reset my power breaker) I plugged into my assigned plug. About 5min the power post breaker blew again (controller was showing normal ops with BULK Charge)!!! I plugged into open plug for storage spot next to me (each 2 parking spots on separate breaker) and sat there for an hour and all worked fine... So facility is working on getting an electrician out to check the problem/fix our 15amp service as it doesn't look like an RV issue...

So my questions are:
- Run like I have been with power connected for past 10+mths and let Magnum do it's thing every day for 2hrs?
- Turn OFF the Battery Switch for both the Truck and House every time I park?
- Buy a Battery Minder, still turn OFF the Battery Switch, and have that work the 2hrs I get each evening?
- Other ideas?? OR questions???

Sounds like you are doing it right. With the fridge off, the salesman switch off, you should have minimal power draw.

2 hours a day should be more than enough to top off the batteries.

The only suggestion I would have, is see if you get a reading on how many watts the rig draws when the power is on for the two hours. I have a Kilowatt. Little device you plug into a 120 line and tells you how many watts whatever you have plugged in draws. Then disconnect, put a 1 amp battery tender on measure that. I would bet a 1 amp battery tender would draw less power in 24 hours than your converter for 2 hours. Maybe you can convince the landlord to change his policy.

As for your dead batteries. Unless they sat for a long time, dead, you probably did not hurt them much, if any. Do it multiple times you might worry. One tool I think every RV'r should have is a battery tester. Not just the load tester, or voltage tester. I spent about $65 and got a good one, that tells me if a cell is shorted, is dead, what the load range is, the status of charge pretty much everything you need to know.

Charge them full and then test them. I bet they are still above 95%of rated capacity.

[Sbrownstein]

Do what he said...then disconnect the negative lead on both house and chassis...and leave them for the winter. 3% per month charge loss. You will be more than fine in the spring.

[Winemaker2]

I store my MH with (2) Battery Minders (TM)`on the chassis and house banks (wired directly to batty terminals ) and both disconnect switches off. Im in the minority as most just plug in and use the onboard charger. I prefer not running the charger 24/7 and have had very good luck with battys kept on a quality maintainer. My storage location has waved the power fee with only maintainers plugged in.

If not mistaken many chargers will cycle through bulk & absorption before switching to float. I dont know if that is good for a fully charged battery to see every day? Others more knowledgeable may have an opinion but it worth considering. I also believe some of those parameters are adjustable on the Magnums.

If you have a Magnum inverter be aware... they recommend disconnecting Pos first / connecting Pos last to avoid possible damage.

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[JKC2020]

2 hours a day should be more than enough to top off the batteries.

That's the way things have been going for the past 10mths... Batteries have been fully charged (before lost power)!

As for your dead batteries. Unless they sat for a long time, dead, you probably did not hurt them much, if any. Do it multiple times you might worry.

Keeping the fingers crossed!?! Hope for the best!!!!

...then disconnect the negative lead on both house and chassis...and leave them for the winter.

No "winter" for us... Live in AZ, so use her all year long!!

If not mistaken many chargers will cycle through bulk & absorption before switching to float. I dont know if that is good for a fully charged battery to see every day? Others more knowledgeable may have an opinion but it worth considering. I also believe some of those parameters are adjustable on the Magnums.

If you have a Magnum inverter be aware... they recommend disconnecting Pos first / connecting Pos last to avoid possible damage.

Good points... Will check the Magnum Manual and see if I want to adjust settings... As you mentioned when power first comes on it goes to BULK, then ABSORBTION,... So not sure if that's good/bad every day??? And, IF/WHEN I need to disconnect batteries I did plan to shut off the Battery Switch first (which is on the Pos line). So would be disconnecting Pos from the inverter first...

[153stars]

Is there a charge only setting or when power drops out does inverter kick in. A few days just inverting will draw down batteries.
My Trip-lite has charge only switch. But for some reason that will drop a GFCI outlet when invert/charge setting does not.

[tcg]

If you're not powering anything and using the RV just switch off the batteries and don't bother plugging in.

Ours did not have a switch when we bought it so I installed a switch that disconnects both house batteries from the rig. During the season we just park it and turn off the battery switch. There is no way possible for anything to drain the battery.

For the winter we just park it with fully charged batteries and then turn off the battery switch and don't give it a second thought until spring. The batteries never drop below 12.5 volts. We stop by a few times during the winter, turn the switch on to get lights and then turn it off when we leave. Never charge them at all during the winter.

It works for us.

[Winemaker2]

Originally Posted by JKC2020

[B]


IF/WHEN I need to disconnect batteries I did plan to shut off the Battery Switch first (which is on the Pos line). So would be disconnecting Pos from the inverter first...

Just confirm the Magnum feed is run through the switch. Some MHs the switch is for all 12V house loads but the inverter feed is separate and bypasses the switch and is controlled by the inverter remote panel.

Sent from my SM-T387V using iRV2 - RV Forum mobile app

[JKC2020]

Originally Posted by 153stars

Is there a charge only setting or when power drops out does inverter kick in. A few days just inverting will draw down batteries.
My Trip-lite has charge only switch. But for some reason that will drop a GFCI outlet when invert/charge setting does not.

With our Magnum Controller setup it will charge the batteries when the power is connected (my 2hr window). And will be OFF when there's no power... I have to turn ON the inverter when I want to be "inverting"... We don't keep the fridge stocked/cold during storage... No other need to power up anything while in the lot.

So far I have been checking the batteries during the OFF power time (only live 10-15min away from the lot) and they seem to be "holding" their voltage... Will see how they work on our next trip!?! Hoping there wasn't too much damage draining them down...

[JKC2020]

Originally Posted by tcg

If you're not powering anything and using the RV just switch off the batteries and don't bother plugging in.

Ours did not have a switch when we bought it so I installed a switch that disconnects both house batteries from the rig. During the season we just park it and turn off the battery switch. There is no way possible for anything to drain the battery.

For the winter we just park it with fully charged batteries and then turn off the battery switch and don't give it a second thought until spring. The batteries never drop below 12.5 volts. We stop by a few times during the winter, turn the switch on to get lights and then turn it off when we leave. Never charge them at all during the winter.

It works for us.

I'm thinking that may be a very good plan... Sure would make things a bit quicker/easier when parking at the lot

[JKC2020]

Originally Posted by Winemaker2

Just confirm the Magnum feed is run through the switch. Some MHs the switch is for all 12V house loads but the inverter feed is separate and bypasses the switch and is controlled by the inverter remote panel.

Sent from my SM-T387V using iRV2 - RV Forum mobile app

Will do... I'm pretty sure we're OK, but will confirm... Thanks