Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Keystone RV Forums > Keystone Fleet | Keystone RV Models > Lite Weight Trailers
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 10-31-2013, 02:30 PM   #1
erjs05
Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Norton Ma
Posts: 52
Battery for winter

We live in New England and I've always charged my battery and brought it inside for the winter. Is there a downside to leaving it on the camper and keeping the camper plug in all winter? Right now it's sitting in the driveway with a fully charged battery and the camper is plugged into a 30amp service, thanks for any advice.
__________________
2013 Passport 2300bh
erjs05 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2013, 02:45 PM   #2
Festus2
Site Team
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Fraser Valley BC Canada
Posts: 7,015
I've never bought my batteries in over the winter and as long as the water levels are maintained and they are in a fully charged condition, they have done just fine. You can use a trickle charger on them or plug in your RV to shore power on a regular basis and let the converter charge them up. You don't have to leave your RV plugged in all the time - just make sure the batteries don't become discharged or are left to sit with little or no water.
__________________
2008 Cougar 5th Wheel 27RKS
2005 2500 GMC Duramax
Festus2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2013, 02:49 PM   #3
bp926
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: NJ
Posts: 24
erjs05

I have always left the tt plugged in through the winter. I will every so often unplug to give the battery something to do. I had my last battery over 5 years.

Brian
__________________
Brian & Trudie
2015 Chevy Silverado 2500HD
2014 Bullet 246RBS
bp926 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2013, 05:36 PM   #4
erjs05
Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Norton Ma
Posts: 52
Thanks guys.
__________________
2013 Passport 2300bh
erjs05 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-07-2014, 04:17 AM   #5
AlCorr
Senior Member
 
AlCorr's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: New Bedford, MA
Posts: 167
Quote:
Originally Posted by bp926 View Post
erjs05

I have always left the tt plugged in through the winter. I will every so often unplug to give the battery something to do. I had my last battery over 5 years.

Brian
I do the same, leave it plugged to shore power all winter, while unplugging once in awhile to give the batteries something to do.
__________________
2012 Bullet 248RKS
2004.5 Dodge 5.9L Cummins
Honda EU2000i
New Bedford, MA
https://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f2...R/IMG_1198.jpg
AlCorr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-07-2014, 05:37 AM   #6
GaryWT
Senior Member
 
GaryWT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: MA
Posts: 3,153
I, for whatever reason, take the battery out for the winter and have it sitting on a shelf in the basement. I will put it in the end of this month or April and the trailer will be plugged in until October. In the days that we had a golf cart, we use to charge the batteries and hope they made it through the winter without freezing. Anyway I am sure it is fine either way.
__________________
2013 Premier 31BHPR
2014 F350 6.2L
Soon to be just DW and I
GaryWT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-09-2014, 08:39 AM   #7
TLB
Senior Member
 
TLB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Essexville, MI
Posts: 262
I pulled mine in September and but a battery tender on it for the winter.
__________________

2014 Passport Elite 31RE

2017 2500HD Crew Cab
TLB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-09-2014, 11:52 AM   #8
bsmith0404
Senior Member
 
bsmith0404's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Las Cruces
Posts: 4,665
Quote:
Originally Posted by TLB View Post
I pulled mine in September and but a battery tender on it for the winter.
X2...well Oct not Sep.
__________________

Brent
2013 Alpine 3500RE
2019 Silverado 2500HD Duramax
U.S. Air Force Retired (25 yrs)
bsmith0404 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-11-2014, 02:30 AM   #9
moose308
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 22
battery tender from Harbor freight works great
moose308 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-04-2018, 02:41 AM   #10
Cracker727
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Damascus
Posts: 6
Quote:
Originally Posted by TLB View Post
I pulled mine in September and but a battery tender on it for the winter.
What make and model of battery tender do you use?
Cracker727 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-04-2018, 02:59 AM   #11
RagingRobert
Gone Traveling
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Ajax
Posts: 431
Yes a battery "tender" is perfect. A trickle charge will eventually overcharge your battery and can be dangerous. Just passing on some good info I received from here. Mines set up in the garage.
RagingRobert is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-04-2018, 03:02 AM   #12
RagingRobert
Gone Traveling
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Ajax
Posts: 431
Here's the one I purchased from amazon.
"Battery Tender Plus 021-0128, 1.25 Amp Battery Charger is a Smart Charger, it will Fully Charge and Maintain a Battery at Proper Storage Voltage without the Damaging Effects Caused by Trickle Chargers"
RagingRobert is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-04-2018, 06:46 AM   #13
spade117
Senior Member
 
spade117's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 286
Quote:
Originally Posted by RagingRobert View Post
"Battery Tender Plus 021-0128, 1.25 Amp Battery Charger
I use the same one.
__________________
2018 Springdale Summerland Series 3030BH
2018 Ram 2500 HD 6.4L Hemi Big Horn 4x4
spade117 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-04-2018, 11:45 AM   #14
UsTwo
Senior Member
 
UsTwo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Saint Charles, Misssoui
Posts: 163
Well I leave my battery in and use a solar charger I got from Amazon. Just finished 4th year on the same battery.
__________________


Craig
Kathie
2013 Keystone Cougar
X-Lite 31 RKS
UsTwo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-04-2018, 12:10 PM   #15
PARAPTOR
Site Team | Emeritus
 
PARAPTOR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Western PA
Posts: 2,732
Decided to add this info from a portion of another post since it has a reference to Batteries in storage as well as Gen Maintenance.

Over the last 6+ years I have never removed the batteries during the winter storage months. The first 4 years I did not have the Raptor hooked to power using a 15 Amp connection but ran the generator once a month under load around 45 minutes. during this time the on board converter charged the battery during that time with no issues.

The last 2+ years in storage I have had the Raptor hooked to power with an extension cord and rely on the on board converter to take care of the batteries. Same generator procedure, of course when the gen fires up the transfer switch transfers power from the 15 Amp service to the Gen.

Knock on wood over all these years I have had no battery or generator issues
__________________
2013 RAPTOR 300MP w/Rear Patio Deck NO Folding Side Ladder
2013 Silverado 3500HD LTZ CC LB 4X4 DRW
Duramax 6.6L Turbo Diesel; Allison Trans
Reese 20K; Carlisle Radial Trail RH/HD; TPMS (12 Tires)

Veteran


PSU (GO LIONS)
PARAPTOR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-04-2018, 12:49 PM   #16
RagingRobert
Gone Traveling
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Ajax
Posts: 431
I guess there's many ways to maintain a battery but when in storage you have to remove it and maintain it elsewhere. You never want to let it die and freeze.
RagingRobert is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-04-2018, 05:32 PM   #17
PARAPTOR
Site Team | Emeritus
 
PARAPTOR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Western PA
Posts: 2,732
Quote:
Originally Posted by RagingRobert View Post
I guess there's many ways to maintain a battery but when in storage you have to remove it and maintain it elsewhere. You never want to let it die and freeze.
Members store their rigs differently in the winter months, some of us store the rig near their home, some do not have access while in storage, some have access to power and some not, therefore as you stated different ways to maintain a battery.
__________________
2013 RAPTOR 300MP w/Rear Patio Deck NO Folding Side Ladder
2013 Silverado 3500HD LTZ CC LB 4X4 DRW
Duramax 6.6L Turbo Diesel; Allison Trans
Reese 20K; Carlisle Radial Trail RH/HD; TPMS (12 Tires)

Veteran


PSU (GO LIONS)
PARAPTOR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-04-2018, 06:55 PM   #18
sourdough
Site Team
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,600
Quote:
Originally Posted by RagingRobert View Post
I guess there's many ways to maintain a battery but when in storage you have to remove it and maintain it elsewhere. You never want to let it die and freeze.

This quote would not be correct for many folks. I've never done that and never had any issues, in fact lots less work than removing the batteries, finding a place to put them, put battery tenders on them etc. Mine just take care of themselves...….more or less
__________________
Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
sourdough is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-05-2018, 05:09 AM   #19
66joej
Senior Member
 
66joej's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: radium hot springs bc
Posts: 2,007
Quote:
Originally Posted by RagingRobert View Post
I guess there's many ways to maintain a battery but when in storage you have to remove it and maintain it elsewhere. You never want to let it die and freeze.
I'm thinking you mean pull them if there is no AC power to run the converter.
__________________

2018 Ram 3500 6.4 Harvest Edition
2018 Cougar 27RESWE
66joej is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-05-2018, 06:45 AM   #20
RagingRobert
Gone Traveling
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Ajax
Posts: 431
Yes, my trailer is stored in a outdoor facility with no hydro and a lot of winter. I would have to go there every what 4-6 weeks, bring the generator and charge it. Much easier to bring it home. I wish I had a big enough driveway....
RagingRobert is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
battery, winter

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates in any way. Keystone RV® is a registered trademark of the Keystone RV Company.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 02:46 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.