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Old 11-08-2018, 12:26 PM   #1
Jchism759
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RV Battery for storage

Just wondering what you do with the RV battery during storage?

Does anyone use a solar charger to keep the battery charged and leave the battery in the RV?
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Old 11-08-2018, 12:42 PM   #2
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since I store away from the house. I pulled them (6 volt GC batteries), brought them home and put them on a trickle charger in the garage.

Just what I did. During the season, I installed a full cutoff switch. the batteries last between trips that way. A solar trickle charger would do the job as well.
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Old 11-08-2018, 01:15 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jchism759 View Post
Just wondering what you do with the RV battery during storage?

Does anyone use a solar charger to keep the battery charged and leave the battery in the RV?
Not sure of your location. I tried a solar panel to keep an RV battery charged. Trouble is we get snow here and the panel has to see the sun to produce power. So my plan didn't work. Cloudy weather is also a deterrent though some may say it only needs daylight. If you do use a solar charger be sure to have a voltage regulator in the system. YMMV
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Old 11-08-2018, 01:51 PM   #4
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Thanks for the reply’s! I am in Louisville, KY so can get some snow but usually not a lot. I live in an apartment/Condo and do not have a personal garage to leave a battery plugged in to a trickle charger, that would be the ideal situation. I will probably get a full cutoff battery switch as suggested that can also somehow be used switched to solar charging during the off season.
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Old 11-08-2018, 01:58 PM   #5
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Personally, I wouldn't charge a battery I couldn't keep an occasional eye on. I pull the batteries at the end of our season and store them in the garage on a battery tender. I check the water level a couple of times a month just for my peace of mind.
We do use a solar panel to charge the batteries when in the field during the season.
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Old 11-08-2018, 02:55 PM   #6
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I removed the battery when the session ends and storage them into the holder.Then I check the water level and start to charge .
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Old 11-08-2018, 03:04 PM   #7
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You guys adding distilled water or tap.
I buy a gallon of distilled, it last a long time.
I use a dog syringe with a little hose ,also works good if you overfill past the line.
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Old 11-08-2018, 03:37 PM   #8
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always distilled in the batteries. and irons and steamers etc.
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Old 11-08-2018, 08:38 PM   #9
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I think our water would be considered "Hard" if weren't for the arsenic
Distilled for sure!
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Old 11-08-2018, 08:45 PM   #10
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I disconnect the ground cable, leave them in the rv with a 2 amp solar charger connected. In Arizona so NO snow, thank goodness, & plenty of sun. So far they've went from 12.3 volts to 11.9 in 2-3 months & have ran the slides once in that time, so very pleased with the setup.
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Old 11-08-2018, 08:59 PM   #11
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You guys adding distilled water or tap.
I buy a gallon of distilled, it last a long time.
I use a dog syringe with a little hose ,also works good if you overfill past the line.
I have 2 X GC2 6 volt batteries and bought this to hook the battery's cells together and this pump to fill them from a gallon bottle of distilled water.

It works great, the hose from the batteries is accessible from a hole in the battery box and I just connect it to the pump, drop the other end of the pump tube in a jug of water, squeeze the bulb until it will not squeeze any more and then they are full of water and never get over filled.

I have 30 amp service where I park the camper, so the batteries are connected all the time.

-Brian
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Old 11-09-2018, 06:01 AM   #12
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I remove and connect a battery tender to it.
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Old 11-09-2018, 06:08 AM   #13
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I'm just thinking out loud here, and I realize that many of us don't live anywhere even close to places where insulated boots, gloves and ski masks are necessary, so this certainly doesn't apply to all the membership.....

Wet cell batteries typically don't freeze when subjected to extremely cold weather. They do lose some of their capability to store and release energy, but the cold temperature won't damage them as long as they are fully charged. That's not the case with "add on water systems" that keep the battery electrolyte level full. Hanging a gallon of distilled water, tubing and a manifold system to keep the battery "topped off", isn't protected from the weather. That system, at least in "this neck of the woods" would be rendered frozen solid, unable to deliver water to the batteries and potentially damaged from the ice expansion within the tubing/manifold.

I guess what I'm saying is that this type of "automatic watering system" can work great for some of us, but not for those who live where it's colder than 32F for prolonged times.
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Old 11-09-2018, 08:14 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by travelin texans View Post
I disconnect the ground cable, leave them in the rv with a 2 amp solar charger connected. In Arizona so NO snow, thank goodness, & plenty of sun. So far they've went from 12.3 volts to 11.9 in 2-3 months & have ran the slides once in that time, so very pleased with the setup.
Danny, I'm pretty sure 11.9 volts is a 60% discharged battery. You may want to beef up your charger.
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Old 11-09-2018, 08:20 AM   #15
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... Hanging a gallon of distilled water, tubing and a manifold system to keep the battery "topped off", isn't protected from the weather. That system, at least in "this neck of the woods" would be rendered frozen solid, unable to deliver water to the batteries and potentially damaged from the ice expansion within the tubing/manifold.

I guess what I'm saying is that this type of "automatic watering system" can work great for some of us, but not for those who live where it's colder than 32F for prolonged times.
Hi John,

Mine is not automatic, there is a quick disconnect, on the squeeze ball tubing, which connects to the manifold and associated tubing and that does remain connected to the batteries, I have had no issues with freeze damage (I presume any water left in the tubing will eventually drain into the batteries as required).

The system just makes it super easy to maintain battery water levels, filling all cells, in both batteries at once.

YMMV

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Old 11-09-2018, 08:22 AM   #16
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Mine are removed and stored in my garage. I fill with distilled water when necessary and charged monthly or when needed. With temperatures reaching as low as -40 degrees Celsius in my neck of the woods there would not be much of a battery left if it sat in those conditions for 6 months.
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Old 11-09-2018, 12:34 PM   #17
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Hi John,

Mine is not automatic, there is a quick disconnect, on the squeeze ball tubing, which connects to the manifold and associated tubing and that does remain connected to the batteries, I have had no issues with freeze damage (I presume any water left in the tubing will eventually drain into the batteries as required).

The system just makes it super easy to maintain battery water levels, filling all cells, in both batteries at once.

YMMV

-Brian
I have the same topup system and it works great. I just remove it with the batteries for the winter (Canada) and keep in my heated shop with occasional trickle charging with trickle charger. Worked well so far.
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Old 11-09-2018, 07:10 PM   #18
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Danny, I'm pretty sure 11.9 volts is a 60% discharged battery. You may want to beef up your charger.
Thanks I'll check it out.
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Old 11-15-2018, 08:34 AM   #19
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just plugged in

Am I doing it wrong? I just leave the trailer plugged in over winter. Never had a problem.
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Old 11-15-2018, 08:53 AM   #20
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If you can leave it plugged in great. Unfortunately this is not an option for me personally.
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