Quote:
Originally Posted by DOWva
... The dealer told me unless I turn the disconnect to the off position the battery would last only a couple weeks. However I do keep it plugged in when at home in the backyard so I never have a dead battery problem
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Remember, ALL battery manufacturers recommend that a "marine/RV" battery not be discharged below about 60% and a "true deep cycle battery" not be discharged below about 50%. Discharging beyond that level will potentially damage the lead/acid plates and destroy the battery.
Turning the OEM battery cutoff switch to OFF will not completely disconnect all loads on the battery (in almost every RV), so there is still a small "parasitic drain" that will continue to draw battery power. Once the battery charge falls below the 50-60% level, destruction/sulfur plating starts to occur and battery damage begins. Many times this is irreversible, meaning permanent battery damage is occurring while the trailer is in storage with the OEM battery cutoff switch in the off position due to the small, parasitic load. Every time an owner goes to the storage yard to get his trailer and the battery is dead, he has "killed a part of his battery" and shortened its lifespan.
Keeping the trailer plugged in will prevent discharge below the "safe level" but any time a battery is being charged, bubbles occur on the plates inside the battery. As these bubbles rise, they "aerate" the acid and lead to evaporation of the acid/water mixture. As this moisture moves through the vent holes in the battery cell covers, the liquid level falls. This is occurring, even in "maintenance free" batteries. Even though evaporation is "minimized" by battery construction and monitored by the converter/charger in most RV's, it still occurs and checking the batter electrolyte level is an important step in ALL batteries that are in a "constant state of charge" in any RV setting.