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09-15-2013, 03:44 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Eagle
Posts: 109
Idaho
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General battery questions
Ok, some general battery questions:
1. After fully charging, should I keep the rig plugged in when in storage? Or does that reduce battery life? If I shouldn't keep it plugged in, should I disconnect the battery during non-winter storage, once it is fully charged? During winter, I assume I should fully charge then remove the batteries to warmer storage and then fully charge in the spring. Correct?
2. Should I keep a trickle charge on during storage, or just recharge in the spring?
3. My Voltage 3905 has a battery disconnect...does this completely isolate the batteries? Should have checked this before I pulled the batteries (and will when I decide what batteries to replace these with), but in meantime????
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09-15-2013, 03:58 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: East Bolton
Posts: 167
Quebec
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I'll tell you what I do. I'm no expert, but I have never had to replace a battery in my 6 years of RVing.
Between camping trips, I plug in for 24 hours to ensure full charge then I shut off the battery disconnect (which does completely isolate the batteries). About once a month, I turn the battery disconnect back on and plug in again for 24 hours to re-charge.
During cold weather, remove the batteries and store in a warmer environment (but NOT on a concrete floor, so I have been told but I'm not exactly sure why). Keeping them on a trickle charge is recommended.
This what has worked for me.
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Kevin, Barb and Jake (the Golden/Lab Mix)
East Bolton, Quebec, Canada
2012 Infinity 3640RL
2012 GMC 2500HD Diesel
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09-15-2013, 04:40 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: MILLINGTON
Posts: 227
Michigan
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kevinmiles
I'll tell you what I do. I'm no expert, but I have never had to replace a battery in my 6 years of RVing.
Between camping trips, I plug in for 24 hours to ensure full charge then I shut off the battery disconnect (which does completely isolate the batteries). About once a month, I turn the battery disconnect back on and plug in again for 24 hours to re-charge.
During cold weather, remove the batteries and store in a warmer environment (but NOT on a concrete floor, so I have been told but I'm not exactly sure why). Keeping them on a trickle charge is recommended.
This what has worked for me.
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I believe that "concrete floor" is urban legend. Batteries of yore were not very well insulated from power loss while sitting on a concrete floor. todays battteries are built with a whole lot better stuff. google it.
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Rick and Debbie & Ted E. Bear too
SUMMER MICHIGANDERS/WINTER TEXANS
INSTEAD OF GUEST TO OUR FORUM, REGISTER AND BECOME A MEMBER. COST IS FREE! YOUR INSIGHT, IDEAS AND PROBLEMS: PRICELESS!!]
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09-15-2013, 04:54 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 600
Nevada
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kevinmiles
I'll tell you what I do. I'm no expert, but I have never had to replace a battery in my 6 years of RVing.
Between camping trips, I plug in for 24 hours to ensure full charge then I shut off the battery disconnect (which does completely isolate the batteries). About once a month, I turn the battery disconnect back on and plug in again for 24 hours to re-charge.
During cold weather, remove the batteries and store in a warmer environment (but NOT on a concrete floor, so I have been told but I'm not exactly sure why). Keeping them on a trickle charge is recommended.
This what has worked for me.
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Disconnect does not completely remove load from battery, the Alarms are hard wired into battery (safety) CO/Propane.
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2017 Dodge Ram 3500 DRW
2014 Voltage 3200
2005 FLHTCI
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09-15-2013, 06:56 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: East Bolton
Posts: 167
Quebec
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My disconnect switch definitely removes all the load from the batteries. It is in one of the main cables coming off the batteries. My smoke detectors have their own 9-volt batteries and the gas/carbon monoxide detector has a blinking green light which no longer blinks when I have the disconnect switch off. I guess not all these trailers are wired the same! Note that if I am connected to shore power, even if the disconnect is off, everything runs off the converter.
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Kevin, Barb and Jake (the Golden/Lab Mix)
East Bolton, Quebec, Canada
2012 Infinity 3640RL
2012 GMC 2500HD Diesel
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09-17-2013, 12:08 PM
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#6
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Chapter Director
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Findlay
Posts: 286
Ohio
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If you do take out the battery put it on a trickle charger. Use the one that has the charging and storage light. I do the same thing as kevinmiles does.
On the motorcycle I keep the trickle charger on all winter and never have had a problem. Of course the only month I didn't ride this past winter was Feb.
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Bill & Sallie and most of the time Bella (Standard) Black Poodle
X - 2013 Voltage 3200 Owner
Now Winnebago Vista
Findlay, Oh.
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09-18-2013, 09:27 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: kamloops
Posts: 2,152
British Columbia
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My neighbor has used a solar panel on all his batteries, (Suburban, car, TT and ham radio) the smaller maintenance versions came on the market. He also services on of the radio towers that supports the Search and Rescue and emergency services.
He gets routinely gets more years out of his batteries than I ever had, by keeping on the maintenance charge. By keeping a trickle charge on you are not causing the shock of recovery from voltage drop.
Batteries just like tires love to be pampered. Here's a link the gives you some great information on the care and feeding of batteries. BatteryStuff Articles | Guide to Understanding Flooded, AGM, and Gel Batteries
Follow the routine that is layed out and you will be suprised at how long your batteries can last.
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