Battery winter storage

I keep a battery tender on mine year round anytime that it's parked for more than a week. I'm still running the original battery installed by Ford in 2003.

Charge the battery fully. Disconnect it.

-or-

Invest in a modest solar system.

I pull the battery after the last trip and store it in the garage. It's not a heated garage but gets enough heat from the house that it never gets below freezing. I'll check the voltage every week or so and if it drops below about 12.85 I'll hook it up to the tender. It's an inexpensive tender so I'm not comfortable leaving the tender attached for more then a couple of days.

I like to disconnect the batteries, both house and chassis, charge them slowly until full, then leave alone until spring time. Recharge in spring, hook up, and all is well. But this is done in a heated garage. If I kept the rig outside in winter, I would bring in the batteries.

I don't run the engine or generator every-other week like other people recommend. I think it can do more harm than good. But again, our rig is in heated storage which may make all the difference. I practice this on all my winter-stored vehicles including collector cars. Been doing so for 25 years.

I don't know if this is the current thinking, or if there even is such a thing.

I have a Battery Minder Plus on my coach battery and a NAPA trickle charger on my truck battery. I have done this for years and and the batteries have done well.