How to prevent dead starting battery in storage?
I have a 2012 Class C (Thor Four Winds) with a Ford E-350 chassis. After sitting for 3 months in storage (shame on me) I found the starting battery completely dead. I assume there are 'things' that discharge the battery over time? I was able to start the rig with the emergency start switch from the house batteries. Now I have it on the charger hoping that there is no permanent damage.
The question is: how to prevent this in the future? I could:
A) disconnect the starting battery while in storage (not sure if that would cause other problems)
or B) I have a 100 W solar panel on the house batteries - maybe I could hook that to starting battery as well? But how? direct wiring to the starting battery or maybe to the cigarette lighter? For some reason I kinda don't want to mix the house and starting batteries.
or C) put a separate small solar panel up for the starting battery? (I kinda hate to do that - can't just put on the dashboard cause I use a vinyl cover on the windshield)
Note that I do not have access to 110V in the storage yard.
My old 1998 Jayco E350 never had this problem. I never worried about the starting battery.
The question is: how to prevent this in the future? I could:
A) disconnect the starting battery while in storage (not sure if that would cause other problems)
or B) I have a 100 W solar panel on the house batteries - maybe I could hook that to starting battery as well? But how? direct wiring to the starting battery or maybe to the cigarette lighter? For some reason I kinda don't want to mix the house and starting batteries.
or C) put a separate small solar panel up for the starting battery? (I kinda hate to do that - can't just put on the dashboard cause I use a vinyl cover on the windshield)
Note that I do not have access to 110V in the storage yard.
My old 1998 Jayco E350 never had this problem. I never worried about the starting battery.
