Six volt battery question.

To use or charge the batteries it has to be on.

O.K. but what if I do not wish to use or charge....?

For a month or two in clement weather, simply disconnect them. In below freezing weather, leave them on a smart charger or bring them inside to heat. Conversely, in extremely hot temps, get them to more moderate ones.

I turn my house batteries off more than on. Once plugged in to shore power I turn them off until the night before leaving. They charge when driving my RV. At home I only plug my rig in to charge them occasionally unless we are planning a trip, then a couple days ahead.
I rarely need to add water to mine using them this way.

Time for you to do some reading on RV battery basics. Try http://www.marxrv.com/12volt/12volt.htm

bcamp0404 wrote:
O.K. but what if I do not wish to use or charge....?

You are making this too complicated.

Assuming that you have a decent converter/charger, there is no reason not to leave the switch in the ON position when it is plugged in.

The switch NEEDS to be turned off ONLY when the unit will not be in use, and not plugged in, for more than a few days.

Watching the charging voltage while plugged in and charging would be useful for making an ultimate game plan.

bcamp0404 wrote:
O.K. but what if I do not wish to use or charge....?

Then off they go.

In time they will self discharge and sulfate but this really takes 3 to 6 months to get started assuming they are 100% full charge when disconnected.

K Charles wrote:
To use or charge the batteries it has to be on.

However in Short term STORAGE mode (not plugged in not in use) turn it off. LONG term storage .. I suggest adding a battery tender of some kind. Now a good 3-stage converter (Example Progressive Industries 9200 series) can do battery tender service.

So can my Deltran Jump-start abble battery tender (And my far less expensive deltran 2 amp job).

That would befor winter storage..

If no power at storage do as follows
Get a bottle of RED nail polish and paint the positive wires on the battery (ignore the battery to battery jumper)

OPtional.. Black on the negative

Let dry

Now take a picture or 10

Disconnect NEGATIVE leads and lay aside
Disconnect POSITIVE

NOTE: If more than one lead use some means to tie the wires together. Tape. String. Bread ties whatever

Now remove batteries to a garage or other storage location WITH power.. Lay them on scrap wood (Reason follows) and hook up Deltran Battery Tender or equivalent. Check fluid level and add DISTILLED water as needed. (1/4 inch below the filler tube is usually good)

Come spring. Recheck fluid first then return them Red paint = Positive

Why set 'em on scrap wood?
Well in the old days batteries set on say concrete suffered Newer batteries do not care about that BUT.

Batteries often have a bit of Acid on the outside. and if the acid eats up the scrap wood.. You are out $0.00 (It was already scrap after all) and a couple minutes clean up time

Replacing a floor.. EXPENSIVE.

If the charger is multistage (varies the voltage) I would leave the batteries connected. If not I would disconnect until the night prior to departure. An old charge could boil the batteries dry over time.

Some light reading to help - The 12 Volt Side of Life (Part 1)

Its a toggle switch. Turn your batteries off when not being used. That saves losing all of that pirate voltage. Every once in a while, turn the batteries on and charge them as in every two months or so of non-use.