Hello all. I have a question I am hoping I could get help with. I have winterized my class C Jayco motorhome. I pulled the battery and brought it inside my house and put it on a battery tender. I want to be able to start my RV and run the generator throughout the winter to get the fluids running through them. Do I have to reinstall the battery every time or can I run the generator without the battery on? If I can run it without, can I put a load on the generator without battery? Will the 12V items like lights run without a battery connected even though the generator is on? I am thinking I cannot and will have to reinstall the battery, but wanted to confirm.Thanks in advance for the help!James

Did you bring in both batteries ? If you brought the house battery in, then you must start the engine to start the generator: If you brought the engine battery in then the generator will start off the house battery. I leave both batteries connected and start the engine every two weeks or so (depending on snow amounts) and the generator. I use small electric heaters to exercise the generator.

I only brought in the house battery. I also have a 30 amp connection from my garage I can plug in, but I was wondering if I keep the battery plugged into a 30amp service, will that affect the battery? Overcharge? Will the water boil off the battery or will the converter properly trickle charge it?

If you really want to take the best care of your engine you have two choices. Leave it alone until you next trip (preferable) or start it and drive it for at least 20 miles. When engines are run for short periods with no load they pick up moisture.

ever1ast15 wrote:I only brought in the house battery. I also have a 30 amp connection from my garage I can plug in,You are wasting a LOT of time and energy.Even if you don't trust your converter to not over charge, you still can just plug in the shore power for 12 hours or so every couple of weeks. You can do the same for the "truck" battery with a small external charger.Just check to see if the converter is charging the batteries with the disconnect switch OFF.....so you will know if you need to turn it back ON while charging or not.If your storage period is less than 6 months, your engines don't NEED to be run. Just let them sit.

X2 you did put sea foam,or a fuel stabilizer in the tank. no need for all the fuss.running in the drive makes moisture and the water just lays in the tail pipe and rust.

Starting RV While Winterized | Good Sam Community

OldRadios
Explorer
Jan 03, 2017
Rig sits in my garage from December to March. I keep it plugged in so no need to remove the batteries. I run the generator for an hour once a month. I pick a warmer day and have an exhaust pipe to the outside for it.

I never start the engine. That does nothing except create moisture and rot out the exhaust system. Always starts right up with just a touch of the key in the Spring.
samven1
Explorer
Jan 02, 2017
I would leave the batteries in the RV. The cold temps will slow down the lead acid reaction and if kept charged so they dont freeze will actually prolong their life.
ever1ast15
Explorer
Jan 01, 2017
Good suggestion pauldub/mgirardo. Never thought of that :) Thanks all!
mgirardo
Explorer
Jan 01, 2017
pauldub wrote:
Or you can just use the battery tender with the battery still in the motorhome.

This would be my suggestion too.

-Michael
pauldub
Explorer
Jan 01, 2017
Or you can just use the battery tender with the battery still in the motorhome.
Rolin
Explorer
Jan 01, 2017
I agree with Sam Spade that you are making it overly complicated. You can plug in like Sam suggested or if you have a progressive dynamics converter you can just leave the RV plugged in.

After installation of the progressive dynamics converter we have not had any problem with water boil off.

Our process:
Connect to 120V. Leave the RV plugged in with small heater to keep the humidity down and keep the house and engine batteries charged.

Fill the gas tank, add fuel stabilizer, then run the engine and generator long enough to make sure stabilized fuel has reached them. Run generator ever 30 days with a load.
jerseyjim
Explorer
Jan 01, 2017
When in "storage", I start my motorhomes' engine and the generator every two weeks and let both run for about 1/2 hour. Some say "yes", others say "no". Then once every two months I take it for a 20 mile ride.

This is what I do.
midnightsadie
Explorer II
Jan 01, 2017
X2 you did put sea foam,or a fuel stabilizer in the tank. no need for all the fuss.running in the drive makes moisture and the water just lays in the tail pipe and rust.
Sam_Spade
Explorer
Jan 01, 2017
ever1ast15 wrote:
I only brought in the house battery. I also have a 30 amp connection from my garage I can plug in,

You are wasting a LOT of time and energy.

Even if you don't trust your converter to not over charge, you still can just plug in the shore power for 12 hours or so every couple of weeks. You can do the same for the "truck" battery with a small external charger.

Just check to see if the converter is charging the batteries with the disconnect switch OFF.....so you will know if you need to turn it back ON while charging or not.

If your storage period is less than 6 months, your engines don't NEED to be run. Just let them sit.
big_jim_2
Explorer II
Jan 01, 2017
If you really want to take the best care of your engine you have two choices. Leave it alone until you next trip (preferable) or start it and drive it for at least 20 miles. When engines are run for short periods with no load they pick up moisture.