Storing motorhome for a year

If it were I, I would not store it with hydrolic levelers down. That exposes them to weather. If you do the add that to your monthly maintenance. Run them up and down, at least twice. I would use 2x12 or synthetic jack and tire pads. This disperses weight and gets the tire off the ground. I like synthetic as the do not hold water. If I could not do monthly maintenance, levelers would be up. MH are autos first and designed to sit and travel on your axles and tires.

If you can do monthly maintenance and a 12v disconnect switch, you got it made. If no 12v disconnect then now is the time to install 2 or you can just disconnect the negative post to break the circuit. You can probably get away with out a 12v disconnect but you better have jumper cables ready for jumping the engine. Better to have and not need. If your parasitical load is high, I suggest using the 12v disconnect. Do you really care if your CO2 alarm is working when you aren't there?

You can get away with about a 3-4 hour monthly routine.
1. Check batteries fluid level. Fill if necessary.
2. Check batteries SOC. Got a voltmeter capable of 12v?
3. Reconnect batteries.
4. Start your engine. Jump if required. Let run for an hour.
5. Run your levelers now.
6. I do not start my Gennie until I am ready to turn off the engine. You could do some simultaneous.
7. Start your Gennie. Let it run for an hour. Load it with 2 heaters or maybe 2 AC for Florida. I also turn on all my over head lights to work the incerter/charger into that load.
8. Since these events take awhile, on the second time I put my levelers down, you have some time to work on your honey do list.
9. Check your battery SOC (after stopping gennie).

The best thing you can do is find indoor storage. Pay the extra money. You will be doing yourself and the motorhome a favor.

I see two choices with the generator: Run it every few weeks, or drain it and the carb and fog the engine. I've wondered why RV makers don't have a valve between the fuel tank and the generator. That way, the generator can be completely run dry, with the carb bowl and such completely drained, then a can of Ona-Gard used to fog the generator's engine proper.

mike brez wrote:
Don't start the engine unless you are going to take it out for a 20-30 min. ride to get the engine up to normal operating temp. I let mine sit for almost two years without one problem. I use stabil in the fuel.

Mike, I'm not a mechanic. But, I have 8 cars (half are getting pretty old now) and I have all the cars started weekly and brought up to operating temperature. Since I started doing that, the cars have run so much better and no battery problems. I also have the air conditioners set low so when they are started, the compressor comes on too so that it is lubricated during the process.

Now, if he had a diesel, I could understand taking it for a drive but on a gas, the engines do come up to operating temp (in my case).

I have done this with these cars, new and old, and no problems.

The mechanic for my old car (the car is 50 yrs. old this year), said to start it twice a week but I've been on a once a week schedule since that's when my guy works for me.

MM.

Without power available, the parasitic loads may drain the batteries in a few weeks.
Fill the fuel tank to the top and add three times the normal amount of Stabil. Run the generator to circulate the Stabil through the generator engine.
Wash the coach with one of the wash/wax products, including the roof. Make sure that all roof seams are sealed to guard against leaks. Running the engine is not a problem if you let it warm up but if you have access, why not take it for a short ride which will help all systems and help the tires also? If you can't take the vehicle out, at least pull forward and back it up, stopping with the tires in a different position.
With the constant winds in Florida, any cover will eventually wear through the paint on the corners. A year of outside storage is no problem at all in Florida.
There are stations around here that sell non-ethanol gasoline, but I would still use triple Stabil. Do NOT use AV gas. It is 100LL(100 octane LOW LEAD) and it may do a number on your catalytic converter that is not designed for leaded fuel.

Bob,

Find someone that knows how to lay-up marine engines and get him to fog both the main engine and the genset. This is easier and better than for the engine than running it.

Get small solar panels to put inside (for protection) the south facing windows to keep the batteries up. You will need at least two. Cover the inside of the remaining windows with aluminum foil if you don't put a full cover on it.

The tires on planks is a good idea and make the planks big so the tires don't sink into the sand/ground.

If the frame has not been rust proofed, get a sheet of heavy plastic to keep the moisture from the ground from collecting on the underside of things.

If it is new enough to be fuel injected, add stabilizer to full tanks, but the rest of the system should be fine. If it still has a carburetor, you want to figure out how to run it dry.

This is all stuff I did regularly for owners of expensive boats before the depression.

Matt

I would put the 2x12 under your jacks and take as much weight as possible off your tires which are inflated to max pressure plus cover them. I'd replace the gas with non ethanol gas plus add SeaFoam even if I had to syphon the current out. If you cannot find non ethanol gas I'd fill a half tank of regular gas with AV gas. I'd put small solar battery charges on both sets of batteries and use the disconnect switches. Assuming the roof vents are covered, I'd leave them open and run the AC off the generator after every wet spell for an hour. I would only start the engine at six months and then let it idle in gear for 20+ minutes. I'd put a cup of bleach in the fresh water and circulate it. Spend the extra money on a silver tarp as it might make it for a year although it will probably blow off at some point.

bobkatmsu, if it were mine, I would want a full cover over it. The hot Florida sun beating down on it all year long would cause the rubber and caulking to dry it out and the paint to fade faster. Definitely cover the tires. Otherwise, there is not much else you can do than what you described.

Good Luck!
MM.

Don't start the engine unless you are going to take it out for a 20-30 min. ride to get the engine up to normal operating temp. I let mine sit for almost two years without one problem. I use stabil in the fuel.

Will you have power available?