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crazbs's avatar
crazbs
Explorer
Oct 29, 2021

Winter Storage

Hi,
I am about to store my class B camper(1999 Dodge Xplorer)for the winter in Wisconsin. This will be my 3rd winter doing this but the previous 2 winters I have been home. I have stored it covered in my driveway plugged into power and have gone out once a month to start it up, run the generator and move it so the tires can rotate a little. This winter I will be gone for 6 months so I will not be able to do that and it will just be sitting there the whole time. Does anyone have any words of wisdom on the best things to do to prepare for that?

I have already removed everything I can from the camper, drained the water and run antifreeze through the lines, filled the gas tank, added SeaFoam, put mouse deterrent packets around inside, placed mothball cakes in the engine compartment and will be parking it on wood panels so the tires(which will be covered)are not on concrete. Should I remove the batteries (house and engine)? Should I leave it plugged into my house power? Anything extra I should do to the generator (Onan gas generator)? Any help will be appreciated as I am really nervous about leaving it unchecked and untouched over the winter.
Thank you,
Carolyn
  • You might try to drain the gas from the Onan generator. I heard all the stories about having to run it once a month to keep it working and thought knew a better way. I waited till my 1999 B was low on gas, filled it with alcohol free gas and added Stab-Bil and drove the van long enough to get everything mixed good then ran my Onan for 30 minutes or so and shut it down till Spring. That was 4 years ago and I have never got it to run again. Since we didn't use it much anyway I decided to leave it dead rather than pay someone figure out why.
  • Carolyn,

    I've had a 1997 Xplorer 230XL since 2000 and live in Michigan. You are doing everything great. I remove the house batteries to inside and charge them every 2-3 months or so. I did just add LiFePo4 batteries so I'm not sure about them. I did not use my rv from Oct 2019 to April 2021 due to health issues. No problems. I do not leave it plugged in. I might run a portable charger out to the starter battery once in the winter.

    You do not need to start it or move it.

    I love my Xplorer. It has a few minor issues, but the engine is running great with 193,000 miles. Wish we were closer to get together.

    Steve