My MH has been in MT for 3 mos(another thread) I asked the shop to charge the batteries because they sat so long over the summer since July. Apparently the charged the chassis battery but not the house batteries. Last week I flew out to MT to drive the MH home and checked the the batteries the chassis battery was at 90 percent SOC and the house batteries were at 30 percent. I started charging with my 40 amp B&D charger and got an error message of a shorted cell. When I looked inside the caps there was a slushy ice formation inside, so I reduced the amps to 10, charged for a while then charged at 40 amps all night. No error message. My distilled water was frozen solid so added tap water to top of cells. It was very cold ride all the way home and batteries continued charging for 2000 miles while driving. They are holding a charge for the last 5 days. I will try an equalization before winter in CT sets in. Do you think partially frozen cells do any permanent damage the batteries? These are 2 6V GC Sam's Club batteries.

Hard to say. If it charges and works, it's fine.

Should always use distilled water.

We ran a very serious boat maintenance business before the depression. So, we ran into this sort of thing occasionally. Often after months of being ignored.To be entirely honest, they bank may just survive, they would have liked it better with a slower charge rate because heat is not good. Distilled vs tap water is not that big an issue, but being down to the dividers is that big an issue. It seems as if there was very little load when discharged, the better the chance for survival. Good Luck Matt

" I asked the shop to charge the batteries because they sat so long over the summer since July"Unless the RV was stored inside by the "shop," perfect example of why a solar system would have....saved the day.

Mandalay Parr wrote:Should always use distilled water.X2. Did that and learned an expensive lesson back in the day. Stuff grew on the tops of cells like weeds - and we have soft water.

Frozen battery cells | Good Sam Community

Bumpyroad
Explorer
Nov 17, 2017
Gjac wrote:
I have always used distilled water but when it is 4 degrees out and your distilled water bottle is frozen solid I figured warm tap water was good enough. What kind of stuff would grow in your cells filled with acid?

whatever grows there must be fairly hardy. :)
the only thing worse is putting ambient air in your tires.

bumpy
Gjac
Explorer III
Nov 17, 2017
ScottG wrote:
Mandalay Parr wrote:
Should always use distilled water.

X2.
Did that and learned an expensive lesson back in the day. Stuff grew on the tops of cells like weeds - and we have soft water.
I have always used distilled water but when it is 4 degrees out and your distilled water bottle is frozen solid I figured warm tap water was good enough. What kind of stuff would grow in your cells filled with acid?
gbopp
Explorer
Nov 17, 2017
Several years ago the house batteries in my 96 Southwind were slushy. I charged them and they came back. They are still in use and holding a charge.

You should be fine. I now keep the RV connected to shore power 24/7, just in case.
Dennis12
Explorer
Nov 17, 2017
You should never put frozen water in a battery. It says so right in the manual.
time2roll
Nomad
Nov 17, 2017
Gjac wrote:
They are holding a charge for the last 5 days.
I think you are fine for now. Does not sound like there was a hard freeze in the cells.

Tap water may or may not shorten the life or reduce capacity depending on how much iron and other minerals the water contained. Done is done.
ScottG
Nomad
Nov 17, 2017
Mandalay Parr wrote:
Should always use distilled water.

X2.
Did that and learned an expensive lesson back in the day. Stuff grew on the tops of cells like weeds - and we have soft water.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Nov 17, 2017
" I asked the shop to charge the batteries because they sat so long over the summer since July"

Unless the RV was stored inside by the "shop," perfect example of why a solar system would have....saved the day.
Matt_Colie
Explorer II
Nov 17, 2017
We ran a very serious boat maintenance business before the depression. So, we ran into this sort of thing occasionally. Often after months of being ignored.

To be entirely honest, they bank may just survive, they would have liked it better with a slower charge rate because heat is not good.

Distilled vs tap water is not that big an issue, but being down to the dividers is that big an issue.

It seems as if there was very little load when discharged, the better the chance for survival.

Good Luck

Matt
Mandalay_Parr
Explorer
Nov 17, 2017
Should always use distilled water.
2oldman
Explorer II
Nov 17, 2017
Hard to say. If it charges and works, it's fine.

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