winter storage for RV
We are thinking of buying a class C. We don't expect to use it for a 3 to 6 months of the year. What should we do to keep it running well? Should we take it on short drives every so often? How often? ...
Forum Discussion
ron.dittmer wrote:
As far as cold indoor storage without electricity is concerned, I would remove all batteries and take them home to your apartment. If that is not feasible, then you have to do something to keep the batteries charged during the winter to prevent them from freezing. They won't freeze until discharged of which I can't say how long it takes for that to happen when the batteries are disconnected. I suppose you could take a chance and make sure the fluid levels are good, charge the batteries until full, immediately disconnect the negative battery terminals, and hope for the best.
If it's below freezing (or close to that) and the batteries are disconnected from all loads, they will not self-discharge enough to freeze over the winter. The rate of self-discharge is quite dependent on temperature; the rule of thumb I recall is that it doubles or halves for a 10 degree C change in temperature. (This means that a couple weeks during the summer entails about the same self discharge as the entire winter, assuming it's below freezing where you are.) They'd actually be happier out in the cold than in the warmth of one's apartment without a battery tender, to mention nothing of the questionable advisability of having a (non-agm) lead acid battery sitting in one's living space.
This isn't just "hoping for the best." Many people in northern climates leave many lead-acid batteries untouched over the winter without trouble: farmers, homeowners with riding lawn mowers, motorcycle riders, etc.
