Storage in Barn for winter.

[Fire19]

I have just completed my new pole barn and will be storing the fifth wheel in there once the concrete cures enough. My question is since I now have electricity in the storage barn should I leave it plugged in or should I remove the battery? Should I put Wood under the tires for the storage time?

[WTP-GC]

Lynnmor wrote:

WTP-GC wrote:
In temps above freezing, your concrete will reach full design strength in 14-21 days (approximately). But what is that? Did you pour 3000 PSI or 4000 PSI or...? Within 7 days, it will reach 50-75% design strength. So let’s say 1500 PSI (pounds per square inch). Your rig weighs...? Your tires take up how many square inches of space? If you had 1 tire only and it took up 24 square inches, the concrete below it could withstand 36,000 pounds of static pressure (@ 1500 PSI).

No wood. It’s a barn, who cares about staining. We leave ours plugged in 24/7/365 and the fridge stays on the whole time. Done this with 3 campers...NO problem.

That's not how it works when considering the strength that will not crack.

Some do care about appearance and the guy with a new floor just might be able to head off staining that cannot be reversed.

Well, actually it kinda is. We regularly begin erection of large heavy objects on new concrete that are no more than 7 days cured. If weather and conditions are accommodating, we may even begin in 3 days. Nary a problem.

[Lynnmor]

WTP-GC wrote:
In temps above freezing, your concrete will reach full design strength in 14-21 days (approximately). But what is that? Did you pour 3000 PSI or 4000 PSI or...? Within 7 days, it will reach 50-75% design strength. So let’s say 1500 PSI (pounds per square inch). Your rig weighs...? Your tires take up how many square inches of space? If you had 1 tire only and it took up 24 square inches, the concrete below it could withstand 36,000 pounds of static pressure (@ 1500 PSI).

No wood. It’s a barn, who cares about staining. We leave ours plugged in 24/7/365 and the fridge stays on the whole time. Done this with 3 campers...NO problem.

That's not how it works when considering the strength that will not crack.

Some do care about appearance and the guy with a new floor just might be able to head off staining that cannot be reversed.

[WTP-GC]

In temps above freezing, your concrete will reach full design strength in 14-21 days (approximately). But what is that? Did you pour 3000 PSI or 4000 PSI or...? Within 7 days, it will reach 50-75% design strength. So let’s say 1500 PSI (pounds per square inch). Your rig weighs...? Your tires take up how many square inches of space? If you had 1 tire only and it took up 24 square inches, the concrete below it could withstand 36,000 pounds of static pressure (@ 1500 PSI).

No wood. It’s a barn, who cares about staining. We leave ours plugged in 24/7/365 and the fridge stays on the whole time. Done this with 3 campers...NO problem.

[midnightsadie]

put pads under it or some ply wood ,that cement is still soft. BUT YOUR missing this .. peppermint oil and alot of it and a product called fresh cab. to keep the critters out. mines in a pole bldg I use the oil in pill bottles about six drops in each and about a dozen of them. the fresh cab I take out of the pack and tie up tea bag size using panty hose .. never a critter my rv is 12years old.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

With fresh concrete, *I* would put down some wood.

You will be amazed at how nice your RV remains when parked indoors! When we sold our 10-yr-old Class C - it looked like new 🙂

[magicbus]

My cars managed to live on concrete for many years without the tires hurting the concrete or the concrete hurting the tires. My B lives in our barn on concrete and I just don't worry about it.

Dave

[pasusan]

A couple of years ago we built a new garage for our RV. To protect the concrete and tires we bought some vinyl runner and cut it into rectangles to go under the tires. It works for us.

We also have a Progressive Dynamics converter and leave it plugged in 24/7.

[Road_Dog]

I leave my motorhome plugged into a timer that goes on 4 hrs every day Been doing this for years with no problems! Same with the battery tender for the engine battery.

[ksbowman]

We keep ours in a pole barn with a gravel floor. I always park it on wood. Being the first year I would have wood under the tires and landing gear for the tires and the new concrete. I'd consider with the new concrete raising with the jacks and maybe lifting the tires off the concrete with hydraulic jacks.

[Lynnmor]

I have a pole barn with a concrete floor. I do have staining from the preservative chemicals leaching out of the tires. It might be a good idea to always put down a barrier for long term storage. With the new concrete, using a board would spread the load.

I leave the battery in the trailer and disconnect the power cord so that it is not exposed to any power issues. The battery is turned off at the disconnect switch and I connect a Battery Tender about 3 to 4 days per month. A cord is wired to the battery to provide a quick and easy connection.

[gbopp]

BarneyS wrote:
Then just leave the battery in the trailer and plugged in. The battery will stay maintained as it should be and ready for use next spring. 🙂
Barney

Don't forget to occasionally check the electrolyte levels in the batteries.

[MFL]

Agree with Barney...both posts.

Jerry

[DutchmenSport]

If on dirt or grass, yes put lumber under the tires for the sole purpose of keeping the tires from sinking. On Asphalt and concrete, nothing is needed, unless you just want to spread the weight of the camper over a larger foot print. Gravel is 50/50. It depends upon how solid the gravel bed is. If it's not very deep, and tires are subject to sinking with mud under the gravel, the lumber under the tires is probably a good thing. If it's packed solid and deep, lumber is not really needed. Previous house, previous TT, parked on gravel, always on treated lumber. Current house, one side on lumber, the other not. (the driveway has a 4 inch slope side to side for deliberate drainage one direction). So 5er needs lumber under one side to make it more level.

Plugged in? Ours? 24x7x365. It depends on your converter.

Something to think about? If the pole barn is an open barn, consider keeping the camper in ready mode, so if you want to spend week-end in it, you can. Power up the heat and enjoy watching television and sleeping in it. Don't need water. Take a gallon jug of water so if you need some, put a port-a-potty in the bathroom and dump in the house toilet every day, rinse and use it again, snuggle in bed with .... well... your choice 😉 take some microwave pop corn and enjoy some time in it. Under a roof, the camper should do very, very nice in cold weather. Enjoy. Do dishes in the house, take trash out at the end of your weekend, and enjoy the camper throughout the winter this way.

[K_and_I]

On concrete that fresh, I would put some wood under it, at least for this year.