Deep cycle battery maintenance

[rvshrinker]

Hello experts

My TT and interstate batteries are there years old. The trailer is plugged into my house when not in use. It gets five or so trips per year so is plugged into the house most of the time. It is now on a dedicated 30 amp circuit but was previously on a 15 amp.

We have mild weather, almost always between 35-90 degrees. A few days of subfreezing temps per year, a couple weeks over 90.

I have never added distilled water to the batteries or done any other maintenance. I open the batteries to check there is water in there before every trip... But that's it.

This website sounds like I should be doing a lot more. It also is quite a bit over my head:

Deep cycle battery maintenance

Is the a simpler explanation/resource for the essential tasks and checks I should be doing?

[pianotuna]

If the plates are covered, then fully charge the batteries BEFORE adding distilled water.

[CA_Traveler]

Remove the cap and you'll see a vent well. Fill to the bottom are almost to the bottom. Filling to the case means water will come out due to temperature or trying to vent.

[TurnThePage]

I use one of these purpose built water jugs. It fills each cell uniformly without over filling or making a mess. It makes the whole job quick and easy.

[rvshrinker]

I do check the water, it's above the battery level so I haven't added. Do you mean add water until reaching the bottom of the case, but not filling to the cap top? I can do that. The batteries themselves are definitely still under water, I check before every trip. Our mild temps probably are easy on these batteries. It's 55 degrees outside today.

Batteries are very clean, connections and outside.

I saw some kind of device in a thread here that transferred water into the battery etc, is that something I need?

I do boondock often so I wouldn't want to be surprised by a dead battery. What's the best way to monitor whether my battery performance is starting to degrade?

[theoldwizard1]

Keeping flood lead acid batteries FLOODED at all times is the most important thing you can do. If they are on a charger 24/7, I would recommend checking the liquid level every 1-2 months, especially when the temperature is above 90F.

Keeping the outside of the battery clean is #2.

For MAXIMUM battery life, I believe that lead acid batteries should NOT be on a charger 24/7 ! 4 - 6 hours per day on a "maintainer" is plenty. Use a cheap mechanical lamp timer for your battery maintainer.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

• What that website is emphasizing is to not overly discharge their batteries
• 80% of capacity means use 20 amp hours of a 100 amp hour battery
• Without an amp-hour meter installed in your system it's all guesswork
• Few chargers will not end up undercharging your batteries
• This is why solar panels are so popular
• Their charge regulation is much more realistic

[TurnThePage]

I just had to add water for the first time in over a year, and I also keep my trailer plugged in full time at home.

Since I'm strictly a recreational RVer at this point, and have a generator (and 150 watts of solar), I don't worry about the batteries too much. I have a TM-2020 meter that tells me their current state of charge.

I exercise them once in a while, but no set schedule. I otherwise pay little attention to them. I've gotten over 8 years of service from each pair of 6 volt batteries with that routine.

[CA_Traveler]

Add distilled water until it just reaches the bottom of the fill tube. Do not fill to the top of the case/cap. This allows for a adequate reserve and for the battery to vent.

You can buy a battery filler bottle that will fill them to the correct level.

[midnightsadie]

I clean the post IF I see any grud, check water level spring july and oct. a year ,if you,ve never added water? you need too.