Winter Storage-Battery In or Out-Charger or Converter?????

[Rbertalotto]

A few ?? on winter storage.

Do you leave your batteries in the RV (SE Massachusetts. A week or two at really cold temps, otherwise usually around freezing)

Do you run the converter all winter or do you use an auxiliary battery maintainer/charger?

While I'm at it......I used air to blow out the lines and ran antifreeze through the pump with the Camco kit. Put AF into all the drains. Do you leave the faucets open? Leave the low water drains open? Leave the grey/black waste gates opened or closed?

Thanks

[DrewE]

I generally leave the batteries in my motorhome and use the converter. Charging fully and disconnecting them in place would also be perfectly acceptable, but I appreciate having 12V power available in the motorhome when I want to check things out or exercise the generator or whatever. Some converters, mainly some single-stage converters, will boil a battery dry over time.

(Lead acid batteries are probably happier being stored fully charged at cold temperatures than at warm temperatures; the internal self-discharge is lower at low temperatures. If you have extreme temperatures, as in arctic temperatures, freezing could be a concern—but certainly not with New England temperatures, even during February cold snaps.)

Drain gate valves definitely closed.

Low point drains I generally close, though leaving them open shouldn't generally lead to much mischief. Same with the water heater drain plug—I put it in, but leaving it open wouldn't generally lead to trouble. There aren't many bugs out and about in winter time that would seek refuge in the plumbing.

For faucet taps, it really doesn't make any real difference whether they are opened or closed.

Leave one or two skylight vents cracked open (preferably ones with covers) to provide a bit of ventilation and help prevent undue condensation.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Depends ENTIRELY on what converter is used. Some smart converters come in a distant third to Forrest Gump.

[mbopp]

I remove the batteries, keep them in the garage, and charge them once a month.
All the water valves are closed.

[DutchmenSport]

Do you leave your batteries in the RV?
Yes.

Do you run the converter all winter?
24x7x365, camper plugged in and let the on-board converter keep it charged. 2 years now and have not had to add a drop of water to the battery yet.

Do you leave the faucets open?
No.

Leave the low water drains open?
No.

Leave the grey/black waste gates opened or closed?
Closed (with a gallon or so of Pink Stuff in each tank to keep the valves from drying out. You also don't want critters crawling up your sewer drain pipes (bugs, flies, chipmonks, you name it, crawley things, birds)

Thanks
You are Welcome!