Battery Storage between trips

[elroseo]

I'm hoping that someone can tell me the best way to store batteries between trips. Do I take them out after every trip....or disconnect the batteries? 3-4 weeks at a time

[Grit_dog]

elroseo wrote:
Maybe I should of added the fact that I have dual batteries....if I added solar would it charge both?.....I have a Furrion plug in front

Maybe you should add the other pertinent info to get better responses.
Also, following wires would answer your question. We can’t see if the solar charge port is hooked to your batteries or not.

[LVJJJ]

Don't ever disconnect batteries (two Deka 6 volts) Leave it plugged in all the time as we use it as a pantry and storage area between trips, and a second and third bedroom when kids visit. We live in a park model so don't have much room for things or extra people. Just installed a new 9260 Progressive Dynamics converter/charger that has 3 stages of battery re-charge. Its plugged into a 30 amp circuit breaker in the shed. Been thinking about it, never have disconnected any batteries in 33 years of RV'ing, why would you? My batteries have always lasted as they should.

[StirCrazy]

Lynnmor wrote:

StirCrazy wrote:

Lynnmor wrote:

StirCrazy wrote:
upgrade the converter section to a good quality 4 stage charger and leave it plugged in. my 6V batterys are 15 years old, and just starting to show there age now, and I have left it plugged in year round when its not in use.

Steve

Some may want to disconnect from the power grid to eliminate the risks of power failure, converter failure and voltage spikes from lightning.

yup and you may want to get a tinfoil hat also 😉 seriously though if the power goes out you'll be aware and how would that be any different than turning off you battery switch, I have a 50 amp serge protecter on the plug in (yes i have a 50 amp plug in on my house) and lightnight, you can add protection to your breaker box for that. I check my 5th wheel and camper once a week so if the converter fails I'll find out..

Steve

That is why I said "some" so do whatever you want, just don't try to belittle others.

absolutly no belittleing going on hence the smiley face. in all seriously though the reason batteries die when pluged in is the factory converteres and people not checking them enough for the water levels. the manufactures are not going to spend the extra 1 to 200 bucks to put in a quality charger, which is realy to bad. I learned my lesson when I had my tent trailer, when I bought my trailer I upgraded to a PD with charge wizzard and bought four 235AH 6V GC batteries. I did that in 2006 and thoes same batteries are now in my 5th wheel I bought in 2016. granted they are showing signs of age now, but am thinking with the reduced activity due to covid I can wait till next year to change them as I wont be doing any camping longer than a week. I check the water level in them basicly 4 times a year and top up as nessasary. if you treat your batteries good and give them a quality charger they will last, when your home and pluged it it will be just a maintenance charge going to them after they are fully charged.

also when you size your batteries you should make the bank big enough tht you ae never going to use more than 50% of the capacity. thats another killer of normal batteries.

Steve

[StirCrazy]

MFL wrote:


I may have to wear one of those tinfoil hats though, if lightning is already close! Steve...do those REALLY WORK???

Jerry

maybe my hair is still strait though..... 😉

Steve

[MFL]

I also have had great battery life, due to plugging in at home 24/7, with a quality converter/charger. With camper at home, it is easy to check on potential electrical problems that may arise. Any power failure issues are likely to show up in the house too.

If a major electrical storm approaches, I can run out, unplug if wanted, and be under garage eve, so as not to get wet!

I may have to wear one of those tinfoil hats though, if lightning is already close! Steve...do those REALLY WORK???

Jerry

[Lynnmor]

StirCrazy wrote:

Lynnmor wrote:

StirCrazy wrote:
upgrade the converter section to a good quality 4 stage charger and leave it plugged in. my 6V batterys are 15 years old, and just starting to show there age now, and I have left it plugged in year round when its not in use.

Steve

Some may want to disconnect from the power grid to eliminate the risks of power failure, converter failure and voltage spikes from lightning.

yup and you may want to get a tinfoil hat also 😉 seriously though if the power goes out you'll be aware and how would that be any different than turning off you battery switch, I have a 50 amp serge protecter on the plug in (yes i have a 50 amp plug in on my house) and lightnight, you can add protection to your breaker box for that. I check my 5th wheel and camper once a week so if the converter fails I'll find out..

Steve

That is why I said "some" so do whatever you want, just don't try to belittle others.

[StirCrazy]

Lynnmor wrote:

StirCrazy wrote:
upgrade the converter section to a good quality 4 stage charger and leave it plugged in. my 6V batterys are 15 years old, and just starting to show there age now, and I have left it plugged in year round when its not in use.

Steve

Some may want to disconnect from the power grid to eliminate the risks of power failure, converter failure and voltage spikes from lightning.

yup and you may want to get a tinfoil hat also 😉 seriously though if the power goes out you'll be aware and how would that be any different than turning off you battery switch, I have a 50 amp serge protecter on the plug in (yes i have a 50 amp plug in on my house) and lightnight, you can add protection to your breaker box for that. I check my 5th wheel and camper once a week so if the converter fails I'll find out..

Steve

[1320Fastback]

I just leave my trailer plugged in when not in use. I check the battery water levels twice a year, never low.

[ronharmless]

My batteries sit in my basement for 3 months or more every winter and are still over 12 volts when I take them out again. So I'm pretty sure I ain't harming them leaving them disconnected a few weeks or even a month between trips; YOMV.

I'll also add, I had my last trailer for 12 years and only replaced the battery once. The fact is, I only use it for lowering and raising the tongue anyways. The one I have now will be 6 years old in April.

[mr_andyj]

I am disagreeable to just disconnecting the batts. That will help, but battery will, WILL, lose charge just sitting, AND letting your battery lose charge counts as part of a cycle, which you only have a limited number of, and your battery will have a shorter life-span.
Letting batts lose charge then charging them is worse than just keeping them topped off.

Your batts, depending on things, can do 200-2,000 complete discharges before they are garbage, so though one guy might say it is perfectly fine, he also might not be aware how far into the death of his batteries he already is...

Choose your method of trickle charge, but choose something. Don't just let them sit and die.
With a trickle charge you do not necessarily need to do a complete disconnect from the camper, the trickle charge should be ample to maintain the charge and feed the parasitic loads.

[ronharmless]

elroseo wrote:
Maybe I should of added the fact that I have dual batteries....if I added solar would it charge both?.....I have a Furrion plug in front

All you really need to do is get a battery disconnect switch if you don't have one and disconnect all power draws between trips (so install the disconnect right at the battery so you have no parasitic power drasws - just like removing the cable from the battery). Then turn the switch on and plug it in a day before the next use and you'll be good to go. Turn the switch off again when you get back home and into storage; rinse and repeat.

[dodge_guy]

elroseo wrote:
Maybe I should of added the fact that I have dual batteries....if I added solar would it charge both?.....I have a Furrion plug in front

Yes it will. They are wired in parallel. Which gives you 12V but double the amp hours.

[profdant139]

I'm probably guilty of overkill, but when we get home, I take my batteries out of the trailer and put them in the garage and hook up to a BatteryMinder Plus. We tend to take a trip every six weeks or so throughout the year.

Supposedly, the BatteryMinder Plus keeps the batteries in top condition. Don't know if that's really true, but it's what I've done for the last ten years or so.

[elroseo]

Maybe I should of added the fact that I have dual batteries....if I added solar would it charge both?.....I have a Furrion plug in front