Battery discharged after storage

[docmarrin]

I stored my 2014 X19H for only about a month and when I took it out of storage the battery seems to be very low to completely discharged. What can I do now, hopefully short of getting a new battery? What should I do in the future when putting the unit in storage. I live in Arizona and it does get cold (around freezing in the winter)!

[SMS1115]

Most likely, the propane leak sensor killed the battery. My suggestion is to install a battery disconnect switch for storage purposes.

[33 RLDS]

Minimally it should be un-plugged as the CO2 and Propane detector will suck it down quick. Ideally you want to take it with you and leave it on a trickle / maintainer charger like a battery tender or such. If it was discharged and froze its probably shot. If not, it should come back up again when plugged in to shore power..

[docmarrin]

Originally Posted by 33 RLDS

Minimally it should be un-plugged as the CO2 and Propane detector will suck it down quick. Ideally you want to take it with you and leave it on a trickle / maintainer charger like a battery tender or such. If it was discharged and froze its probably shot. If not, it should come back up again when plugged in to shore power..

How do I know. if it's dead? Will it charge up while driving to a campsite for two hours?

[norty1]

I started a thread on my experience with that. http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=24131

I had to replace both batteries and I installed a cut off switch. The ride to a cg will not re-charge a dead battery enough for me to depend on it. Mine did not survive the experience.

[docmarrin]

Originally Posted by norty1

I started a thread on my experience with that. http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=24131

I had to replace both batteries and I installed a cut off switch. The ride to a cg will not re-charge a dead battery enough for me to depend on it. Mine did not survive the experience.Attachment 16304

Thanks for the input. As it turns out, I am having the nice guys at Interstate Batteries (the mfg. of my battery) charge mine overnight (they'll do it for FREE)! They say it will "bring it back to life!" I will then take some strategy to deal with what I now better understand is the issue that I had (dry camping and not then recharging the battery before storage). Also, I now understand that the charging system in my TV does NOT charge the trailer battery so just driving it would have NO effect at all! Making sure that the battery is fully charged before storage should allow it to be stored for about 3 months according to the Interstate guys! Keeping it fully charged seems to be the key.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by docmarrin

Making sure that the battery is fully charged before storage should allow it to be stored for about 3 months according to the Interstate guys! Keeping it fully charged seems to be the key.

As long as you disconnect it. You still have parasitic drains, and it might last 3 weeks, but certainly not 3 months.

Your TV does charge the batt, it just can't get it up from 0, you need something more for that.

[docmarrin]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

As long as you disconnect it. You still have parasitic drains, and it might last 3 weeks, but certainly not 3 months.

Your TV does charge the batt, it just can't get it up from 0, you need something more for that.

Yeah I am starting to learn all about those dreaded parasitic drains so disconnection seems to be the best strategy.

[Flyrotor]

It's pretty simple to disconnect the batteries, my trailer has a 30 amp fuse just behind the batteries, when you put the trailer in storage, simply pull the fuse. Then double check to be sure the lights won't turn on, and then remember to reinsert the fuse when you go back to pick up the trailer.

[Big Sky]

Just remove your negative lead from the battery.

[Camper_bob]

I use wing nuts on the terminals so I can connect and disconnect easily. While the TT is in storage, the battery is at home sitting in the garage on a float charger. That way it's ALWAYS got a full charge and I don't have to worry about it growing legs.

[giddyup]

Homer our Beagle is a better tinkerer than I, so I asked my dealer to install a battery disconnect switch. It was way cheaper than replacing a battery and works like a charm . . . with the one downside being that we need to remember to use it.

When we unhitch, we throw the switch and that protects the battery.

As for charging from a TV, we have been boondocking in 35 -40 degree nights and have plenty of power for running the furnace fan; lights; and more for several nights. If we become concerned over battery levels, we can easily recharge from TV in a short amount of time.

We are pleasantly surprised to see how well everything works but the battery disconnect has saved our batteries as it easy to leave something on in the TT.

[docmarrin]

Originally Posted by giddyup

Homer our Beagle is a better tinkerer than I, so I asked my dealer to install a battery disconnect switch. It was way cheaper than replacing a battery and works like a charm . . . with the one downside being that we need to remember to use it.

When we unhitch, we throw the switch and that protects the battery.

As for charging from a TV, we have been boondocking in 35 -40 degree nights and have plenty of power for running the furnace fan; lights; and more for several nights. If we become concerned over battery levels, we can easily recharge from TV in a short amount of time.

We are pleasantly surprised to see how well everything works but the battery disconnect has saved our batteries as it easy to leave something on in the TT.

I don't understand something. I've been told that the TRAILER battery does NOT get charged from the TV system. Can you explain?

[33 RLDS]

Easy to determine. Put a volt meter on the TT battery and notice voltage. Start tow vehicle and again take notice of the TT battery voltage. See if it increases. Only way to know for sure.

[RedHorse1]

I experienced a dead batt while in storage right after we got our first TT. A little research (this forum) strongly suggested parasitic drain as others have suggested. Pulling the 30A fuse solved that. Then a few (25) batteries grew legs at the storage facility and I switched to wing nuts like Camper did. I bought a second battery box which sat just inside the doorway to hold the battery while idle. I would leave it a couple of months without problems. My TV does charge the TT battery.

[norty1]

Mine does too but I would not depend on it to restore a sead battery in my rig.

[Jagiven]

Docmarrin, a volt meter will confirm if your TV will charge your battery while driving and or parked. Some vehicles you need to switch the location of the fuse for the auxiliary power. Most of the time this fuse is under the hood in that fuse box.

The vehicle should be able to charge the battery while driving, but all you get is a slow trickle charge. I found on a really discharged battery two hours of driving will not recharge the battery sufficiently.

Best thing to do is add a battery disconnect switch or to pull you 30 amp fuse at the battery.

I have not tested this, but have been told the parasite voltage load will drain the battery dead in two weeks.

[RedHorse1]

Originally Posted by norty1

Mine does too but I would not depend on it to restore a dead battery in my rig.

Yes! 110%.

[giddyup]

Our 2015 x20e most definitely charges from the TV. We try to keep the batteries above the 50% mark (not always successful) so I don't know if the TV can rescue a battery that is "flat". Our two 6 volt deep cycle batteries re-charge that top 50% or so in about an hour on the TV.

Maybe the connections have changed on different years of the same model? This might explain why some can and others can't charge from TV.

[Camper_bob]

Just to clarify and distill some info:

-Parasitic drain will kill a deep cycle battery on a stored RV in 2-3 weeks (at the longest).
-Prevent that dead battery by removing the inline 30A fuse, installing a battery disconnect switch or removing your battery.
-Your tow vehicle will charge your battery, but it cannot resurrect a completely dead battery.