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Old 02-20-2013, 02:00 PM   #1
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Battery... Am I SOL

I think I really screwed up. I have a conventional flooded 12-volt battery for my trailer. I disconnected it during winterization and stored it in my basement out of sight... therefore out of mind. And that, of course, is where I screwed up. I forgot about it!!
Now with spring in sight (28 days but who's counting) I'm starting to plan for our first trip and I remembered the battery
Am I SOL or is there a chance it's ok? It's just a year old. I haven't tested it yet, if that's even necessary after this long. I don't have a voltmeter or hydrometer. Should I waste my money? Anything you can suggest or recommend with examples would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for all your help.

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Old 02-20-2013, 02:32 PM   #2
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I don't think you're SOL, and it's way too soon to panic. Many of the newer chargers have a "recovery" mode. You might not want to spend the money to own one, but check with your local automotive repair shops and I'll bet most of them can save your battery with the right charge.

For a more detailed description of a recovery charge, check out http://www.geniuschargers.com/products

Click on the G7200, Click on Tech Specs Tab, scroll down to Step 12 I think that's what you're dealing with.
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Old 02-20-2013, 03:22 PM   #3
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Most modern batteries would not seriously be damaged just by storing over the winter in your basement, as long as it didn't freeze, or was directly on concrete. As an automotive technician, I don't know why storing a battery on concrete discharges it, but it definitely does. I store mine on top of a piece of wood, and it's fine. Both my 8N Ford tractor and my lawn tractor batteries sit all winter in the shed, without charging or running the unit all winter, and are always just fine in the spring when starting up. My last tractor battery lasted for 10 years used and stored in this manner before it had to be replaced. If your battery is discharged, I would recommend recharging on "low" mode until fully charged, as opposed to a "fast" charge.
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Old 02-20-2013, 03:47 PM   #4
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Tinlizzie, is right on the money. Batteries do go bad primarily with age (which you do not state). Generally speaking as long as it has been properly maintained you will be fine. Check the fluid levels (I do it a couple times a year), and refill with distilled water (only). I use a quality battery maintainer trickle charger. I do keep my TT batteries on the basement floor on a piece of wood (piece of mind). In the fall I use the trickle charger to get a good full charge. Then once again in mid winter (just did it a month ago), then one last time, right before they go back on the TT.

Batteries do not go bad like they use to from sitting on concrete floors. The issue was twofold; the concrete is moist and give a route for the power to leak off and drain the battery beyond recovery. In the old days (pre WW2), battery boxes were not made of plastic, (but of a paper like or phallic like material, and the moisture played a major role in battery life due to the battery case design. Now days the batteries are so good it is almost a mute issue.
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Old 02-20-2013, 07:47 PM   #5
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Storing a lead acid battery on a concrete floor will NOT discharge it. That is and old myth that at one time did have some merit. Today, however, it is not the case.

http://www.thebatteryterminal.com/Te...n_Concrete.htm

If the battery had a full charge at the time you stored it it has a good chance of being OK.

No voltmeter? That is a basic necessity for all RVer's. Get one. One of the $10 - $20 one will do just fine.
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Old 02-20-2013, 07:58 PM   #6
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Quote:
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Batteries do go bad primarily with age (which you do not state).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell View Post
It's just a year old.
I would expect that your battery is fine.
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Old 02-21-2013, 09:55 AM   #7
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Charge up the battery... and see how it is... dont start to worry till you have something to worry about... RVing is about relaxing and enjoying not fret and worry.
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Old 02-21-2013, 11:15 AM   #8
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Storing a lead acid battery on a concrete floor will NOT discharge it. That is and old myth that at one time did have some merit. Today, however, it is not the case.

http://www.thebatteryterminal.com/Te...n_Concrete.htm

If the battery had a full charge at the time you stored it it has a good chance of being OK.

No voltmeter? That is a basic necessity for all RVer's. Get one. One of the $10 - $20 one will do just fine.
I'm sorry, Chuck, but I must disagree with you on the concrete issue. To put the issue to rest, a while back I tried using the same battery (brand new, BTW) with full charge. Stored it on concrete first, for two weeks. Battery was discharged after that period. Then recharged the same battery to full, and stored it on wood. Kept checking it, and stopped the test after 3 months. This time, it still had 80% charge, enough to turn over and start a V-8 engine. That and other experiences over the years have taught me that concrete does indeed cause discharging. Maybe not as quickly with the newer modern plastic cases, but it does happen.
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Old 02-21-2013, 04:08 PM   #9
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Most modern batteries would not seriously be damaged just by storing over the winter in your basement, as long as it didn't freeze, or was directly on concrete. As an automotive technician, I don't know why storing a battery on concrete discharges it, but it definitely does. I store mine on top of a piece of wood, and it's fine. Both my 8N Ford tractor and my lawn tractor batteries sit all winter in the shed, without charging or running the unit all winter, and are always just fine in the spring when starting up. My last tractor battery lasted for 10 years used and stored in this manner before it had to be replaced. If your battery is discharged, I would recommend recharging on "low" mode until fully charged, as opposed to a "fast" charge.

Are you serious about the concrete??

Guess where I store my battery??? In the garage, on the (you guessed it), CONCRETE FLOOR!!!!

I don't believe I've heard that before, but "live and learn"!!
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Old 02-21-2013, 07:52 PM   #10
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Yes, I'm serious about storing a lead-acid battery on a concrete floor. There are some who say this is a myth, but in my experience, there is definitely a correlation between discharge and storing directly on a concrete floor. I do not know the mechanism at work here, but I know storing on a piece of wood or similar material will prevent or retard discharge on a good battery. I work in an antique auto restoration facility, and none of the techs there would even consider placing a good battery directly on the concrete floor for any length of time. We have all seen the effects, and just don't do it.
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Old 02-21-2013, 08:08 PM   #11
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Placing a piece of wood on the concrete floor is cheap insurance. I have always done this with any lead acid battery if it was to remain on the floor.
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Old 02-22-2013, 05:36 AM   #12
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Russell, Charge your battery by whatever means you usually use and see if it does what you want it to do. If it does, and you're satisfied with that, you are ready for the season. My original post assumed you would do a "normal" charge and then check your battery. When batteries sit unused they can "sulfate". That doesn't mean they can't be used, but when they become sulfated they can lose capacity.

I too have a "conventional flooded 12-volt battery". It's 2 years old and reads 13.2 after losing its surface charge. You would hope for that number in a new one. When it's not on the TT (even for a couple of days), it sits on a plastic shelf in my garage connected to a battery tender. And I never let the fluid level go past the top of the plates. (Not hard to accomplish - just requires a little extra lifting.)

Most batteries die from improper care, not cycling. That said, I enjoy doing those kinds of things, and understand not everyone does.

Bottom Line: I agree with Seann - this is supposed to be fun. If you maintain and use your equipment within your comfort zone, you will achieve that.
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Old 02-22-2013, 06:47 AM   #13
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Placing a piece of wood on the concrete floor is cheap insurance.....snip
I agree..., even though the battery casing materials of today don't present the problems under these conditions that the older casings did years ago.

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Old 02-22-2013, 07:12 AM   #14
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Speaking of batteries, has anyone noticed just how expensive they have become in just the last year or two? I needed one for the minivan, went to Autozone. The cheapest battery they had for that van was 105.00 with a ONE year warranty. The next one up was 160.00. Walmart did have one for 105.00 with a 3 yr warranty. But they have sure spiked in price.
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Old 02-22-2013, 09:11 PM   #15
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Part of the reason for the recent (last couple of years) spikes in battery prices is the cost of lead. That and the surcharges the Federal gov't has placed on use of lead to discourage its use. Similar to the large surcharges placed on R-12 Air Conditioning Freon several years ago to discourage use before they stopped production. Those charges made a 30# Freon reservoir jump from about $50 to over $400 within a year.

And around my area, the price of lead has boosted the $$ you can get selling your old battery to a dealer from around 50 cents a few years ago to $7.50 each today.
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Old 02-25-2013, 08:25 PM   #16
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I would suggest getting a voltmeter and a hydrometer. When it comes to battery maintenance, neither is a waste of money (you can get a basic voltmeter for around $15 and up; a hydrometer for around $10). Use the battery in question as an opportunity to learn and employ battery maintenance techniques. The only way you're going know the health of your battery is to test it. After testing, charge the battery if necessary (use a multi-stage charger). After charging, test again. If afterwards you have a healthy battery, maintain its health with the same multi-stage charging device (not the traditional trickle charger). Finally, I'm probably going to regret jumping into the fray regarding battery storage on a concrete surface, but storing your battery on concrete will not discharge it any faster than if it sits on a different surface (water included) under the same or similar environmental conditions (an unused battery will lose charge over a period of time no matter where it sits). But, if after reading some posts that suggest wood (or any other surface) helps prevent faster than normal discharge and the like, go for it. It won't hurt, but it isn't necessary. Good luck.
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Old 02-26-2013, 04:12 AM   #17
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My battery stays in the storage box of my stored TT all the time. I was down in late October of 2012, and returned last week. I unhook the positive terminal. Granted, I use shore power, but the battery charged right back up. It is an Interstate.
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Old 03-02-2013, 08:00 PM   #18
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Well, I was going to post a battery question and noticed this discussion which seems right on the money so here goes. I have been storing my battery since Oct-2012 in the basement on a wood shelf under my workbench. Once a month I check it with an analog voltmeter (no decimals) and it has been reading a steady 13volts for the past 5-months. I have a trickle charger but haven't used it as I didn't think I'd need to with a steady 13volts. My question is "am I OK to not charge it as long as it reads 13volts on the meter?" My battery is also an Interstate and is about 1-year old now as we purchsed our 2012 32TSBH about a year ago. During the season it stays with the camper in storage (disconnected) or while on site (connected & charged by shore power).
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Old 03-02-2013, 08:25 PM   #19
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Well, I was going to post a battery question and noticed this discussion which seems right on the money so here goes. I have been storing my battery since Oct-2012 in the basement on a wood shelf under my workbench. Once a month I check it with an analog voltmeter (no decimals) and it has been reading a steady 13volts for the past 5-months. I have a trickle charger but haven't used it as I didn't think I'd need to with a steady 13volts. My question is "am I OK to not charge it as long as it reads 13volts on the meter?" My battery is also an Interstate and is about 1-year old now as we purchsed our 2012 32TSBH about a year ago. During the season it stays with the camper in storage (disconnected) or while on site (connected & charged by shore power).
You'll be fine. Charge it at least a day before you use it. 2 amps over night should do it. Charge with the caps off. Check the water level and use only distilled water to bring it up to the water line, typically at the bottom of each individual cell opening.
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Old 03-02-2013, 09:09 PM   #20
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Sounds like good advice, thanks Boss Wagon. Should the caps always come off during charging? The reason I ask is that I had charged it once last year without removing the caps and that was from almost a complete discharge (measured 3volts). That was when I learned that the camper's radio panel never turns off and it along with the tiny LED on the CO detector continue to sap power from the battery. Those two items drained the battery over a period of a few weeks. I have since installed a battery shutoff switch for use when we are not camping. Actually, from all the literature I've ready about batteries I thought mine was a goner but it still holds a charge.
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