Pulling house batteries

fizikpal · 11-20-2019, 04:21 AM

Buttercup is almost wrapped up for the winter. Last thing to do is cover this weekend. I have always in the past pulled the house batteries and put them in my heated workroom for winter. Then when ready to put back in... put them on a charger and then re-install. A colleague said he doesnt do that and now it got me thinking.

Thoughts?

jimp · 11-20-2019, 06:20 AM

That's always an option, or leave the batteries installed and connect a 1.5a smart charger via extension cord, which is what I do. I don't have any heated storage area, just un-insulated storage shed and the garage where the TV is. Neither are as cold as just outside, but I still just leave installed with the small smart charger. No issues with bad batteries except for age.

Jagiven · 11-20-2019, 08:42 AM

A modern battery is really quite good, and if fully charged and then disconnected, should be fine over the winter. If they discharge they can freeze and get ruined. I would have no concerns leaving mine on the tongue of my TT all year, if it was not in storage facility during the winter.

I pull mine, and put it in my shop, sitting on a 2x4 on the concrete floor. I have checked the voltage and it might drop 0.1 volts over the course of the winter. If I know we are getting a really bad weather snap, I might put them on the charger a few days before, just so I can use the power inverter with them to run my stick built house furnace if needed. Never done it yet.

2edgesword · 11-20-2019, 10:07 AM

I take mine out to preserve the battery and avoid theft.

RetiredOne · 11-20-2019, 10:10 AM

I went back and forth, take them out, or leave them in...

I decided to leave them in, in a rare case I had to move or use the rig, I didn't want to have to deal with re-installing the batteries.

I put separate trickle chargers on the house and chassis batteries, but I didn't leave them plugged in 24/7. I don't see a need to keep them energized all the time, when there is no load or drain on them (only a slight parasitic drain on the chassis battery).

I put a digital timer on the incoming power line, and it comes on once a week to top off the batteries. Otherwise, everything is off.

ondaroadagain · 11-21-2019, 02:41 PM

Does your 31 UL have the PD4500 Series Power Control Center? If so, it has a built in Charge Wizard that automatically keeps house batteries (and, I believe, chassis battery, too) charged as needed.

hawkster · 11-22-2019, 06:14 AM

The onboard converter has 3 modes to keep your batteries up. I keep a drop cord from my garage to the coach. Works fine for months as long as you have a.c. power.

Vicr · 11-23-2019, 11:21 AM

I leave them in. I keep my group 27's on a Battery Tender and my J185's on a Noco Genius. I also have installed a battery disconnect switch.

RogerR · 11-23-2019, 11:35 AM

I have always brought in my group 27 battery as well as my tractor battery and put them on battery tender jr's. My lifetime on the tractor battery is up to 3 years now vs. replacement almost every year before I brought it in.

Due to problems with lifting I will leave it on the tongue with a battery tender Jr. on it via extension cord next winter.

A battery tender is a lot cheaper to replace than the house converter. I believe it also draws a lot less electricity to just keep it on (above the power uses to actually uses to charge the battery).

RetiredOne · 11-23-2019, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RogerR

A battery tender is a lot cheaper to replace than the house converter. I believe it also draws a lot less electricity to just keep it on (above the power uses to actually uses to charge the battery).

This is exactly why I use the battery tenders. I don't see the reason to keep the converter and the 115 volt circuits powered up and energized 24/7 if I'm only topping off the batteries once a week.

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