Charging Batteries and maintenance question

[Jmd]

After a couple years of crappy batteries, this summer I purchased two Trojan T-105 6 volt deep cycle batteries and need some advice about charging them and maintenance over the winter so they remain in good condition.

For example;

Do you remove them and put them on a trickle charge over winter?
Leave them in the trailer disconnected?
Can they remain connected in series while disconnected?
Did you upgrade your charger (converter?) in the trailer, does that make a difference?

If it's trickle charge, what charger is right for these? I do have a CTEK MXS 5.0 and I've emailed their customer support if that one is Ok for these.

[CAG]

When I had 120V near the RV, I had a Battery Tender hooked to the 2 six volts. After moving to a different parking area with no 120V I used/use at small solar trickle charger. Since I exercise the genny every month, I also checked the batteries before switching to AGM.



You do not need a new or different converter.



If you do not have a battery disconnect I suggest installing one. Even with a trickle charger, you batteries will be dead or nearly so if you do not use a disconnect. It also allows leaving them in the rig. 6 volts are heavy and bulky to take in and out, at least with my 5th wheel.

[Jmd]

Thanks CAG,

No 120V where we store the rig but I've ordered a battery disconnect which I'll install this week.

The batteries at the moment are in my garage so their safe from parasitic discharge but you're right they are super heavy and the least I have to move them the better

[Nature Ist]

I did the exact same thing on my previous Eagle TT. Depending on how far north you are and what your winter temperatures are will determine the best approach. I am in CT, and always made sure I fully charged the batteries and checked the water level just before disconnecting them. I left them in the camper for the 5 - 6 month winter without any charging. I sometimes needed to get in the camper, so I would connect the batteries and plug into shoreline to do what I had to do and left it charging for a few hours to top off the battery.
The answer to the question of changing the converter depends on exactly what year and model converter you have. It is only in the last few years that converters are being installed with the better, multi-stage charge controllers. You should research this and find out exactly what you have. This matters because the older charge controllers have a tendency to charge with too much voltage for too long: this causes the batteries to "boil-off" which reduces the water levels rather quickly. If they get too low, the plates can overheat and warp...and that's the end of the batteries. On my 2007 Eagle, I disconnected my Trojans whenever I was hooked up to shoreline at a campground for more than a couple of days. (I've known some other owners that fried batteries within two years because they did not know they were overcharging)
You can get 6-7 years out of the Trojans if you monitor the charging and keep the water levels maintained - and use distilled water!

[Nature Ist]

Originally Posted by Jmd

Thanks CAG,

No 120V where we store the rig but I've ordered a battery disconnect which I'll install this week.

The batteries at the moment are in my garage so their safe from parasitic discharge but you're right they are super heavy and the least I have to move them the better

Then you are in good shape..and the batteries are probably safer in your garage than at a storage facility.

[Jmd]

Originally Posted by Nature Ist

I did the exact same thing on my previous Eagle TT. Depending on how far north you are and what your winter temperatures are will determine the best approach. I am in CT, and always made sure I fully charged the batteries and checked the water level just before disconnecting them. I left them in the camper for the 5 - 6 month winter without any charging. I sometimes needed to get in the camper, so I would connect the batteries and plug into shoreline to do what I had to do and left it charging for a few hours to top off the battery.
The answer to the question of changing the converter depends on exactly what year and model converter you have. It is only in the last few years that converters are being installed with the better, multi-stage charge controllers. You should research this and find out exactly what you have. This matters because the older charge controllers have a tendency to charge with too much voltage for too long: this causes the batteries to "boil-off" which reduces the water levels rather quickly. If they get too low, the plates can overheat and warp...and that's the end of the batteries. On my 2007 Eagle, I disconnected my Trojans whenever I was hooked up to shoreline at a campground for more than a couple of days. (I've known some other owners that fried batteries within two years because they did not know they were overcharging)
You can get 6-7 years out of the Trojans if you monitor the charging and keep the water levels maintained - and use distilled water!

My trailer is a 2016 Jayco Jayflight 26BHS (I bought it new back then) and I don't know what convertor is in it so I will find out today