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Old 04-19-2017, 10:27 AM   #1
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Winter Battery Storage

Question for you guys. How many of you remove your battery and bring it inside for winter storage? I do it, but why? Is there any difference between this battery and a car battery that is outside in the cold temps? I disconnect it every time I put it in storage. But why do we bring the battery inside? I live in NW Indiana and we see temps below zero. thoughts?
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Old 04-19-2017, 10:32 AM   #2
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I bring mine in because not being used and recharged, I believe it will discharge over time in the cold. Once discharged, the acid solution could be more suseptible to freeze.
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Old 04-19-2017, 10:41 AM   #3
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I bring mine in because not being used and recharged, I believe it will discharge over time in the cold. Once discharged, the acid solution could be more suseptible to freeze.
I guess this would vary on areas of the country. Here in Texas it does not get that cold but I do put it in the garage on wood and run a trickle charge to it once a week until the charger goes into FLO mode.
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Old 04-19-2017, 10:47 AM   #4
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This was the first year I didn't leave the TT plugged in all winter.

I disconnected the battery and unplugged the TT just before throwing the cover on.

We didn't get sub-zero temps this winter. So, the battery should be fine. I'll find out in the next week or so when I yank the cover and fire the TT up for the season.
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Old 04-19-2017, 10:58 AM   #5
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There probably are quite a few suggestions regarding this. When I lived at the IL/WI border, I left the battery in (with no loads attached), BUT.... I charged it every 2 months. Was I correct in doing it this way? Who knows. Doug takes his out, which is easier to do maintenance on.

So, here is what USBattery has to say about this.. you have to read all 3 to get to their thoughts (regarding low temperatures)

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Old 04-19-2017, 11:09 AM   #6
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My PDI & service man told me if I don't take it out there are 2 lights that stay on which will run down the battery. One is for the stereo behind the unit which you usually don't see, I forgot what the other electric device is, probably the microwave.
When I dropped it off for service the first time - they had it for over a month and sure enough they didn't dis-connect the battery and it was dead. I've been having problems with it ever-since! It never holds a charge now. From now on I always dis-connect it after each use and also when I drop if off for service
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Old 04-19-2017, 11:22 AM   #7
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OOPS I answered the same post up the page... It seems you have a double post going here...
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Old 04-19-2017, 11:29 AM   #8
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....they didn't dis-connect the battery and it was dead. I've been having problems with it ever-since! It never holds a charge now. From now on I always dis-connect it after each use and also when I drop if off for service
If it is an Interstate battery you may be able to get it replaced if it is within a year since it was purchased. Tell them it doesn't hold a charge.

I recommend installing a battery disconnect switch..

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Old 04-19-2017, 11:57 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by chrismoore701 View Post
Question for you guys. How many of you remove your battery and bring it inside for winter storage? I do it, but why? Is there any difference between this battery and a car battery that is outside in the cold temps? I disconnect it every time I put it in storage. But why do we bring the battery inside? I live in NW Indiana and we see temps below zero. thoughts?

My battery lives in the basement of my house over winter on a couple of scrap 2x4's. It's not to protect the battery from voltage loss outside, as generally speaking, the colder it is - the less loss you'll see. I store all of my AA's, AAA's C cells, etc in my fridge for this reason.

I do it to prevent theft, over the long cold winter. That's really the only reason. It's also nice to start the camping season with a *fully* charged battery. If the camper was parked at my house, I'd never remove it, relying on the battery disconnect.
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Old 04-19-2017, 11:59 AM   #10
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My PDI & service man told me if I don't take it out there are 2 lights that stay on which will run down the battery. One is for the stereo behind the unit which you usually don't see, I forgot what the other electric device is, probably the microwave.
~snip
It is the CO/Propane Detector. Microwave is 110V only.
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Old 04-19-2017, 12:02 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by chrismoore701 View Post
Question for you guys. How many of you remove your battery and bring it inside for winter storage? I do it, but why? Is there any difference between this battery and a car battery that is outside in the cold temps? I disconnect it every time I put it in storage. But why do we bring the battery inside? I live in NW Indiana and we see temps below zero. thoughts?
Modern battery cases are so much better than the old wood and bake-a-lite cased batteries. Most of us in the artic north have experienced, an old car battery seam to fail in the cold winter months, when they get old and weak.


I pull my battery, in the winter. My htt takes a nice long nap in a farmers barn way up north where it can get -30 oF. I place the battery, in my unheated garage, which might get down to freezing. I place my battery maintainer on my stored car batteries and deep cycle batteries about twice a winter. The batteries do loose a charge slowly over time. If the battery loses to much charge it can freeze and become destroyed.

As for our everyday cars, that we drive regularly, they are constantly being recharged, hence they should not freeze.
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Old 04-20-2017, 05:39 AM   #12
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Thanks guys, makes sense. I will keep bringing it in. I have the trailer stored in a lot about 10 min away with no way to charge.
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Old 04-20-2017, 05:54 AM   #13
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Sorry for the double post, internet locked up in the middle of my post and somehow made it post twice

Thanks for the clarification
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Old 04-21-2017, 07:22 PM   #14
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My one trailer is small enough to be parked at our house beside the garage. We keep the batteries in there at all times and it stays plugged in to shore power at all times.

Our other trailer is at a campground and plugged in, when they shut the power off for the winter, we pull the battery and bring it home to hook it up to a maintenance charger for the next 5-6 months. Then back out to the trailer when power is back on.
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Old 04-22-2017, 10:02 AM   #15
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If it is an Interstate battery you may be able to get it replaced if it is within a year since it was purchased. Tell them it doesn't hold a charge.

I recommend installing a battery disconnect switch..

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My battery went dead between trips though I used lights in it very little and nothing else was running. The service man at Burton Campers in Calera, Alabama, said that most all batteries would run down over time if not disconnected. Like you suggested, I would like to get a disconnect switch installed, but will disconnecting the neg terminal on the battery do the same thing? Is this a stupid question?
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Old 04-22-2017, 11:06 AM   #16
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Winter Battery Storage

I leave my trailer plugged in 24/7 when at home and all winter. I've never taken the battery out. This is my third season with it and the battery has been working great and I do lots of boondocking. I'm in northern Ontario, Canada and temps get down to the minus 40's.


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Old 04-22-2017, 12:09 PM   #17
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will disconnecting the neg terminal on the battery do the same thing? Is this a stupid question?
Not a stupid question and yes it will accomplish the same thing. Just make sure it doesn't ground to anything else. Installing a battery disconnect is an easy task and turning a switch is a lot easier than disconnecting the neg terminal every time.

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Old 04-22-2017, 02:54 PM   #18
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We have no stupid questions... just a need for information.

Here is how easy you can add your own battery cut off switch.

1. Order/get the parts needed on Amazon or Automotive parts store.
(Prices vary on the switch you select, just make sure it is an enclosed case)
2. Pull the 30 amp main fuse on the (+) POSITIVE battery cable.
3. Disconnect the ground cable from the frame bolt (other end is connected to the negative battery terminal)
4. Sand the frame around the bolt hole to insure a good connection
5. Connect the short (BLACK) cable you purchased to the ground bolt and tighten back to the frame.
6. Connect the other end of the short cable to the end closest to the ground bolt in the Disconnect Switch
7. Connect the cable you just removed from the bolt to the new Marine Battery disconnect Switch.
8. Mount the Marine Disconnect switch to the frame
9. Install the 30Amp main fuse
10. Turn on the TT interior lights and hit the switch, if all works as planned continue to item #11, else (put the fuse in)
11. OK, now you can open that beer and admire a "JOB WELL DONE

This project should take you about 30 minutes.... an easy job!


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Old 04-22-2017, 07:24 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by Mustang65 View Post
We have no stupid questions... just a need for information.

Here is how easy you can add your own battery cut off switch.

1. Order/get the parts needed on Amazon or Automotive parts store.
(Prices vary on the switch you select, just make sure it is an enclosed case)
2. Pull the 30 amp main fuse on the (+) POSITIVE battery cable.
3. Disconnect the ground cable from the frame bolt (other end is connected to the negative battery terminal)
4. Sand the frame around the bolt hole to insure a good connection
5. Connect the short (BLACK) cable you purchased to the ground bolt and tighten back to the frame.
6. Connect the other end of the short cable to the end closest to the ground bolt in the Disconnect Switch
7. Connect the cable you just removed from the bolt to the new Marine Battery disconnect Switch.
8. Mount the Marine Disconnect switch to the frame
9. Install the 30Amp main fuse
10. Turn on the TT interior lights and hit the switch, if all works as planned continue to item #11, else (put the fuse in)
11. OK, now you can open that beer and admire a "JOB WELL DONE

This project should take you about 30 minutes.... an easy job!




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Thanks. will do this
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Old 04-22-2017, 08:34 PM   #20
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Question for you guys. How many of you remove your battery and bring it inside for winter storage? I do it, but why? Is there any difference between this battery and a car battery that is outside in the cold temps? I disconnect it every time I put it in storage. But why do we bring the battery inside? I live in NW Indiana and we see temps below zero. thoughts?
I have an old battery box that I put in the basement and put the battery on a Deltran battery tender.
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