Storing batteries

BigJim45

Luv'n Life
Everytime whenI store my prowler I remove the batteries because I'm afraid that they will get legs and walk off. My question is, do I need to put them on a charger and if so for how long.
 

sjs731

Well-known member
I hook mine to a battery tender in my basement, plug them in and forget about them till spring.


Steve
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evolvingpowercat

Well-known member
Lead-acid batteries should be at full charge when put into storage and stored between 122 F and -40 F. Battery should be disconnected from all load using a battery disconnect switch or by removing a battery cable connection. If you need to supply any 12 volt load during storage then you must use a solar charger with charge controller or a battery tender to put more in to the batteries than the load is taking out each day to not let the batteries totally discharge which will reduce their capacity.

A refreshing charge to the batteries should be done at least every 6 months to maximize the capacity of the battery long term. It is best for the batteries being stored if the temperature is 55 F or less.
 
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TeJay

Well-known member
Most information concerning lead/acid batteries has been covered. Here's a little more. These batteries begin to loose their life as soon as they are placed into service. They are given a battery life in months and that is usually based on quality of construction. I've actually had a 60 month battery die right at 60 months. They will last longest when they are used regularly or at least charged regularly. If you put your rig in storage the battery should be removed stored in a cool location and charged with a good battery charger every 4-6 weeks. Always charge these batteries as slowly as possible. Fast charging creates unwanted heat. Charging takes place at the molecular level and it is best when done slowly. Today's battery chargers are better than older ones. They usually have built-in electronic circuits that reduce the charge rate as they begin to reach full charge and then maintain a low rate of charge called a trickle charge. When batteries are allowed to discharge and remain discharged they may become permanently sulfated. Sometime slow charging can reverse the process but not always.

TeJay
 

gasman

Camp Socializer
Whatever method you decide to use for storage, remember to periodically monitor the water level in the batteries. I have run across several people who had dead batteries on the first trip out in the spring and when I checked the water level, they were nearly dry.
 

rick_debbie_gallant

Well-known member
Never store batteries on a concrete floor, put them on blocks. The concrete will ruin them.

Al

Al, that may have been true years ago about the concrete ruining batteries, however with the new materials being used today (ie polypropolene), I don't believe it still holds true. Check out Snopes
 

porthole

Retired
Never store batteries on a concrete floor, put them on blocks. The concrete will ruin them.

Al

That is an "old wives tale"
But if you gave a battery with a leak, the acid will ruin the concrete surface.


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caissiel

Senior Member
I park 3 cars for the winter and head south for the winter.

I disconnect the negative post of the battery and let the batteries freeze for the winter, fully charged of course. For the past 7 years I just reconnect the negative post in the spring when I return, then I start one car after the other and they never fail to start on their own power. One battery is now 8 years old and still a great performer.

When I use to park the RV for the winter I did the same thing and Batteries lasted up to 6 year. Since fulltiming and never parking the trailer over winter, the batteries have been failling much more often.
 

TeJay

Well-known member
Old ideas really do take a long time to die. I've been in the field for 50 years and never believed that storing batteries on a concrete floor will ruin them. Any lead-acid battery (depending on age and condition) if not charged from time to time will eventually discharge. I don't care where you put it. Temperature does effect it because it is a molecular action. Here's what I believe happened. Back in the 30's to 50's batteries were OK but not as good as today's. When batteries were taken out of service they sat and because they were not charged they died. Maybe they were taken out and put on the floor and somebody thought that's what caused it. So the story got told, retold, etc, etc. Eventually people began to believe it and soon it became a fact. All you would have to do is put your battery up on a wooden bench away from the cold floor and it could have affected the charge condition. So somebody ASSUMED that putting it on a wooden bench kept it from discharging. And so the story begins.

Lets look at this way. For years the battery box in your auto had a metal bottom. The battery was surrounded by metal and the negative was connected to the engine as a ground and our batteries didn't discharge more quickly did they ???? We were never told to remove the battery and place it on a wooden bench because it would discharge sooner if we didn't???? Again if left unattended for several weeks and lead acid battery will discharge.

One more question. If you think old idea don't die hard here's one. WHY IS THE BAR LOWERED ON A GIRLS BICYCLE AND NOT ON A BOYS BICYCLE????? It started when bikes became popular back in the 1890's and women wore long skirts. They had to lower THE BAR so they could get on and off like a lady. SOOOOOO !!!!!! WHY DO WE STILL DO IT 122 YEARS LATER ?????? The same held true for oil. The manufacturers stopped recommending 10W-40 oil back in the 70's or 80's. At the same time you had a hard time finding places that sold the newer oils but still stocked 10W-40. I once asked why they didn't stock it and I was told because people don't ask for it.
I love these stories !!!!!!

TeJay
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
I pull my battery and put it in the unheated garage over the winter. I put it on a shelf of a rolling tool stand, mainly to keep it out of any melt and slush from the wife's car and so it doesn't get in the way when I set up my woodworking stuff. It gets put on the charger when I think about it (I do check the water level when I store it). This has been it's fourth summer season with no problems.

Talking about battery life, I finally replaced the OEM battery on our pontoon this summer. Seemed to be a little sluggish starting the 50hp motor and while drift trolling, my fish finder gave low battery warnings a bit too soon (never did previously). The OEM battery was a 2003 vintage and has sat under the shrink wrap (in its plastic box) every winter after the marina puts a charge on it and disconnects it.
 

piet10

Active Member
Ok, I stand admonished about not storing them on concrete! We all learn something new and this forum is good for that.

Al
 

Willym

Well-known member
I do the same with my car battery as Cassiel, and have had no problems. My car battery is now 9 years old and is still performing well. Most battery degradation occurs during the hot months, and is accelerated by vibration and shock from road travel. My experience with large industrial battery banks showed that overcharging was the biggest threat to long battery life. So if you really feel you need to do a maintenance charge on your stored battery, be sparing in amps and duration..
 

Lynn1130

Well-known member
Boy it would be nice to get 8-9 years from a battery. Even 4-5 would be great. Average battery life here in the desert is 36-48 months. You can almost set your clock/calendar on a battery going dead as soon as the temps hit their high point if the battery has any age at all. And they give no warning in most cases. The only battery that I had last any length of time was a Yuasu that was stock in one of my quads. I keep those on a battery tender and got 10 years out of it. When I had the pull trailer I would pull the batteries and put them on the tender. I could get 36 months out of a 12 month golf battery if I was lucky.
 
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