Battery Maintenance

[pegmikef]

Just a reminder for all to check their batteries. Since the batteries are out of sight, they are often overlooked when checking/maintaining other components such as tires, hydraulics, and suspension system.

It has been a hot summer so I am recommending that you check the water level in your batteries and fill them as needed using distilled water.

Inspect and clean all the terminals and cable connections and make sure the connections are tight. A baking soda and water mixture and a wire brush are very effective for cleaning corrosion from the battery terminals and cables.

You would really be surprised how much poorly maintained batteries can adversely affect the performance of your systems (especially the hydraulics). It is also difficult to properly charge poorly maintained batteries.

 

[Diamondjim]

"An ounce of prevention is WELL worth a pound of cure"

Great reminder, and guess who just found out (the hard way) that neglect is costly.

What with my wife being incapacitated with the installation of a new knee, we have NOT used our 5th wheel in way too long. Then comes hurricane Irma and us without electricity for 5+ days. Bright idea...use the refrigerator in the RV to save our butt, or some of it.

Apparently, since I had not used the propane part of the reefer for some time, there was an air bubble. It initially fired up and then nothing.
Check the batteries and yep, dead and dry!

We purchase our Greystone 3250RL used, and at the time they put in one new battery and I don't have any idea how old the 2nd battery was.
Now have a larger new deep cycle marine battery, Delco C24HP in place and working. Actually, at $102.00, I was pleased with that price and a two-year warranty.

Moral of the story....keep an eye on your power sources!

 

[wdk450]

I also keep an eye on my batteries with occasional checks with my infrared thermometer. A bad battery will start getting hot.

Rigs kept in outside storage should consider a small battery tender solar panel to keep the battery up.

BTW, the propane alarm draws a small current continuously - for safety reasons there is no way to shut off it's electric draw. And when the battery gets low, an audible alarm sounds using MORE battery power. Many times I have gone to the RV storage yard and hear a few of these alarms sounding. If you don't have a battery maintainer source, and expect your trailer to be in storage over a month, I would suggest you disconnect 1 of the main battery cables.

 

[Diamondjim]

Rigs kept in outside storage should consider a small battery tender solar panel to keep the battery up.

I think that's where I screwed up....being in Florida for the summer (year around for that matter) I have the rig connected to 110 AC and run the A/C at 80*+, so the batteries are being charged all the time. Best I keep a closer eye on them in the future.

 

[wdk450]

I think that's where I screwed up....being in Florida for the summer (year around for that matter) I have the rig connected to 110 AC and run the A/C at 80*+, so the batteries are being charged all the time. Best I keep a closer eye on them in the future.

Diamondjim:
Do you have the Progressive 9200 series converter/charger? As a former Hospital Electronics Tech that worked on many battery backed-up medical devices, the 3 stage charging (and daily 15 minute battery desulphation mode) of the Progressive 9200 series impresses me as as good (actually better) as any high-end battery charger circuit I saw. I have a 4 battery system of maintenance free and sealed AGM batteries. I have replaced only 1 original battery since 2009.

http://www.progressivedyn.com/prod_details/charge_wizard.html

 

[dave10a]

A 5 watt solar panel tied directly to the battery without a charge controller would be good for batteries when the trailer is in storage. That would keep the battery(s) toped off and greatly increase the battery life. However, the batteries would have to be fully charged at the time of storage.