Battery Charging/Longevity

[terryriddle]

My wife and I have been camping for over fifty years. From tenting to 5th wheel 2020 Reflection which we purchased the last day of Oct. We have had travel trailers and one prior fifth wheel. It has been my practice all these years to pull the battery out of the RV upon our return from any trip and keep it in a case on a carpet in the garage, with a slow charger hook up once a month. Then I would haul the battery back and put it back in my RV just before a new trip. Well..getting a little older and don't have the back I used to have, just the other day we wanted to get inside the 260RD and do something in the bedroom..so I needed the battery to get the slide out.

This time I left the battery in the RV..turned off the master switch and even unhooked the positive post from the battery. My wife is concerned..and to be honest, I have no idea of the battery life before recharging is needed. We live about an hour south of Raleigh NC and our winter temps are at the lowest..in the 30's with possible a day or two below 30.

So my question is...how long will this battery hold a viable charge before I need to pull it out and recharge it on a trickle charger? My truck has a 120 electric outlet, so I could hook up the charger and let it run for X period of time or pull the battery and return it to the garage. Open to input from those who have not practiced pulling the battery after each trip like I have.

Thanks

[Dick Noble]

What type of battery? Lead-acid, I'd think 6 days to two weeks with a full charge to start and new(er) battery. We use two Interstate (lead-acid) and have a three stage converter so I can leave it plugged in all the time. I'm not sure about other types.

[terryriddle]

Yes, Lead-acid.. It is new and has been charged off and on until I put it back in the RV two days ago..

[Wicked ace]

No worries, with the cable lifted from the post you will be good until your off onto your next trip. If you are really concerned put a maintenance charge on once a month or so.

[terryriddle]

Has anyone used the "suit case" style solar charger?? It clamps to the battery post like a trickle charger and has a regulator built in to protect the battery. Just wondering if this is a positive tool for a battery. It had a great write up and good reviews...

[Wicked ace]

Has anyone used the "suit case" style solar charger?? It clamps to the battery post like a trickle charger and has a regulator built in to protect the battery. Just wondering if this is a positive tool for a battery. It had a great write up and good reviews...

That would work fine. My brother uses one on his rig.

[GeoffnCheri]

In season when our 5th wheel is in storage for a week or two, I disconnect the negative battery terminal to prevent parasitic drain.

Over the winter I pull the battery and keep it on a trickle charger in the garage.

I did utilize the battery disconnect once...... and forgot to turn it back on and the battery drained in about 2 weeks and did not recharge as we headed down the road or for the entire trip with hookups. Took a few days of forum research to determine I suffered from cranial rectal combustion. From that point on I always disconnect the negative terminal in lieu of the battery disconnect.

[Saldog]

The solar chargers as mentioned previously work really well. I have used them on our mower, ATV, and camper if a power source for a plug in trickle charger is not available.

[sande005]

See my old post, here: https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/show...hlight=battery

With it completely disconnected, you should be good for at least 9 months, and maybe a year, before you have to worry about recharging.....if it was fully charged when you disconnected it.

I should note - this summer will be year 12 on the AGM's I referred to in the post, and still going strong! They are always "disconnect and forget" from Oct to April. Never below 90% in the spring. Of course, our colder winters help with that.

[andrewssteve]

Of course, our colder winters help with that.

Colder winters, huh? This morning's Star Tribune (a Minneapolis paper) shows tomorrow's high temp as 46 degrees F. Overnight low this morning was 33. I think we better run out and feed our batteries -- they're all thawed out.

-Steve