Keeping Battery Charged while RV in Storage

**TexasUmpire** · 04-01-2020, 10:11 AM

I just need to confirm if this will work to keep my battery charged while in storage. I have access to 110 power at the storage unit. If I connect the Trailer to the 110 electrial source will this keep my battery charged? Would I need to leave the battery disconnect on or off? thanks

**boyscout** · 04-01-2020, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by TexasUmpire

I just need to confirm if this will work to keep my battery charged while in storage. I have access to 110 power at the storage unit. If I connect the Trailer to the 110 electrial source will this keep my battery charged? Would I need to leave the battery disconnect on or off? thanks

The frustrating answer is, "it depends".

How long will your trailer be in storage? If it's a couple of months or less, and your battery is a decent product in good condition, you may be better off putting a full charge on the battery and then disconnecting the cables from the battery.

Turning off the battery disconnect does NOT disconnect the battery, oddly enough. Some things such as smoke and propane alarms, brakes, radio, and leveling system often remain connected and slowly draw down the battery. Turn the switch off and the battery will usually drain itself flat in a few weeks due to those still-connected loads. Disconnecting the battery completely gives it (if it's a good battery in good condition) much longer life.

If you leave the battery connected and plug into the 120 volt supply - and leave the battery disconnect switch ON - then yes, it will keep your battery charged. HOWEVER...

Dealers do not typically install top-quality batteries in these trailers. Some people have reported that leaving an unused trailer - battery not getting any up-and-down workouts - plugged in for months has severely shortened the life of their battery.

So, if storing for a month or two, charge the battery and then disconnect it completely. If storing for longer, get a proper trickle charger made for long-term battery maintenance and either take the battery home to maintain it or leave it disconnected in the trailer with the trickle charger attached.

Hope this helps.

**TexasUmpire** · 04-01-2020, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by boyscout

The frustrating answer is, "it depends".

How long will your trailer be in storage? If it's a couple of months or less, and your battery is a decent product in good condition, you may be better off putting a full charge on the battery and then disconnecting the cables from the battery.

Turning off the battery disconnect does NOT disconnect the battery, oddly enough. Some things such as smoke and propane alarms, brakes, radio, and leveling system often remain connected and slowly draw down the battery. Turn the switch off and the battery will usually drain itself flat in a few weeks due to those still-connected loads. Disconnecting the battery completely gives it (if it's a good battery in good condition) much longer life.

If you leave the battery connected and plug into the 120 volt supply - and leave the battery disconnect switch ON - then yes, it will keep your battery charged. HOWEVER...

Dealers do not typically install top-quality batteries in these trailers. Some people have reported that leaving an unused trailer - battery not getting any up-and-down workouts - plugged in for months has severely shortened the life of their battery.

So, if storing for a month or two, charge the battery and then disconnect it completely. If storing for longer, get a proper trickle charger made for long-term battery maintenance and either take the battery home to maintain it or leave it disconnected in the trailer with the trickle charger attached.

Hope this helps.

Yes, this confirms what I thought I knew. My storage is about 4-5 weeks at a time and in south Texas. Two batteries in the unit and they are pretty good quality. Disconnecting the batteries is a pain to me. Thinking I might also get the battery disconnect switch which would make that task a lot easier. Thanks for your input.

**boyscout** · 04-01-2020, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by TexasUmpire

Yes, this confirms what I thought I knew. My storage is about 4-5 weeks at a time and in south Texas. Two batteries in the unit and they are pretty good quality. Disconnecting the batteries is a pain to me. Thinking I might also get the battery disconnect switch which would make that task a lot easier. Thanks for your input.

Here's the switch that I and a fair number of others here have installed:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's probably rare that you'd want to run one battery while not running the other - keeping them level with each other is a good objective - but this switch makes that possible. If one battery failed, for example, you could quickly continue to use the other one without re-configuring the cabling.

Of course it's not just plug and play with the switch - some new cabling and fuse blocks should be installed too. But yes, worth the couple of hours of work.

**sande005** · 04-01-2020, 02:11 PM

I had a few prior posts about this (with charts from battery manufacturers!), but even in Texas in the summer, you will get several months before the batteries self discharge to 50%. If you do put them on a charger (which could be hard on them, unless you get a really good trickle charger), plan on stopping by once or more to add water. Something else you don't have to do if you just leave them. But ditto on the disconnecting. One way or another, it has to be done. In the winter, they can go far longer before you have to think about them. Mine, in Minnesota, got an entire year, and were then only down to 80%.

**TexasUmpire** · 04-01-2020, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by sande005

I had a few prior posts about this (with charts from battery manufacturers!), but even in Texas in the summer, you will get several months before the batteries self discharge to 50%. If you do put them on a charger (which could be hard on them, unless you get a really good trickle charger), plan on stopping by once or more to add water. Something else you don't have to do if you just leave them. But ditto on the disconnecting. One way or another, it has to be done. In the winter, they can go far longer before you have to think about them. Mine, in Minnesota, got an entire year, and were then only down to 80%.

Thanks for the information.

**Txfivver** · 04-15-2020, 05:03 PM

Ok I have a question regarding this topic and please excuse my electrical ignorance. My trailer is kept in inside storage when not using it, it can sit for 1-2 months sometimes without using it. I keep it plugged into shore power when stored. I recently had to replace the junky dealer installed batteries with much better wet cell deep cycle one. If I want to leave unhooked from shore power and use 2 battery tenders do I need to unhook all 4 battery cables or just the 2 negative ones or just one negative cable. Thank you for any input.