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  1. #1
    Seasoned Camper Mjlebsa's Avatar
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    Battery charging

    I’m trying to decide if I want to take both batteries out of my Solitude and put them in my garage on a trickle charger or just plug the Solitude into our home 50 amp service and just leave it for the winter. Are there any cons to leaving the batteries in? I didn’t know if the cold would effect them?

    Thanks


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    Matt, Trish, Conner & Ethan
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  2. #2
    Long Hauler
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    If it were me, I would leave them in place and the trailer hooked up shore power. A good converter will adjust itself so as not to overcharge the batteries.
    Howard and Peggy
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  3. #3
    Site Team traveldawg's Avatar
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    I'm trying to come up with reasons to leave them in or take them out.

    The only thing I can come up with is to take them out so they don't freeze. Can they freeze? I don't even know, but I use to remove mine when we lived in the Atlanta area. I just stored them in my garage and they were fine in the spring. Atlanta winters are certainly less sever than in Idaho tho.
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  4. #4
    Site Sponsor
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    Lead-acid batteries that are fully charged freeze at about -90F. Cold doesn’t hurt charged batteries until it gets insanely cold.
    John & Kathy
    2014 F250 Lariat FX4 6.2L SBCC
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  5. #5
    Seasoned Camper Mjlebsa's Avatar
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    Thanks for all the responses


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    Matt, Trish, Conner & Ethan
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  6. #6
    Site Sponsor sande005's Avatar
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    I can't resist repeating my prior posts.
    A lead acid battery that is fully charged doesn't freeze until it gets to -74F. Ask anyone from a northern climate, it is never a problem for car batteries even here on -30 nights in Minnesota. Sure, they loose output power, like for starting a car, but never freeze unless they are severely discharged.
    Batteries do slowly self discharge, even disconnected. But it is very temperature dependent. The warmer the faster. See the following chart.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	lead acid discharge.jpg 
Views:	25 
Size:	96.4 KB 
ID:	37744

    Even in Atlanta, it will be a year or more before you get to a 50% discharge. Mine, in cold Minn. go from Oct. to April in the RV and boat, outside, with no attention whatsoever, and always have close to a full charge on them when I check them in the spring. Been doing it that way for many, many years. There is really no need to uninstall and lug them anywhere, or to deal with trickle chargers/maintainers etc.

    Just make sure -
    1. They are in good condition otherwise, and topped up with distilled water, if needed.
    2. They are fully charged to start off.
    3. They truly are completely disconnected. (I disconnect cables, some install switches to completely cut all current flow).
    4. Texas in the summer requires more vigilance than most places over the winter for long term storage!
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  7. #7
    Seasoned Camper Mjlebsa's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sande005 View Post
    I can't resist repeating my prior posts.
    A lead acid battery that is fully charged doesn't freeze until it gets to -74F. Ask anyone from a northern climate, it is never a problem for car batteries even here on -30 nights in Minnesota. Sure, they loose output power, like for starting a car, but never freeze unless they are severely discharged.
    Batteries do slowly self discharge, even disconnected. But it is very temperature dependent. The warmer the faster. See the following chart.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	lead acid discharge.jpg 
Views:	25 
Size:	96.4 KB 
ID:	37744

    Even in Atlanta, it will be a year or more before you get to a 50% discharge. Mine, in cold Minn. go from Oct. to April in the RV and boat, outside, with no attention whatsoever, and always have close to a full charge on them when I check them in the spring. Been doing it that way for many, many years. There is really no need to uninstall and lug them anywhere, or to deal with trickle chargers/maintainers etc.

    Just make sure -
    1. They are in good condition otherwise, and topped up with distilled water, if needed.
    2. They are fully charged to start off.
    3. They truly are completely disconnected. (I disconnect cables, some install switches to completely cut all current flow).
    4. Texas in the summer requires more vigilance than most places over the winter for long term storage!
    Good information…thanks


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  8. #8
    Big Traveler
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    Quote Originally Posted by sande005 View Post
    .....There is really no need to uninstall and lug them anywhere, or to deal with trickle chargers/maintainers etc.....
    Do agree on disconnecting them and lugging them out = PITA. But, before I started (Deltran Battery Tendor) trickle charging my boat(s), riding lawn mower, ATV's, Jeep, and car batteries, I was only getting maybe 2 yrs out of my jetski and ATV AGM's, 4-5 yrs out of my car/boat/lawn mower non-AGM's. Since using the trickle charger on them, my Ski/ATV batteries last 6+ years, and my non-AGM's last 10+ years.

    IMO, trickle charging has doubled (plus) the "normal" service life of all my batteries. I would highly recommend for that reason ($$$) alone!

    My 2012 Mustang is still running on its original Motorcraft factory battery. Just sold my '06 Chrysler 300 which had 11 years on its second battery - didn't trickle charge the first one and it only lasted 4.5yrs!
    Jim and Annette
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    Missouri (AKA Misery)

  9. #9
    Seasoned Camper
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    Why go through the hassle of wrestling two batteries? Leave them in place and plug in your shore power or maybe just plug in a battery tender when the trailer isn't being used.

  10. #10
    Big Traveler
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1carguy View Post
    Why go through the hassle of wrestling two batteries? Leave them in place and plug in your shore power or maybe just plug in a battery tender when the trailer isn't being used.
    That is whats nice about the Deltran system..... you place quick connect positive/negative cable wire permanently (bolt) mounted on the battery terminals while its installed in the vehicle. Once parked near your tender, you just connect up the cable with a quick connect while not in use. Two minutes or less and your batteries are kept topped off and their life extended beyond the normal number of service years with no more yanking out/putting in the batteries.
    Jim and Annette
    2019 Reflection 150 295RL
    US Army Veteran
    Missouri (AKA Misery)

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