larryo
Weekender RV’er
Posts: 82 
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Post by larryo on Dec 12, 2015 15:14:50 GMT -5
Now that my TT has had it's water system winterized, my next steps are to decide what to do about the battery and then cover the trailer until spring.
I would guess that most people remove the battery and store it in a warmer place for the winter. However, I would like to know if anyone leaves the battery in place and has the trailer hooked up to shore power for the winter. I had a 30a outlet installed under my house circuit breaker panel and had the trailer hooked up to it this summer whenever we were not camping. Current draw is minimal so cost is not a factor.
Any thoughts on this ?
Thanks
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Post by lynnmor on Dec 12, 2015 17:15:24 GMT -5
I have a 30 AMP outlet as well, but I disconnect the trailer for the winter. I've already replaced the fan in the converter once. I now connect a Battery Tender about 3 to 4 days per month.
If you don't have a battery disconnect switch installed, I suggest doing that. Turn off the switch whenever the trailer is disconnected from power. Keeping a battery fully charged is best. A fully charged battery will be fine in the cold. Since you are covering the trailer, I don't know if you have access to the battery to check the water level, so maybe it would be best for you to bring it inside and use a Battery Tender. Notice that I am talking about the brand Battery Tender because, in my opinion, they are even better that the charger built into the trailer. Some of the cheap trickle chargers may do more harm than good.
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Post by joecamper on Dec 12, 2015 20:45:59 GMT -5
I've always left mine connected to power through the winter (pretty harsh in Colorado). I've never had a problem, my last TT was over 10 years old and had no issue. My current 5th wheel is now 4 years old and still on the original batteries.
Never thought much about it, but the converter fan is something I'll keep an eye on.
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Post by spadoctor on Dec 13, 2015 9:03:16 GMT -5
My campers have always stayed plugged in 12 months a year with no issues.
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Post by johnr on Dec 14, 2015 7:42:09 GMT -5
Hi, I too leave my RV plugged into shore power all year in the barn. For winter, I make sure the battery is full of water and charged and then completely disconnect it from the RV by removing the leads. I don't take the battery inside or anything. My disconnect switch leaves power to certain systems and it would drain the battery over the winter. In the early spring, I'll check and add water and connect it up to shore power for a week before our first trip. I haven't had any problems. Knock on virtual wood!
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larryo
Weekender RV’er
Posts: 82
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Post by larryo on Jan 28, 2016 13:29:05 GMT -5
Well, I learned something new today.
Regarding my original post above, I assumed that by leaving the TT hooked up to shore power over the winter I would keep the battery charged up. However, being a newby RV owner, I had the dealer winterize my travel trailer. I did not realize that part of what they did to winterize it was to trip the circuit breaker for the converter (makes sense, why put unnecessary hours on the converter and fan?).
So, yesterday I hear a beeping coming from inside the covered up TT.
When I unzipped the cover and got inside I found it was the CO2 sensor that was beeping and flashing a red/green LED. On the sensor it was printed that a red/green LED could be due to low voltage. I checked the battery voltage and found that it was reading only 11.3 volts. That's when I figured out that the converter CB was turned off and my plugged in TT was not charging the battery after all.
Therefore, I put the battery charger on the battery and within a couple of minutes, the beeping stopped and the CO2 sensor had a steady green LED.
Lesson learned, don't assume anything, check everything out.
My opinion has now changed. I unplugged the TT from shore power and unhooked the charged up battery.
Since the worst part of winter here in Arkansas will be over in the next 30 to 45 days, I look forward to going camping again.
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Post by spadoctor on Jan 29, 2016 7:14:25 GMT -5
Turning off the breaker is just plain stupid. Like I said above...I have had campers since 1983 and ALWAYS leave them plugged in year round. Also I hope you did NOT cover your trailer with a tarp as this can cause damage to the unit because they do not breathe. No need to cover the trailer....AC unit...just the tires to protect from UV.
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Post by tmmull on Jan 29, 2016 14:15:42 GMT -5
Have you called the dealer about them tripping the breaker? I have a 2015 MXT20 and my breaker trips about once a month on it's own. My dealer is unable to duplicate the concern so I'm just going to have to live with the issue.
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larryo
Weekender RV’er
Posts: 82
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Post by larryo on Jan 29, 2016 22:16:33 GMT -5
Thanks for the comments.
Spadoctor- no tarp used. It's an elements Travel Trailer cover. The fabric breathes. Got it for half price, otherwise I probably wouldn't have covered it.
tmmul- no I didn't call the dealer. I haven't had any trouble with the breaker tripping before.
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Post by spadoctor on Jan 30, 2016 8:47:36 GMT -5
tmmull....sounds like a weak breaker....why not change it out its less then 5 bucks in Lowes or HD
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Post by tmmull on Jan 30, 2016 10:08:29 GMT -5
tmmull....sounds like a weak breaker....why not change it out its less then 5 bucks in Lowes or HD I'll try that when I get the trailer back from the dealer. |
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Post by wiseoldowl on Apr 4, 2016 22:06:13 GMT -5
OK if the trailer is connected to power and the gas is on how does one keep the Heater from kicking on all winter?
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Post by mdconvert on Apr 5, 2016 6:50:25 GMT -5
Wiseoldowl: I don't keep the gas on when we're not using the camper - I turn the valve off at the regulator. If I remember right on the thermostat in our camper (Spree Escape 196S) if you slide the control all the way to the left it turns it off. I would check to be certain but our camper is covered (adco cover).
Thanks to the others for ideas on battery maintenance. Next winter I may remove the battery and keep it inside with a tender connected.
The smoke detector battery on our camper ran out over the winter. Luckily I was near the camper and could hear the chirping.
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Post by shoestring on Apr 5, 2016 17:41:55 GMT -5
OK if the trailer is connected to power and the gas is on how does one keep the Heater from kicking on all winter? Just as an FYI. The furnance ignites by battery power (12 volt) not by being "connected to power". Trailers are set up with dry camping in mind (no water/electric/sewage) and still allow for basic functions of interior lights, water (by pump/tank) & heat. Things like AC and microwaves need the A/C power, but basic functions work via the 12 volt system. For the OP... I leave my battery on the trailer during summer months (hooked up to shore power). The onboard battery tender keeps the battery charged. During winter months, I prefer to bring the battery in from the cold---cold is hard on batteries---so I use a "smart" battery tender in the garage that keeps the battery charged. Garage gets a Christmassy green glow with the multiply charges keeping the trailer, Harley & tractor batteries charged.  |
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cmore
Newbie RV’er
Posts: 34
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Post by cmore on May 21, 2016 10:01:36 GMT -5
I keep mine plugged into a heavy drop cord any time I am not camping.
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k0vwa
Newbie RV’er
Posts: 47
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Post by k0vwa on May 24, 2016 10:27:39 GMT -5
We leave ours plugged into shore power and breakers not tripped so the batteries stay charged. Got down to -16F this winter and the batteries are fine. We use two AGM Vmaxxtanks 225Ah 6V golf cart batteries. FWIW, our "winter" at 8,500' lasts from mid-September through mid-May. We had 2" of snow on the ground this time last week. The freezing point of electrolyte in a fully charged lead-acid battery is around -94F. The freezing point of electrolyte in a discharged battery is closer to 14F. I don't know that via direct measurement but it's what the internet says.  If those numbers are correct you should be ok with the batteries outside in even the coldest weather as long as they are charged. Since our camper is plugged into shore power I considered adding a few automotive-battery battery heaters but decided against it. Good luck! |
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Post by theclarks on Oct 3, 2017 13:11:40 GMT -5
Similar question to the original one so I didn’t want to start a new thread. We don’t have power where we store our camper. What options would you recommend for keeping the battery healthy?
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Post by lynnmor on Oct 3, 2017 13:47:04 GMT -5
Similar question to the original one so I didn’t want to start a new thread. We don’t have power where we store our camper. What options would you recommend for keeping the battery healthy? Take it home and connect it to a charger like a Battery Tender. A battery will last much longer if it is kept fully charged. |
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Post by theclarks on Oct 3, 2017 13:49:43 GMT -5
Thanks! I wasn’t sure if there was any harm done to the camper with it having no power during winter
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Post by capemayal on Oct 4, 2017 6:21:29 GMT -5
I keep mine plugged in all the time. Think about fulltimers. In 20+ years, no problems at all.
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If those numbers are correct you should be ok with the batteries outside in even the coldest weather as long as they are charged. 