Batteries & water

[episodic]

Can someone give me the best practice for battery care. Rockwood 2715VS. Two batteries on the nose. Full timing and plugged in if that matters. I now the dealer said they need to be topped off every two or three weeks with distilled water. Not sure where that is? A cap on top I'm presuming. Thanks for best practices and other information you can tell me.

[Iwannacamp]

Distilled water is the correct choice... you can buy a battery filler at most battery and auto parts dealers. This will help with overfilling. You could read on it or google it of course.

[RSchleder]

The advice your dealer is correct. I'd check the water level weekly or perhaps bi-weekly. Carefully take a medium sized screw driver and pry off the 2 rectangular "caps" on top of the battery. A flashlight will help you as you look down the 6 holes on the top of the battery leading to interior of the battery. You'll see the "water", actually battery acid water, down inside the battery. This acid is corrosive and will burn your skin so be very careful. If you should get any of the acid/water on you, rinse it off immediately. DO NOT touch your eyes or face if you suspect any acid/water on your hands or fingers.
As you look down each "hole", if the acid/water is up to the bottom edge of the hole the level is correct. If the acid/water is below the bottom of the "hole", add only enough DI water to bring it up to the bottom of the hole. Each "hole" is a separate compartment or cell of the battery so each one must be filled individually. Clean any spilled acid/water from the top of the battery and replace the rectangular "cap" and trap it down with the handle of your screwdriver and you are finished with that battery.
Do not overfill the battery cells as they will, due to the chemically action of the battery, overflow which is messy, will corrode metal, and burn your skin if you touch it.
As just want to expand on what you see as you look down each battery hole. The hole is actually a cylinder that goes perhaps 3/4-1" down into the battery. So when I say to the bottom of the hole, I taking about the acid/water touching the bottom or lower lip of the cylinder.
Hopes this helps! It's pretty straight forward once you start the process!

[Flybob]

You said you are full timing. If the batteries are being used they will last a little longer between water top offs than if just sitting on charge with no drain. Get the filling funnel and a bottle of distilled water and check about monthly. If you end up adding a lot of water, check more often.

[Bama Rambler]

You are correct, there are usually two or more caps on the top of the battery. When you open the top, you'll see a split circle about 3/4" below the top and that's where the water level should be. if it's lower than that, you need to add just enough distilled water to get to the circle.

It needs to be checked regularly, but I doubt you need to check it more often once a month and possibly every couple of months. You'll know how often you need to check it once you do it a few times.

[RedRollingRoadblock]

Get something like a Flow-Rite battery fill system, about $45 on Amazon. Pump the hand bulb a few times and you are done. Amazon.com: Flow-Rite RV2000 Pro-Fill RV Edition 2 Battery Kit: Automotive

[Buckeye Traveler]

My batteries are difficult to access and I have thought about these flow rite system. Do they work? How do you keep from overfilling?