Closed up for winter

[jrobichaud]

I closed my 365saq for the winter -sad. I have a question as this is my first close with this coach. When I unplugged the shore power, all of the lights still worked - Presumably battery. I shut off the main breaker because I didn't want the radio to stay lit all winter and kill the battery. I switched off all other light switches.

Do I need to disconnect the battery for the winter or is there a switch I can completely shut off power to the entire coach?


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[AquaMan]

I usually pull my battery and take inside. Occasionally will put a battery tender on it until spring.


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[chiro]

Wow that's sad to hear that you are done with the piper. Where do you live?? When will your 1st trip next year be??
I live in Atlanta GA so I guess I am spoiled with camping weather all year long. I close my piper down after thanksgiving for the holidays and then open it up for our annual disney trip the 2nd week on February.
I definatly take the battery our and put it on a trickle charger or do as aquaman stated!

[B and B]

I pull the battery and have 1 amp charger on a household timer that turns on twice a week for an hour. Make sure the battery is in side and not sitting on the floor, cool concrete discharges.

[mcnabbwr]

There are different thoughts whether to leave them in or take them out, I plan on leaving the batteries in mine with a tender on them. I have a battery isolation switch to shut everything off. Either way you should maintain the batteries charge state and store in an appropriate place.

[golfmedik]

Originally Posted by chiro

Wow that's sad to hear that you are done with the piper. Where do you live?? When will your 1st trip next year be??
I live in Atlanta GA so I guess I am spoiled with camping weather all year long. I close my piper down after thanksgiving for the holidays and then open it up for our annual disney trip the 2nd week on February.
I definatly take the battery our and put it on a trickle charger or do as aquaman stated!

Those of us around here are spoiled to camping this time of year..I just buy enough antifreeze for 5 trips each winter and flush the AF when we get to the campground and put new back in each time we leave. But, you guys up north cannot do that. Another reason I love living here. I always leave my batteries in and charge them really well once during the winter and once during spring cleaning.

[BillyBass]

I have a disconnect on my it shuts down everything.You can add one or disconnect the battery all the time.

[AquaMan]

I also have a disconnect, but without proper maintenance up here, the winter will kill a battery. I believe also, that battery cases today are not affected by sitting concrete like older batteries.


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[SKnight]

Originally Posted by golfmedik

Those of us around here are spoiled to camping this time of year..I just buy enough antifreeze for 5 trips each winter and flush the AF when we get to the campground and put new back in each time we leave. But, you guys up north cannot do that. Another reason I love living here. I always leave my batteries in and charge them really well once during the winter and once during spring cleaning.

Don't know if this will apply to you, but I was talking about winterizing with a camping neighbor once and he told me to look at his fresh tank. Pink as could be. I asked what the deal was, he camps twice a month whether he needs to or not, but he only goes to CGs with water, he never uses his fresh tank.

So he has his local dealer put a large load of antifreeze into his fresh tank at dealer bulk rate. He said it's far cheaper than in jugs, when he arrives he flushes the system out, camps, as he goes to leave he turns on the water pump and winterizes. Wash, rinse, repeat. This was a while back but he said it only cost him about $8 per weekend to rewinterize.

He's the only one I've ever heard of doing that but it seemed like a good idea actually.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by AquaMan

I also have a disconnect, but without proper maintenance up here, the winter will kill a battery. I believe also, that battery cases today are not affected by sitting concrete like older batteries.

But why chance it when it just takes a second to throw down a scrap of lumber?

[Ford Idaho]

Because it is unnecessary.


[QUOTEYour question is a frequent one. Many people have the impression that when batteries sit on concrete, energy "leaks out" or they are ruined. The short answer is that letting modern batteries sit on concrete does not harm or discharge them in any way.][/QUOTE]

ASK THE EXPERTS: Batteries on Concrete | Home Power Magazine

https://www.google.com/webhp?tab=ww&...A&ved=0CAYQ1S4

Keeping it simply simple.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

Because it is unnecessary...

A lot of things are unnecessary, I always have and always will.

[AquaMan]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

A lot of things are unnecessary, I always have and always will.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks.


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[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by AquaMan

You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Not impossible, but close to it!

[mrwoodmin]

Living in Vermont my entire life I have learned with Rv's Boats etc etc the BEST bet is if you have a spot is to store it in a semi or warm place. It certainly helps battery life.

[B and B]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

A lot of things are unnecessary, I always have and always will.

X2 Looking after remote radio microwave relay stations we used wood on the floor and then cement board on top of the wood as a thermal break. We didn't take a chance either.

I was taught this by an old dog as well

[jevanb]

all of my batteries for my power equipment including the camper`s get fully charged then put in a tote and placed in the basement, I am going on 7 years on a 12v tractor battery and my 4 deep cycle batteries are still working like new, I also load test them just to make sure they are up to saving

[techntrek]

Originally Posted by mrwoodmin

Living in Vermont my entire life I have learned with Rv's Boats etc etc the BEST bet is if you have a spot is to store it in a semi or warm place. It certainly helps battery life.

Exactly opposite is true. The colder you keep it, the longer the battery life. It also slows down self-discharge, so you only need to charge it once or twice over the winter.

Otherwise, to answer the OP, always disconnect your battery from the camper between trips, then be sure to reconnect it and plug in the camper overnight once every month. Leave it out there in the winter where it will be cold.

[ColoradoRick]

I, also, bring my batteries home and set them on some 2x4's in the garage and take turns hooking each up to a battery tender charger.
Last winter, here in Colorado, we hit 20-below and my camper's vinyl floor had about a 3-foot long crack in it from the couch all the way into the front storage bin. (Our old camper)
The new Rockwood camper has a rubberized flooring that's supposed to be more split-resistant...so we'll see.

[techntrek]

-20 F is fine for a fully-charged lead-acid. Even at 75% SOC they won't freeze until -35 F.