Disconnecting House Batteries for Winter Storage

[Richpaa]

Have a 2017 329DS...preparing to remove house batteries and store on maintainers in my shop. New RV for me and wanted to learn if there is anything I should know with this RV as I remove the batteries and then put them back in prior to summer usage. I know the black first when removing and red when reconnecting and need to shut down 12V switch first. Anything else? Thanks in advance for any advice and tips.


Paul & Debbie
Hayden, Idaho

[dward51]

If they are wet cell batteries, also check the water level in each cell. I would then leave a storage charger on it until reinstalled. Make sure the storage charger is for the chemistry type of your battery (wet cell, AMG, etc...) so the voltages will be right.

[cfo111]

why are you taking them out just put in a battery tender it keeps them up and they will last even longer with them.

[Larry0071]

Originally Posted by Richpaa

Have a 2017 329DS...preparing to remove house batteries and store on maintainers in my shop. New RV for me and wanted to learn if there is anything I should know with this RV as I remove the batteries and then put them back in prior to summer usage. I know the black first when removing and red when reconnecting and need to shut down 12V switch first. Anything else? Thanks in advance for any advice and tips.


Paul & Debbie
Hayden, Idaho

Nope.
Shut down your charger in the fuse panel.
Turn everything off.
Go remove grounds from the batteries.
Then remove hot (red) from the batteries.
Take batteries into that shop and attach a maintainer to each one.
Plug the maintainers in to a wall outlet.
Do not burn a torch or weld within 10 feet of the batteries.

Warning: removing ground from one in a group means that you still have the possibility of chassis ground, so remove ALL grounds to remove the chance of a hot shorting.

[5picker]

A disconnected, fully charged battery will remain almost fully charged for 4+ months and not freeze. I never remove a battery from anything.

[cfo111]

I guess I use my A Class all year round except for a couple months if that. I just replaced my house battery after 8 years old gave them to a friend who need some good ones I took his traded his for my new one.My battery tender keep mt trikes up both saturn and yes my Georgetown when it just sits a short time but is always ready to got just unplug and go and say by.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by 5picker

A disconnected, fully charged battery will remain almost fully charged for 4+ months and not freeze. I never remove a battery from anything.

Only reason I can think of for removing a battery is if they're inadequately secured on the tongue of a TT in a storage facility.

I've always just left mine connected and let the converter maintain them, checking water levels every other month. Then again, I have my own 30 amp power post at my backyard pad.


Battery worries for me are a thing of the past though. Battleborns replaced my Lead Acid ones.

[Larry0071]

Originally Posted by 5picker

A disconnected, fully charged battery will remain almost fully charged for 4+ months and not freeze. I never remove a battery from anything.

Depends on the system. If the gas detector is wired on all of the time or radio memory... Or anything else. I personally like to keep them inside and warm while on tenders.

I pull 7 batteries from 7 items and put them all on a shelf with 7 various tenders on them. My Jeep rock crawler just got it's first new battery in 7 years... 7 years of extreme angles, extreme slamming and bouncing and 7 years of a lot of sitting. Pulling batteries isn't exactly hated work... Unless your crippled and have some limitation. Then I get it. Work within your personal limitations.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Larry0071

Depends on the system. If the gas detector is wired on all of the time or radio memory... Or anything else. I personally like to keep them inside and warm while on tenders.

I pull 7 batteries from 7 items and put them all on a shelf with 7 various tenders on them. My Jeep rock crawler just got it's first new battery in 7 years... 7 years of extreme angles, extreme slamming and bouncing and 7 years of a lot of sitting. Pulling batteries isn't exactly hated work... Unless your crippled and have some limitation. Then I get it. Work within your personal limitations.

Did you not read my very first sentence?
I said a DISCONNECTED battery... a disconnected battery has nothing to do with any system. It's just sitting there... disconnected.

Do what you want.
Take them inside, tuck them in and keep them warm if you want. Totally unnecessary.

[Richpaa]

Originally Posted by Larry0071

Nope.
Shut down your charger in the fuse panel.
Turn everything off.
Go remove grounds from the batteries.
Then remove hot (red) from the batteries.
Take batteries into that shop and attach a maintainer to each one.
Plug the maintainers in to a wall outlet.
Do not burn a torch or weld within 10 feet of the batteries.

Warning: removing ground from one in a group means that you still have the possibility of chassis ground, so remove ALL grounds to remove the chance of a hot shorting.

Thanks for the info. Is the charger fuse panel in the battery control center or with my fuses inside the coach in our bedroom?

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by Richpaa

Thanks for the info. Is the charger fuse panel in the battery control center or with my fuses inside the coach in our bedroom?

Your charger is the coach converter and therefore is an AC component that is circuit breaker controlled (check your circuit breaker panel). If you have AC house (shore) power available while in storage why not just leave the batteries not disconnected and as is and plug into that With a dogbane adapter. The converter also can be unplugged from the coach and plugged directly into an extension cord if you don't want AC power on the complete coach. You can also just remove the LP sensor 5 amp fuse so it would not be powered (LP solenoid not energized) while in storage. Of course, you could remove the batteries and stick to your plan.

[AquaMan]

I don't remove my batteries, or unhook them. During winter months, I will start the generator to exercise it and it usually tops the batteries off. Never had a problem.

[Richpaa]

I have no power where I have to store my RV. I should have noted that in my post. I had the same "problem" with my last RV. I just didn't know if my FR had anything unique that I should know about. Reading your reply, it doesn't sound like it. Thanks again for your thoughts on this.

[Grumpy7159]

I remove my batteries and charge them up once a month. We get down to -40°F in the winter time. My shop is usually above freezing.