Starting/running motorhome with no house batteries

[BuickGS]

I have a 3170DS Sunseeker motorhome. Last month the house batteries finally went so I removed them and bought new ones. The new house batteries are inside my garage on a battery maintainer. So there are no house batteries in the RV right now, it's not plugged in, battery switch is off.

I have never removed the house batteries for the Winter before, always have left them installed with the RV plugged in, added water monthly or as needed, and then started and drove the RV during the Winter every month or so, just so it wouldn't sit for the whole Winter and so the tires wouldn't get flat spots.

For several reasons, I won't be able to install the new house batteries for another 3 months from now, but I don't want to leave the RV sitting there for all this time without starting and running it at least a couple of times.

My question is, do you think I can start and run my motorhome - without house batteries installed - without doing any damage to the electrical system/converter/battery charger? I haven't yet because I'm thinking this may damage something.

[A32Deuce]

Just make sure the battery connections are not touching anything since the chassis alternator does send some charge to the batterys when running. That's how my SunSeeker works.

[SeaDog]

X2 what A32Duce said wrap something around the terminal ends to isolate them.

[BuickGS]

Originally Posted by A32Deuce

Just make sure the battery connections are not touching anything since the chassis alternator does send some charge to the batterys when running. That's how my SunSeeker works.

Yep, I already have temporarily wrapped the ends of the 2 cables with electrical tape (probably didn't have to do the negative one) knowing that my alternator was going to send juice to the house batteries when the motorhome is running (even though the batteries are not installed). Although I don't know for sure if the voltage from the alternator gets past the battery switch to the cables when the battery switch is in the "off" position - I'd guess probably not.

But I'm really concerned with the possibility of doing any damage to the rest of the electrical system/converter/battery charger when running the motorhome without the house batteries. I'm thinking that as long as I'm not plugged in and the generator is not running, then I should be ok since these systems won't have any voltage source or current draw.

[A32Deuce]

Yep! You will be fine. Even hooked to shore power you will be fine. Unless you put the batterys back in or use a jump box, you can even run the generator with no problem. Converter won't put out if no demand.

[derek6669]

I always remove my batteries in the winter. I tape the terminal ends so they won't touch each other or any metal part of the coach. Once a month, I go out to the motorhome and inspect and run the engine for 5 to 10 minutes.
As for the batteries, I keep them in the basement and check voltage once a month. So far the have maintained 12.57 volt, so I haven't put them on the battery maintainer.

In April, I'll probably charge them for 24 hours.

BTW I have a 2008 3100LTD Sunseeker

[BuickGS]

Originally Posted by derek6669

I always remove my batteries in the winter. I tape the terminal ends so they won't touch each other or any metal part of the coach. Once a month, I go out to the motorhome and inspect and run the engine for 5 to 10 minutes...

So that's what I was looking for... someone who has actually started/ran their motorhome with the house batteries removed. Just want to make sure this doesn't hurt anything. Your post is the 1st post I've ever read on this forum where someone has actually said that they ran their motorhome with the house batteries removed. I've read several posts where people have taken their house batteries out of the RV for the winter to charge them inside the house/garage, but no one (that I've seen) has ever said whether or not they actually tried running the RV like this. Thanks for the reply.

[derek6669]

You're welcome

I usually take the batteries out before I go to my dealer to have him winterize the water lines, drain the hot water heater and septic system. It's a 30km drive each way and have never had an issue.

The other thing I do is put a small solar charger in the front window to give the chassis battery a trickle charge. Even at minus 30 c the vehicle starts first crank.

[HerveVR]

When you will put the house batteries back in the Motorhome, don't forget:

Black wire is Negative
Red wire is Positive

Maybe you already identified the connecting lugs.

[derek6669]

Originally Posted by HerveVR

When you will put the house batteries back in the Motorhome, don't forget:

Black wire is Negative
Red wire is Positive

Maybe you already identified the connecting lugs.

Also connecr the black wire on 1 battery and the red wire on the other battery, this will result in longer charge life when not plugged into shore power

[TowPro]

Originally Posted by derek6669

Also connecr the black wire on 1 battery and the red wire on the other battery, this will result in longer charge life when not plugged into shore power

Why is this?

[derek6669]

Originally Posted by TowPro

Why is this?

connecting in parallel will cause batteries to draw down evenly resulting in longer battery life

see link below

https://www.mpptsolar.com/en/batteries-series-parallel.html

[BuickGS]

Originally Posted by derek6669

You're welcome

The other thing I do is put a small solar charger in the front window to give the chassis battery a trickle charge...

I have a small plug-in battery maintainer hooked up to my chassis battery. I'd like to hook it up to a small solar charger instead (so I wouldn't have an extension cord running out to the battery maintainer).

Do you have your solar charger connected directly to the battery posts or backfeeding through the cigarette lighter socket?

Do these small solar chargers have a maintenance voltage setting (a float mode setting) that they won't exceed once the battery is charged (my current battery maintainer has a 13.2V maintenance voltage)?

[BuickGS]

Originally Posted by HerveVR

Black wire is Negative
Red wire is Positive...

Thanks... I know. I guess if I didn't know this I shouldn't be playing around with batteries and cables. LOL

But based on some of the posts I've seen where people hook up their batteries/cables incorrectly or backwards, probably a good thing that you posted this.

[BuickGS]

Originally Posted by derek6669

Also connect the black wire on 1 battery and the red wire on the other battery...

Yep, my Sunseeker had 2 house batteries hooked-up in parallel before I removed them. I took a picture of the batteries and cable connections before removing them to insure I connect the new house batteries this way, in case I get a brain fart when re-installing them in a few months from now and do something stupid with the cables.

[derek6669]

I connect the solar panel directly to the battery posts. Will have to check the solar panel when I get home to answer the 2nd part of your question

[Wolverine 1945]

Originally Posted by BuickGS

I have a 3170DS Sunseeker motorhome. Last month the house batteries finally went so I removed them and bought new ones. The new house batteries are inside my garage on a battery maintainer. So there are no house batteries in the RV right now, it's not plugged in, battery switch is off.

I have never removed the house batteries for the Winter before, always have left them installed with the RV plugged in, added water monthly or as needed, and then started and drove the RV during the Winter every month or so, just so it wouldn't sit for the whole Winter and so the tires wouldn't get flat spots.

For several reasons, I won't be able to install the new house batteries for another 3 months from now, but I don't want to leave the RV sitting there for all this time without starting and running it at least a couple of times.

My question is, do you think I can start and run my motorhome - without house batteries installed - without doing any damage to the electrical system/converter/battery charger? I haven't yet because I'm thinking this may damage something.

Don't forget to exercise your Genny !!!

[BuickGS]

Originally Posted by Wolverine 1945

Don't forget to exercise your Genny !!!

You know, I always forget about exercising the generator throughout the winter, and then one day I'll realize that it's been months since I ran it. Good thing I use Stabil in the fuel.

Now that I have the old house batteries removed from the motorhome, and the new ones are not yet installed, I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't be able to start the generator without them. I guess this would be one reason why not to remove the house batteries for the winter (but I had to since my old ones were shot).

[kenandterry]

Originally Posted by BuickGS

You know, I always forget about exercising the generator throughout the winter, and then one day I'll realize that it's been months since I ran it. Good thing I use Stabil in the fuel.

Now that I have the old house batteries removed from the motorhome, and the new ones are not yet installed, I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't be able to start the generator without them. I guess this would be one reason why not to remove the house batteries for the winter (but I had to since my old ones were shot).

Different RVs are wired different ways. My Georgetown generator feeds off the “house batteries”, so if they’re removed, I can’t start the genny through the winter. At the end of the season, I put stabil in the gas tank, and run both the engine and genny long enough to go through both. Then they’re asleep until spring. Short unloaded running of an engine doesn’t do any favours.
I have my rig plugged in occasionally throughout the winter to charge the batteries. No problems for me.
Everyone has different ways to winterize batteries and motors.....there’s no right way.
BTW.....I’ll bet dealerships don’t plug in for the winter and units seem to survive to be sold. If your battery is in good shape, it should survive winter.

[BuickGS]

Originally Posted by kenandterry

BTW.....I’ll bet dealerships don’t plug in for the winter and units seem to survive to be sold...

I agree. The other day we were driving by our local RV dealer's lot and noticed that many of the new motorhomes and trailers were sitting on the lot with their slideouts out - for the winter. We also know from visiting this dealership many times and looking around, that only a few RV's actually get plugged in (only the ones they are working on that are parked around and inside the service building get plugged in).

So they don't plug them in and charge them during the winter, and they leave the slides out for the winter (so they don't have to worry about the house batteries being charged enough to open and close the slides when showing them to customers). And like you said... they all seem to survive the winter.

But then again, these are all new batteries. They can take it. A little different when you have 5 year old house batteries (or in my case 8 year old house batteries). As you know, these need a little help during the winter to keep them from going completely bad. That's why we have to plug them in occasionally during the winter (or leave them plugged in).