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Old 10-13-2020, 11:28 AM   #1
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Winter Storage for Batteries

Hello,
I have been a lurker in the forums since buying my 2020 GeoPro and it may have been addressed already and if so sorry for the new thread. Last winter I took the batteries out and kept them in the garage on battery tender and all was well.
But I was just wondering since I have solar and it is charging the batteries could I maybe insulate the battery box for the winter and let the solar handle it or is is still better to pull them out?
Thank You!
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Old 10-13-2020, 11:38 AM   #2
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I don’t do either.

I had a battery disconnect installed that works as thoroughly as removing the cable from the negative terminal cable. I turn the switch off after having fully charged and inspected battery.

In the spring, I inspect the battery, turn the switch on, and charge the battery by plugging the trailer in. After four seasons, no problems.
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Old 10-13-2020, 12:30 PM   #3
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I can't answer your question about the solar because I have no clue how much your panel puts out. (consider cloudy days too)

I will agree fully charging and then disconnecting the battery will not hurt anything and I've been doing this with batteries for over 50 years. A full charged and then disconnect battery will not freeze above -50º-60º F and will stay charged for 4-6 months without any charger whatsoever.

BTW... Welcome to the forum! I see it is your 1st post.

This issue has been discussed in the past. A search of the site will give you additional reading on the subject.
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Old 10-13-2020, 02:41 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CO_Camper View Post
But I was just wondering since I have solar and it is charging the batteries could I maybe insulate the battery box for the winter and let the solar handle it or is is still better to pull them out?
Thank You!
Unless you live in the Arctic, a charged battery will not freeze. I forget the actual -F number but it's way down there. So you don't have to insulate the box.
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Old 10-14-2020, 01:05 PM   #5
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Unless you live in the Arctic, a charged battery will not freeze. I forget the actual -F number but it's way down there. So you don't have to insulate the box.
Your post reminds of me of my first winter living in Anchorage. I plugged in the head-bolt heater to keep the engine block from becoming too cold to start, and the next morning I found that my battery was frozen solid! It's been 40 years, and I still remember cross-country skiing to work as a consequence!
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Old 10-14-2020, 01:08 PM   #6
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Put me down as rather anal-retentive, but given the conditions of a Canadian winter and no solar - each winter I pull both the house batteries and truck battery and put them on a tender for the 5-6 months of sub-freezing weather. An hour or so to pull them and same to re-install in the spring...

Welcome to the forum - so many friendly, knowledgeable folks!
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Old 10-14-2020, 01:13 PM   #7
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LOL. Back in my army days I planned thoroughly for a winter warfare exercise. Or so I thought. Instead of the usual 4 or 5 vehicles for a light infantry company I doubled everything. Also kept the big diesels running 24/7. At least tried to - the darned in-line fuel filters froze solid at minus 40. The result? A pleasant 10 klick stroll on snowshoes to the rendez-vous with our buses and sent out a team to haul everything in to base when things warmed up the following day.
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Old 10-14-2020, 01:35 PM   #8
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Pulled mine out in heated garage (on wood not concrete) hooked up to maintainer never had a problem did the same to car when left in garage all winter(no heat).
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Old 10-14-2020, 01:57 PM   #9
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A 100% charged battery freezes at -87 degrees.
A 60% charged battery freezes at -20 degrees. That is 12.3V measured.
Batteries in cold temps will self discharge at rates of less than 5% per month...less if it is below freezing.
Disconnect the negative wire and check your voltage every couple of months. Fully charge when/if you fall below 12.3V and you will be fine.
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Old 10-14-2020, 03:13 PM   #10
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My GC2 batteries stay out in the cold (disconnected) for 7 months through the winter and they discharge less than 10% of their full charge.
Have been doing this for 8 years and they are still going strong.
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Old 10-14-2020, 03:51 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by CO_Camper View Post
Hello,
I have been a lurker in the forums since buying my 2020 GeoPro and it may have been addressed already and if so sorry for the new thread. Last winter I took the batteries out and kept them in the garage on battery tender and all was well.
But I was just wondering since I have solar and it is charging the batteries could I maybe insulate the battery box for the winter and let the solar handle it or is is still better to pull them out?
Thank You!
My RV stays in winter storage where our nights are typically in the 20s or below. My solar keeps the batteries fully charged. Keep in mind though, 70% of Bend's days are sunny or partly sunny, including winter.
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Old 10-14-2020, 04:31 PM   #12
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My factory installed solar kept the battery up all last winter with the disconnect switch in the off position so there was no draw into the TT. My hay shed has open spaces under the roof that let sunlight in each early morning and late afternoon so there are no full daylight days. I did have to watch the water level in the battery, adding a little water each month. On my previous trailers I just hooked up a battery tender and again watched the water level. There is no heat in the barns and the north end is open; the mountain valley winter cold was not a problem.
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Old 10-14-2020, 07:09 PM   #13
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If your batteries are fully charged before storage you can just disconnect the ground cable from the batteries so there are no draws on the batteries and let them sit in your vehicle for the winter, no need for insulation. I live in Minnesota where it gets down to 35 below zero and have never had a problem with my batteries during the 5 winters I have done this. I find the voltage drop to be minimal even with 6 or 7 months of storage, my batteries are at about 12.8 volts when put in storage in October and about 12.65 to 12.7 volts when I check them in April.
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Old 10-14-2020, 07:34 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by camaraderie View Post
A 100% charged battery freezes at -87 degrees.
A 60% charged battery freezes at -20 degrees.
That is 12.3V measured.
Batteries in cold temps will self discharge at rates of less than 5% per month...less if it is below freezing.
Disconnect the negative wire and check your voltage every couple of months. Fully charge when/if you fall below 12.3V and you will be fine.

Wow! Just want to say thank you camaraderie for that information.
I never knew a fully charged battery could withstand that low of a temperature.

This forum never fails to educate me.
I have always removed my batteries each winter and stored indoors.
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Old 10-14-2020, 07:50 PM   #15
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For me, the only reason I would pull my trailer battery is if I stored it in a storage lot and was worried about someone walking off with it.


FWIW, I disconnect the negative battery cable and connect up a Coleman (made by Sunforce) 2 watt solar panel. This spring, my battery was reading somewhere near 12.8 volts. The nose of my trailer points west when parked and has full sun. The panel is sitting on my propane tank cover.



The panel is available from Lowes. Interestingly, Lowes claims these panels are to be mounted inside a vehicle because they are NOT weather proof. Sunforce, the manufacturer states "Fully weatherproof design". Mine was outside all of last winter and while parked this summer and is functioning perfectly.


My battery box is not insulated. Lowest temp I've seen in my area was about -35F (unusual).
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Old 10-15-2020, 01:06 PM   #16
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Greetings - new to the forum and the RV/TT world - lots to learn and this forum has already been immensely informative.

One follow-on question (may have missed the answer). Is the roof-mounted solar still connected, even with the battery disconnect in the "off" position (battery disconnected)? Sounds like yes, given the input so far, just want to confirm if I plan to disconnect the battery and rely on the solar to keep batteries charged through the winter. Thanks!

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Old 10-17-2020, 08:41 AM   #17
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Here’s my dumb question. If I leave my TT plugged in all the time is that a problem for the batteries through the winter?
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Old 10-17-2020, 08:49 AM   #18
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Here’s my dumb question. If I leave my TT plugged in all the time is that a problem for the batteries through the winter?
Not anymore so than those who leave them plugged in all summer or 24/7.

Modern converters are multistage and should maintain a proper charge. You should check the electrolyte periodically though.
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Old 10-22-2020, 07:26 PM   #19
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Not sure where you live but if it gets below freezing and stays there as it does up here in the North East I would recommend pulling them and taking it indoors and then put it on the charger. The freezing of a battery is as detrimental as letting it discharge too far.

Just for the record no matter where you are science 101 applies, the sun is not as intense in the winter months so it won't work that well.

On all my toys I remove the batteries, set them up on a table in my basement and then connect to trickle chargers that keep the batteries nicely topped of and not allowing them to go below 50% charge level.
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Old 10-22-2020, 07:38 PM   #20
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A lot of helpful information, thanks everyone!
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