Shore power during winter

RickRene · 10-20-2020, 07:17 PM

Can I leave my 2018 DX3 37RB plugged in to shore power all winter? I'm hearing conflicting reports. What is the right answer? Is the answer to disconnect batteries using switch, but leave shore power plugged in to trickle charge? Or is it something else?

FOURWHL · 10-20-2020, 07:24 PM

I leave my batteries in and everything plugged in. Plumbing winterized. That is when I'm not living in it.

JC70 · 10-20-2020, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickRene

Can I leave my 2018 DX3 37RB plugged in to shore power all winter? I'm hearing conflicting reports. What is the right answer? Is the answer to disconnect batteries using switch, but leave shore power plugged in to trickle charge? Or is it something else?

I store mine indoors. Have no access to 50amp power. So turn batteries off and connect a trickle charger. Would plug into shore power if I could.

milkman55 · 10-20-2020, 09:14 PM

Store mine indoors with 15 amp power. It stays plugged in year round whenever I am not using it. I don’t even leave it outside overnight without power.

I did this with my Isata 3 for three years before I got my Isata 5 this year and it worked great. Always had a good chassis and house battery to start the trip.

Bill Davis · 10-21-2020, 05:33 AM

I always keep mine plugged in at home year round.

TRN · 10-21-2020, 05:43 AM

Mine is always on shore power (50 amp) when in storage.

Foothills · 10-21-2020, 04:06 PM

If you leave it plugged in I would suggest you make a periodic inspection to see if acid level in battery is getting low- I had one that would apparently overcharge a bit. Sure way is to remove batteries and put in warm place on a low voltage charger. With a little practice you can get efficient at that. Hard to believe but I had one deep cycle battery that was still totally serviceable on the 13th year!

milkman55 · 10-21-2020, 04:12 PM

These are AGM batteries, nothing to service.

KRedburn · 10-21-2020, 05:26 PM

I leave mine plugged in. Do not winterize because it is in a heated shop.

Also keep the frig and AquaHot heating running.

Basically it is ready to go down the road at all times.

Holmes2016 · 10-21-2020, 09:49 PM

I leave mine plugged in from October till May, but will definitely check battery fluid level at start and end of storage as had one boil almost dry. My own negligence as hadn't checked in three years. Not one of my smarter stunts.

vlamgat · 10-22-2020, 07:09 AM

In this era of increasing infrastructure fails, I have found it necessary to put a monitor on my shore power year round. If the power goes off and does not return within the cycle time of the battery set charge needs, have you guys set your auto-start for the generator?

Not a great solution if the coach is indoors but better than a deep discharge even on Li batteries.

I am testing this device too:

https://www.isocketworld.com/en/iSoc...h-ISGSML707US/

FOURWHL · 10-22-2020, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vlamgat

In this era of increasing infrastructure fails, I have found it necessary to put a monitor on my shore power year round. If the power goes off and does not return within the cycle time of the battery set charge needs, have you guys set your auto-start for the generator?

Not a great solution if the coach is indoors but better than a deep discharge even on Li batteries.

I am testing this device too:

https://www.isocketworld.com/en/iSoc...h-ISGSML707US/

I'd probably just minimize the electrical loads so as to extend battery coverage. Kill the fridge breaker and you'll probably outlast most standard (non natural disaster) outages

Joe_GA · 10-22-2020, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FOURWHL

I leave my batteries in and everything plugged in. Plumbing winterized. That is when I'm not living in it.

X2

RickRene · 10-22-2020, 12:20 PM

If you disconnect coach using disconnect switch the batteries should still charge if shore power is plugged in...correct? That would eliminate anything on coach running batteries down to low or having AGS run generator.

vlamgat · 10-22-2020, 05:33 PM

That has not been my experience in any of the last 3 RVs I have owned. The batteries need to be in the circuit for the charger to operate through shore power. Dynamax may be different and I remain intrigued to find out how.

fishyknitter · 10-22-2020, 07:52 PM

RickRene that's my question too. I have a 2019 Isata 3 and I have it plugged in to shore power all the time. But I'm not sure about switching off the coach battery after winterization?

vlamgat · 11-13-2020, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vlamgat

In this era of increasing infrastructure fails, I have found it necessary to put a monitor on my shore power year round. If the power goes off and does not return within the cycle time of the battery set charge needs, have you guys set your auto-start for the generator?

Not a great solution if the coach is indoors but better than a deep discharge even on Li batteries.

I am testing this device too:

https://www.isocketworld.com/en/iSoc...h-ISGSML707US/

Just an FYI - the Isocket does not work as advertised. Lots of problems mainly because the cell coverage has to be perfect at the winter storage area to penetrate the faraday cage represented by the coach for the device to work. None of ATT, T-Mobile or another non brand name carrier was good enough 2 miles from DFW and in direct line of sight to a cell tower. Yet another example of over promise and under deliver!

FOURWHL · 11-13-2020, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vlamgat

Just an FYI - the Isocket does not work as advertised. Lots of problems mainly because the cell coverage has to be perfect at the winter storage area to penetrate the faraday cage represented by the coach for the device to work. None of ATT, T-Mobile or another non brand name carrier was good enough 2 miles from DFW and in direct line of sight to a cell tower. Yet another example of over promise and under deliver!

Couldn't you mount it outside and run an extension cord?

vlamgat · 11-14-2020, 08:13 AM

I tried the exterior mount and on the roof to improve the line of sight. I had 4 bars of TMobile and ATT but the Customer Service rep still suggested I had to get nearer to the tower. They also were critical of the sim cards used by both providers saying that they are sub optimal for global use and that in their testing they had to ensure that only the latest gen of sim card was used. That would mean personally visiting ATT and Tmobile stores and trying to argue with a 20-something that the one that was being reissued to me might not be "fresh" enough for my use. The product comes from the UK but has been sold to retailers etc on the coasts in the US where their GSM networks are more robust than in the DFW area despite it being ATT's home territory.

A new model is planned with a built in sim card that will roam on the optimal network and I returned mine for a refund.

hitchn2go · 11-15-2020, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickRene

Can I leave my 2018 DX3 37RB plugged in to shore power all winter? I'm hearing conflicting reports. What is the right answer? Is the answer to disconnect batteries using switch, but leave shore power plugged in to trickle charge? Or is it something else?

I bought mine in Nov 2018. I have left it out in the elements and plugged in thru two CO winters and have had no problems.

I do winterize all the waterlines. As an extra precaution, I add some anti-gel to last full tank of diesel when I know rig will sit thru some cold temps. I run the generator and the AquaHot (both diesel) for an hour just to make sure to get that treated diesel in all the fuel lines.

Every few weeks during winter, I crank up everything (engine, gen, and AquaHot) and give them a good run up just to keep things moving around. During this ops check, I make sure batteries have maintained a good charge from the shore power.

So far this routine seems to have worked for me. Anecdotal, but hope this helps.

You may also like: