does it hurt batteries to be charged from shore power all winter ?

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idahored

idahored

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Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Posts
21
Location
Mountan Home, Idaho
I normally just plug in my coach during our cold Idaho winters, and use a Battery Tender Jr on the starting battery, but someone told me if I keep electrical power to the coach for that long, it may damage the coach batteries. I've done this with all my rv's in the past, so maybe I was doing harm to the batteries all this time ? I've owned many rv's and never had any battery troubles before  :-\
 
BLUF: No/Yes/ it depends

Modern multistage converter/charger will not overcharge your batteries.  So leaving your coach on shore power for the winter will not hurt your batteries if you have a converter like progress dynamics or others that  wont overcharge your batteries.  However, some older converters will overcharge your batteries and boil out your electrolyte.  What converter /charger do you have in your coach? 

and if your question is just in regards to the battery tender you should be good to go leaving it in all winter since that is what they are designed for (long term trickle/maintenance charge) on your batteries 
 
The answer is it depends.  If the coach is equipped with one of the new multistage chargers, particularly those where the voltage can be customized and set to the battery manufacturers specs, no the batteries will do fine and serve you well.  If on the other hand, the coach has one of the older chargers without a multistage charging profile, while the batteries will survive, they likely will not receive the full charge and maintenance to get the most out of the batteries and for the batteries to live a long healthy life.  The reason being is the older chargers trying to avert an overcharge situation which could boil the batteries, typically set the maximum voltage much lower than optimal and certainly less than what the battery manufacturers specs indicate.  This not only cheats the end user out of the full potential of the battery, but can reduce the lifespan.
 
If your 99 Itasca still has the original converter/charger, then yes it might. However, the risk is overcharging and loss of the electrolyte. As long as you check the level in the cells and add distilled water as needed, they should be fine.  And far better than the alternative, which would be to allow them to discharge completely. Some method of charge maintenance is necessary to keep the batteries healthy while in storage.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, right?  If your house batteries are not going dry and failing prematurely, then you must be following an acceptable procedure.
 
My storage owner put in an outlet for me after having discharged batteries last spring.  I tried plugging in the coach but as soon as the surge suppression finished checking and allowed for power to go through, it would pop the owners GFCI.  It also complicates things as the draw on the coach is pretty high with all of the fridge, micro, etc coming on with the power available.  I decided to abandoned that idea and just go with battery minders, one 8A for the 6 AGM coach batteries and another 1.5A for the chassis batteries.  Time will tell!

 

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Mile High said:
My storage owner put in an outlet for me after having discharged batteries last spring.  I tried plugging in the coach but as soon as the surge suppression finished checking and allowed for power to go through, it would pop the owners GFCI.  It also complicates things as the draw on the coach is pretty high with all of the fridge, micro, etc coming on with the power available.  I decided to abandoned that idea and just go with battery minders, one 8A for the 6 AGM coach batteries and another 1.5A for the chassis batteries.  Time will tell!
Click to expand...

I installed a solar battery minder on my house batteries and an Amp l start for the chassis batteries a few years ago and haven't had to add  water or start the generator to maintain the batteries during storage,  They are now always topped off, seems like it really doesn't take much to keep batteries happy in my case a 15 watt solar panel powering a smart charger has kept two sets of batteries GTG in between trips for about 4 years now and one year the coach was unused from October until the following October.  (15 watt is only a little above an amp @ float charge voltages)
 
Mine has been plugged in 13 years. Batteries are still good although I am on my second set due to age.

I have to check mine for water every 4 to 6 weeks. 
 
Mile High said:
My storage owner put in an outlet for me after having discharged batteries last spring.  I tried plugging in the coach but as soon as the surge suppression finished checking and allowed for power to go through, it would pop the owners GFCI.  It also complicates things as the draw on the coach is pretty high with all of the fridge, micro, etc coming on with the power available.  I decided to abandoned that idea and just go with battery minders, one 8A for the 6 AGM coach batteries and another 1.5A for the chassis batteries.  Time will tell!
Click to expand...
Como?  Why would any of that come on unless to turn it on?  Popping the GFI should be looked into tho
 
No power in my storage bin so I just take the coach out every 3 to 4 weeks and run the generator for about 1/2 to 3/4 hour. This keeps the generator exercised (with a load such as elec heat), the tires in good shape and the batteries charged.  I also have a kill switch for the coach batteries and it kills all power to the coach for such things as the propane detector, pump, lights and other parasitic draws.  I do frequently check the electrolyte levels in the batteries and clean the posts.

Bill
 
Bill, I agree with one of the above comments, and install a decent solar panel, and not have to worry about running the gennie. Just have to check the water level once in a while.


Bill
 
I think I'll try watching the battery water level, and plugging into the shop power every other month and see what results I get.  Thanks for all the replies to my question  :))
 
billwild said:
Bill, I agree with one of the above comments, and install a decent solar panel, and not have to worry about running the gennie. Just have to check the water level once in a while.


Bill
Click to expand...

I do have a small factory installed solar panel but since the coach is stored inside it is not providing any power.  But running the generator is a requirement of Onan in order to keep things in running order. 
Too technical for me to explain (others can do it)  but exercising keeps the gen portion in good condition.

Bill
 
I will support the "It Depends" Response

With my 9180 + Wizard I kept the RV plugged in nearly all winter (Save for when the power failed.. and even during most of the power failure thanks to the On-Board Generator)

Today I full time so save for when I'm moving it is plugged in  likely an average of 24:59/day (Driving counts as plugged in) Only time I run on batteries is power failures and overnights on the semi-annual migration hike.
 
SCVJeff said:
Como?  Why would any of that come on unless to turn it on?  Popping the GFI should be looked into tho
Click to expand...
Jeff, I assume that is Spanish or a typo?  My fridge and micro come on when plugged in (at least the clock on the micro).  There is not real switch to turn them off or on other than breakers.  I did look into the GFCI popping as far as I want to take it after finding out it is a pretty common thing with RVs.  It doesn't pop mine at home, so I'm not too worried about it.  It's possible he only gave me a 15A circuit so it actually may have been overloading.
 
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