battery during winter - Montana Owners Club

Montana_1246 · 11-24-2004, 05:20 AM

My first winter with the Montana is here. I want to remove the battery and store it in my basement. Anything special I need to know about that? Dangers? Rechargings?
Thanks in advance!

kdeiss · 11-24-2004, 05:53 AM

Keep it off the garage or basement floor and give a charge maybe once a month

CountryGuy · 11-24-2004, 06:02 AM

Not that we are suggesting you do this, but this is what we have been doing for a number of years, and it does get cold here.

Be sure battery is FULLY charged, check the water and all that. FULLY charged. Turn off all battery drainers, the flashlight, the light in the frig and the carbon monoxide smeller OR, throw the battery disconnect you have installed.

Leave battery in the unit.

I believe that Al goes and checks it a couple of times over the winter. If we are really lucky and life is good, then about January 15th, we load up the rig and leave the cold weather behind. By not taking the battery out, that is one less thing we have to fuss with in 5 degree weather when loading the rig for departure.

We have not lost a battery this way, YET! Please note the disclaimer of YET!

Sue · 11-24-2004, 06:07 AM

CountryGuy,
I tried just yesterday to turn off/disconnect the Carbon/Dixoide detecter and couldn't do it. I even tried throwing the breaker but none of them turned it off. This keeps draining my battery. I unscrewed it and the only thing I can figure out is to totally disconnect it from the wires.

Any other input would be appreciated.

P.S. How do you turn off the lite in the frig?????? Is there a switch??

Sunseekers · 11-24-2004, 06:49 AM

You can disconnect the battery cable and that will turn everyting off! I got tired of doing that so--
I installed a "Perko battery switch" and that will turn everything off. Cost $25-$30. I bought my switch at a marine store.

It is easy to mount by your batteries. You can dial in one or two batteries or OFF.

Hope this helps you.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CountryGuy · 11-24-2004, 07:00 AM

Sue, the light in the frig, go take a look, there is a switch of sorts right on the fixture, with door open, push on the switch, once you have found it, hold it in the off position with a rubber band>G>G>

Far as that CO detector, Al knows whatever there is to know about that, but he is at his mother's for a few days.

Is it snowing in Rochester yet??? We have a wonderful mix of rain, sleet/freezing rain and snow flakes. As long as I don't have to start the generator, I don't care, let er rip!

The battery disconnect is the way to go, it is SOOO easy to turn on and off, I think nothing of going out there, turning on, doing what ever I need to in the rig and turning back off. Love that thing!

Carol

Glenn and Lorraine · 11-24-2004, 07:10 AM

A good clean fully charged battery can be left in the rig all winter.
Either disconnect the battery cables or install a battery disconnect switch.
With the battery disconnected nothing 12 volt will be on and therefore cannot drain the battery.
Batteries are filled with electrolyte. This electrolyte is sulfuric acid based. Sulfuric acid doesn't freeze - A fully charged battery will not freeze unless the temperature reaches approximately 80°F below zero, so your battery will be fine as long as it is fully charged. Check the water level and state of charge every 45-60 days. If needed, add distilled water and charge. Add distilled water only. When electrolyte is lost under normal use, the water evaporates while the acid remains in the battery. Adding acid will, therefore, alter the chemical composition of the electrolyte and cause the battery to fail more quickly. The only time electrolyte should be added is after accidental spillage.

The problem occurs when your battery is discharged. When a battery loses it's charge it transfers sulfate molecules to the plates in the battery and the electrolyte begins to turn to water (H2O). Of course water freezes. So when a battery becomes discharged it can freeze at 32 degrees.

kdeiss, Years ago it was a nono to store a battery on a concrete floor. Back than batteries were made of hard rubber cases. These cases were somewhat porous. A current could be conducted through this container, which had a high carbon content, if the moist concrete floor permitted the current to find an electrical ground. The cases of today do not allow this drainage to happen.

kdeiss · 11-24-2004, 08:04 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Sue

CountryGuy,
I tried just yesterday to turn off/disconnect the Carbon/Dixoide detecter and couldn't do it. I even tried throwing the breaker but none of them turned it off. This keeps draining my battery. I unscrewed it and the only thing I can figure out is to totally disconnect it from the wires.

Any other input would be appreciated.

P.S. How do you turn off the lite in the frig?????? Is there a switch??

Sue, You can pull a DC fuse to shut of the Carbon Dixoide detecter if I remember it is last or next to last on the right when you pull the correct one you will see the green light go off.

Sue · 11-24-2004, 08:16 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by kdeiss

Sue, You can pull a DC fuse to shut of the Carbon Dixoide detecter if I remember it is last or next to last on the right when you pull the correct one you will see the green light go off.

Gonna have'ta just try that. I also like the idea of just disconnecting the battery too. Thanks everyone.

Sue · 11-24-2004, 08:21 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by CountryGuy
Is it snowing in Rochester yet??? We have a wonderful mix of rain, sleet/freezing rain and snow flakes. As long as I don't have to start the generator, I don't care, let er rip!

Carol

Same here Carol, I just looked out as the girls here were so excited that it was snowing, but it's not much of a snow fall. I personally hope its snows from here on out till Sunday, I hate the drab look outside of all the trees with no leaves and wet and mud. Some white stuff sure would perk me up.

vickster · 11-24-2004, 08:34 AM

As this is our "first" winter as well, hubby just left the battery in Monty. He periodically checks it and so far hasn't lost charge. If he notices anything, we will just plug unit in for a few days.

Ah, you can always tell a true northern women -- they get perked up with some white stuff, aka snow. Personally, I prefer the white stuff to be sand. It is blistery here today, but no snow. We are close to Lake Michigan and water temps keeping it warmer here.

CountryGuy · 11-24-2004, 08:56 AM

True Northern Women !! WOW, that is one way to put it Vic. We have switched back and forth so much between freezing rain/sleet, snow and rain I am not sure what is out there. The deck is frozen (cold from top and from bottom). Temperature just a few moments ago was 32.9 here in Tipton, the freezing rain is not sticking to the electric lines or trees. I'll take 10 inches of snow over ANY ice. UGH.

rames14 · 11-24-2004, 11:16 AM

South of Chicago its 32 and snowing. And of course everyone forgot how to drive. Travel times on the major roads is running 2-3 hours. Lots of fun. As for our battery, we have Monty stored on a seasonal site that is closed until next April, so we just brought the battery home and have it stored downstairs on a wood box. I will recharge before taking it back out to Monty this spring.

Montana_738 · 11-24-2004, 12:44 PM

Hello NOTSOTINVTIM,

If you take your battery or batteries out of the camper or leave them in, I recommend you purchase a battery float charger. The float charger prevents self discharge of the battery, They claim it will extend the life of the batteries. It is safe to use with a wet or gel battery.
If you leave the battery in the camper disconect the battery cables.
You can get the float charger from Camping World, Northern Tools, etc. I paid $9.00 and my batteries are always ready to go. In fact I purchased one for the farm tractor because that sits almost all winter without being used, unless we get some snow. The last few years in Illinois the snow we get is mostly flurries.

I hope this helps.

Bill & Rita

sreigle · 11-24-2004, 02:29 PM

Sue, I used to just remove the bulb from the fridge and put it back in the spring.

Here in the Kansas City area we got 8 inches of snow last night. This area rarely gets more than an inch or two before January. last Nov/Dec we spent in this RV park we got 8 inches of snow. This year we've got that much already. Boo Hiss. January 5 we head south and east.

Sue · 11-25-2004, 02:52 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

Sue, I used to just remove the bulb from the fridge and put it back in the spring.

Steve, figured this one out today, and also found the fuse for the propane detecter (thought it was the carbon/dixiode detecter) it was the 4th one from the left. Now I find out that I have a carbon/dixiode detecter in our bedroom, will check that out tomorrow too. But we pulled the battery and brought it home to get a full charge, then take it back and hook it up so I should be good to go.
Thanks for the suggestions.

BillyRay · 11-26-2004, 01:28 AM

seems like everytime it's that cold out, my rigs in the shop for half the winter, so the battery gets left in. I usually wait until the season is over to have a whole list of things done.

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