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11-12-2020, 04:25 PM
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#1
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Hilliards
Posts: 237
M.O.C. #25636
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Plugged in or not?
Ok folks, got a question for you. I have winterized and parked the Monty for the winter here in NW PA. Sad but true. Now, my question, should I leave it plugged in to keep the battery tickled all winter? or should I remove the battery and store it inside? I replaced the original battery with an AGM one at purchase, so the water issue is not there. Thanks!
__________________
2020 MHC 330RL
2021 F350 DRW 6.7 Powerstroke 
Retired and Rollin'!
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11-12-2020, 05:08 PM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Salem
Posts: 7,550
M.O.C. #2283
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I keep mine plugged in all the time. I use it a lot, great place to take a nap.
Lynwood
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11-12-2020, 05:13 PM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: STAYTON
Posts: 1,118
M.O.C. #18157
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I keep ours plugged into a 20A outlet just for the batteries and the rodent/bug devices. Be sure and water your batteries every few weeks.
Mark
__________________
“Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.”
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11-12-2020, 05:16 PM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Sequim
Posts: 527
M.O.C. #17176
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I leave mine plugged in all the time. Just make sure you check the water level in batteries every month or so you don’t wreck your batteries.
__________________
Dan & Sandy Huhn
2016 Montana 3720 2015 Chevy 3500 SWD Duro Max
Prev 2012 High Country 313RE 2012 Chevy 2500 DMax
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11-12-2020, 05:38 PM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 1,788
M.O.C. #14547
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Ours stays plugged in 24/7/365 or whenever parked. I check the battery and top it off if needed and do a recheck on a nice day in earlt Feb. Do NOT turn off the disconnect switch or you may (will) be replacing that battery in the spring as I and $150 later found out when I did ours by accident.
__________________
Dave W
2014 Montana High Country 343RL (Sold!)
2011 Ford 6.7 Lariat CCLB (Went to PU Heaven)
2019 F150SC XLT SE Sport,w/full tow package
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11-12-2020, 05:49 PM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: McKinney
Posts: 7,166
M.O.C. #6433
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Mine stays plugged in year round, in storage if not at an RV Park.
__________________
Bill & Patricia
Riley, our Golden
2007 3075RL (recently sold, currently without)
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11-12-2020, 06:12 PM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Posts: 2,707
M.O.C. #7992
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My storage has no power so I'm not plugged in. Disconnect the negative battery cable on a well charged battery and leave it in the unit. Never failed me when I took it out of storage and we have some pretty cold winters.
__________________
2006 3000RK
2009 Ram 2500
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11-12-2020, 06:37 PM
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#8
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Wilsey
Posts: 18,799
M.O.C. #11455
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As Jim said just disconnect the ground so it can't drain. A fully charged battery won't freeze.
__________________
Dick, Joyce, Diego, Picatso and Gustav
2017 3720 RL, and 2013 HC 343RL
Pullrite Hitch, IS, Disk Brakes, 3rd AC, Winegard Traveler, Bathroom door mod, Dometic 320, couch for desk swap, replaced chairs, sun screens, added awnings, etc.
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11-13-2020, 07:12 AM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2006
Location:
Posts: 1,700
M.O.C. #5751
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Leave it plugged in. AGMs do not need water.
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11-13-2020, 08:18 AM
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#10
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Charleston
Posts: 453
M.O.C. #23094
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Disconnect batteries and unplug. I top charge the batteries a few times over the winter.
__________________
2019 Montana HC 310RE
2010 Wildcat 29RLBS
2014 Ford F-350 Lariat 6.7
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11-13-2020, 09:33 AM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Centerville
Posts: 1,350
M.O.C. #9051
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Same here 24/7 plugged in , been doing this with 2 different fifth wheels for nearly 13 years . No battery problems .
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11-13-2020, 11:46 AM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 525
M.O.C. #19994
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20+ years of 5th wheels, 24/7/365 plugged in, never an issue
__________________
The "Black Pearl"-2017 3731FL Legacy Package
2017 F-450 Platinum, 6.7 PSD
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11-13-2020, 12:05 PM
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#13
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Monument
Posts: 68
M.O.C. #10239
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I use a 20 watt solar panel and an inexpensive controller directly connected to my 4 6V batteries while the Montana is in the storage lot. Works great!
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11-13-2020, 12:14 PM
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#14
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Anderson
Posts: 2,585
M.O.C. #22835
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Keep ours plugged in all the time. We use ours in the driveway until temps get to about 10 degrees and the propane usage reaches 1 thirty pound tank of gas every 2 days or less.
__________________
Who you are right now is a sum total off all you use to be.
2019 Montana High Country 375FL
2014 Chevy Silverado Duramax, 6.6L Dually
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11-18-2020, 01:45 PM
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#15
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Established Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Jordan Station
Posts: 40
M.O.C. #22287
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For the most part ours is plugged in but I tend to unplug it for a couple weeks and then plug it back in a few times over the winter. Just eases my mind that the batteries have a “cooling off period” periodically. Just unplugged it the other day and next week some time I will plug it back in. We live in Canada and with all trailers and boats over the past 30 years I’ve always done it the same way and always leave the batteries in.
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11-18-2020, 02:18 PM
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#16
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Eugene
Posts: 1,053
M.O.C. #5091
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The last 2 yrs we haven't went to Arizona so I have taken batteries out and placed in the garage. End of September was our last trip and won't use trailer again until late June. On of the 2 batteries is a BiMart battery installed in 2014 and the other several years older. Put them on the charger every couple of months and still working fine. We don't dry camp.
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11-18-2020, 03:24 PM
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#17
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Established Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Eliot
Posts: 14
M.O.C. #22629
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why did you need to replace the battery?
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11-18-2020, 04:25 PM
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#18
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Keller
Posts: 501
M.O.C. #26851
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Myers
Ok folks, got a question for you. I have winterized and parked the Monty for the winter here in NW PA. Sad but true. Now, my question, should I leave it plugged in to keep the battery tickled all winter? or should I remove the battery and store it inside? I replaced the original battery with an AGM one at purchase, so the water issue is not there. Thanks!
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If plugged in to a trickle charger you should be ok, but you don’t want that battery to freeze. That can damage it, and in a real hard freeze can kill it. Better to pull it if you have some place to keep it from freezing and keep it on a trickle charger. I know others leave it in the unit, on a charger. Now it’s your call.
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11-18-2020, 05:57 PM
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#19
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Established Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Grand Junction
Posts: 30
M.O.C. #18876
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No need to plug in
I agree with Jim and Dick, a well charged battery with no drain on the system will make it through the winter with no problem.
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11-18-2020, 07:11 PM
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#20
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: somerville
Posts: 135
M.O.C. #12636
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My ‘12 stays plugged in all the time except when on the road. Original battery. Added water maybe once.
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