Is it OK to parallel my 84 Excella 270's house and coach batteries for winter storage? The shore power keeps the house batteries charged and warm, but not the coach [starter] battery. Will there be any ill effect? All batteries are the same age. It was 16F here last night and -20F will be here soon! My coach is otherwise winterized.
John in Northern NY.
John, I've been leaving my truck for seven months at a time for the last 6 years. It has twin parallel batteries. I leave a cheap "battery minder" plugged into the mains and connected to one of the batteries. It starts first time every year. The same with my sailing yacht and its twin batteries. I wouldn't use a normal "battery charger" or an original Airstream "Univolt". I've replaced my Univolt with an Intellipower with Charge Wizard, and I leave my Airstream plugged into that for 8 months every year, unattended.
Nick.
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Nick Crowhurst, Excella 25 1988, Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Diesel. England in summer, USA in winter.
"The price of freedom is eternal maintenance."
If you want the starter battery kept topped off, I wouldn't tie it to the house batteries, I'd get a small trickler charger and do it independently. Even if the batteries are the same age, the type of cycle that a starter battery goes through is so much different than a slowly discharged house battery that their condition must be different. You never want to tie batteries together that aren't "identical."
Here is what we use for our airplanes and trucks. They sit six months a year. SONEIL - 12V Chargers
The 5 amp version.
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Michelle
I'm not afraid I learned to drive in Washington, DC
Sarah
Ruby, (05 BMW R1200RT) serviced and put to bed for the winter
Daisy, (06 Diesel F-250 w/Tow Command)
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Tie House & Coach Batteries for Winter Storage?
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