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Skip Stone · 11-21-2016, 06:20 PM

Good evening,
I have just purchased a 2016 20 ft Flying Cloud and obtain very useful information on this forum (True Newbie). I have chosen to store the A.S. in a facility with covered, closed storage.

The facility offers electric for an additional fee. I want to keep my batteries fully charged, as will use the A.S. on occasional weekends as my wife and I work full time.

Do I remove the batteries, bring them home to remain on a constant charge in my garage, or pay the $30+ monthly electric fee? If you suggest to remove and set up each time I utilize the trailer, can you recommend a worthy battery charger to place in my garage that would meet my needs. Or is it safer and best to pay the additional fee.

Any advice and input is greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Skip

LilBigfoot · 11-21-2016, 07:26 PM

Just posted this photo of the Battery Tender I use and like in another thread asking the same question. This model comes recommended here. I keep my batteries at home and in a slightly warm garage. $60's for the charger and you're ahead of the game.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f449...me-156249.html

CRH · 11-21-2016, 07:30 PM

Your batteries should be fully charged after a camping trip with shore power. The most I would do is disconnect the negative wires on the trailer when I stored it. They will discharge very little over a few weeks.

SeaLevel · 11-21-2016, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRH

Your batteries should be fully charged after a camping trip with shore power. The most I would do is disconnect the negative wires on the trailer when I stored it. They will discharge very little over a few weeks.

This is the approach I've been taking, and the trailer has now been sitting for almost 3 weeks between trips. I've been monitoring the batteries and they've dropped from about 12.77 to 12.75.

I should probably add a disconnect switch to make it even easier.

CRH · 11-21-2016, 08:45 PM

Yep, a battery disconnect switch is only about 5 bucks. I use one on one of my cars that gets little use. Without it, the radio memory and clock will kill the battery after a month or two.

Jacob D · 11-22-2016, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip Stone

Good evening,
I have just purchased a 2016 20 ft Flying Cloud and obtain very useful information on this forum (True Newbie). I have chosen to store the A.S. in a facility with covered, closed storage.

The facility offers electric for an additional fee. I want to keep my batteries fully charged, as will use the A.S. on occasional weekends as my wife and I work full time.

Do I remove the batteries, bring them home to remain on a constant charge in my garage, or pay the $30+ monthly electric fee? If you suggest to remove and set up each time I utilize the trailer, can you recommend a worthy battery charger to place in my garage that would meet my needs. Or is it safer and best to pay the additional fee.

Any advice and input is greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Skip

This may not be the answer you need but I use an AGM battery in my vintage A/S. I am able to park it in my yard, hooked up to 110v and the Intellipower converter I replaced the Univolt with keeps it charged. On occasion, I have chosen to store it for a month in an RV park I intended to go back to. I noticed no drop in voltage on my battery monitor on those occasions. I am resolved to always use an AGM in the A/S even at the extra cost. The current AGM is 6 years old and still strong.

MelGoddard · 11-22-2016, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilBigfoot

Just posted this photo of the Battery Tender I use and like in another thread asking the same question. This model comes recommended here. I keep my batteries at home and in a slightly warm garage. $60's for the charger and you're ahead of the game.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f449...me-156249.html

I have one too.
Put it up on top of the propane bottles, due to possible gassing harming the device. I have had it for a number of years, for keeping my TV battery up; and now have used it on my F.C., until I purchased a Progressive Dynamics converter. which so far seems to be doing it's job.
The Genius is now back in the garage to service the Ford's battery, while it's laid up for 6 weeks. (So am I; had a shoulder operation yesterday.)

Trailer Trash waiting for next year to use that Tin Can Shed.

Gneiss Guy · 11-22-2016, 11:45 AM

Thirty bucks per month seems to be a lot to maintain your batteries. I use a battery tender on mine and pay $5.00/month at the storage facility. I would definitely take them home and use a battery tender.

kdickinson · 11-22-2016, 11:59 AM

My trailer sits in sight of my home office but is, unfortunately, outside for the winter. I take the battery out and bring it to my garage. Then I reinstall the battery and plug the trailer into shore power for at least 2 days before leaving on 1st spring trip. My Dad had a trickle charger on it before but over time it began to not work effectively over time which I say because I would still have to re-charge the battery each year.

Jaywaltz · 11-22-2016, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRH

Your batteries should be fully charged after a camping trip with shore power. The most I would do is disconnect the negative wires on the trailer when I stored it. They will discharge very little over a few weeks.

We also disconnect for indoor storage in Florida. After 2 months we are still good to go.

polarlyse · 11-22-2016, 12:33 PM

Last year we left our Airstream in an outside storage lot at a Navy base in southern Georgia. My batteries ( standard group 27 deep cell) were 5 years old at the time. I left it for 2.5 months with no electric hook-up. We picked it up on the way to Florida in January and there was enough juice left in the batteries to operate the power jack to make the hook-up. Yes, it surprised me too. I was prepared to either use my generator or bottle jack but didn't need to. Doing it again right now so hope it works when I pick it up. When I do bring it home I keep it plugged in and the 4 stage converter/charger does it's job very well.

tjdonahoe · 11-22-2016, 01:44 PM

Dissconnect either the positive or negative cables, they will be fine even for a month or so...

cazual6 · 11-22-2016, 06:47 PM

It fascinates me how some AS owners are cheap about certain things. I can understand if you bought an SOB. An AS is a premium Travel Trailer, some of the most expensive, if not the most expensive TT out there. To try to save $30 / month boggles me how you can ask whether to lug it home or pay for it. It would be like someone buying a Rolls Royce and go to Arco to pay for 87 because the gas is cheaper.

With that out of the way, you are gonna have a genny, so it will charge your battery, your TV will charge it a little, and definitely the shore power will charge it in a few hours.

I don't want to sound mean, buy c'mon, really to save $30/month?

CRH · 11-22-2016, 09:09 PM

Perhaps some Airstream owners have to budget their money or don't see overpaying for the easy solution when there may be a lesser expensive one that may require a little more effort.

carl2591 · 11-22-2016, 09:36 PM

that all sound good but some folks that buy AS new do it for other reasons than they have a lot of money sitting around or good credit. Saving $30 a month add up to $360 a year. That real money to some folks, me included.

I think $30 a month for elec is a RIP OFF. it cost like$ 5 a month to keep batteries up with a small tender like this one from harbor freight.

http://www.harborfreight.com/automat...ger-42292.html

disconnect the batteries and they will be fine for 6 months or so especially in covered inside storage area. I pull the fuse on LP detector, only thing up stream of shut off, the batteries will loose charge very slowly. started at 12.65 and after 4 months only dropped to 12.60. no biggie..

Quote:

Originally Posted by cazual6

It fascinates me how some AS owners are cheap about certain things. I can understand if you bought an SOB. An AS is a premium Travel Trailer, some of the most expensive, if not the most expensive TT out there. To try to save $30 / month boggles me how you can ask whether to lug it home or pay for it. It would be like someone buying a Rolls Royce and go to Arco to pay for 87 because the gas is cheaper.

With that out of the way, you are gonna have a genny, so it will charge your battery, your TV will charge it a little, and definitely the shore power will charge it in a few hours.

I don't want to sound mean, buy c'mon, really to save $30/month?

Debit · 11-23-2016, 07:23 PM

Like others who commented on this thread we use battery disconnects. When returning from trips the batteries are topped off, so when I drop the AS at storage I just unscrew the quick disconnects. Just dropped by storage today and checked the volts, which are 12.65 (it's been there +6 weeks and was 12.68 when I first dropped it off). I've attached a picture of the setup. I've also inverted one of the batteries so I can remove water caps and add water (without removing wires). This solution serves us well.

zapper · 11-27-2016, 08:36 PM

Debit- I like your set up. Will do on my new FC 30. I have now a safari 25 FB. It's a little tight in this battery box to do something like this. I understand on the new FC's the battery box is now larger so It could accommodate 2 six volt batteries in series.

OTRA15 · 11-28-2016, 05:20 AM

Regarding some posts about having just enough juice to operate the tongue jack motor, if your battery voltage has gone below 12.3, or about 50% capacity, it is said that you are damaging the batteries and reducing their life expectancy. In the scheme of things this may be an acceptable and cost-effective downside, but given the simple alternatives of protecting the batteries, why do so?

Naper · 11-28-2016, 05:41 AM

If you are using the facility for short term storage between trips i wouldn't worry about the batteries. Your Airstream has a disconnect switch inside the door use it. Taking the batteries out will become old real fast. Try negotiating with the storage people maybe they will adjust the price when they know you only need battery charging, no fridge or heat.

lewster · 11-28-2016, 05:55 AM

All batteries have a specific level of 'internal resistance', and liquid lead-acid types like your Interstate batteries actually have the highest internal resistance of any battery type. This characteristic is the reason that a fully charged liquid cell, when left in a completely disconnected and isolated state, will still show significant voltage drop in a very short period. Many liquid cells will not last a month in isolation as their capacity will drop from 100% to 50% (or less) during that period with no loads on them. The actual time it takes a liquid cell to self-discharge varies greatly with the manufacturer of the battery and it's condition.

AGM type batteries have a far lower internal resistance and will far outlast liquid cells when fully charged and removed from service, either by a disconnect switch in the trailer or by physical removal. Lifeline suggests a 'boost charge' be applied to their AGM batteries every 90 days, but I have seen their batteries in my shop hold their charge level for periods of 6 months or more.

Internal resistance also directly effects the amount of time a battery will require for re-charging, as well as the voltage level needed to overcome that resistance, Many liquid cells like Trojans require a higher bulk/absorption charge of 14.8VDC (per Trojan) while AGMs like Lifeline require the same charge cycle to be at the 14.2-14.4VDC level and will accept the charge voltage much faster than a liquid cell, resulting in quicker re-charge times

Lithiums are a completely different system and will hold charge for a year or longer when isolated and will also accept very large currents while charging, resulting in re-charge times as fast as an hour on larger lithium banks.

And as always..............YMMV!!