6 mos storage with no shore power

[Photobsess]

Hello. We will be leaving our 2017 interstate in a covered storage facility with no possibility to plug in or run engine periodically. What can I do besides turn off the main disconnect switch by the slider as well as the battery disconnect by gas pedal? Will all batteries be shot when I get back to RV?
Best,
Jeff

[Dan and Liz]

I’d fully charge the vehicle and house batteries then disconnect them at the terminals to prevent parasitic drain. If it’s heated storage you should be fine. In fact, in SD you should be fine anyway.

[Mollysdad]

Six months?
I'd seriously consider removing the batteries, taking them home and putting them on a trickle charger.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Photobsess

Hello. We will be leaving our 2017 interstate in a covered storage facility with no possibility to plug in or run engine periodically. What can I do besides turn off the main disconnect switch by the slider as well as the battery disconnect by gas pedal? Will all batteries be shot when I get back to RV?
Best,
Jeff

Welcome to the forum. You might want to check out the Sprinter and B-van forum, which is more specific to your unit:

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f240/

Ditto to Mollysdad -- remove the batteries, if possible, and store them at home/work/etc. on a battery minder.

What type of batteries are these, and are they original 2017 OEM? Good recent suggestion to physically isolate them, but it is unlikely that they will survive 6 months without some kind of damage IMO. [not new lithium batteries by any chance, are they?] If they are the original batteries, maybe just plan on replacing them with new ones, as a small cost of this "time off" . . . ?

Good luck.

[B. Cole]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

Six months?
I'd seriously consider removing the batteries, taking them home and putting them on a trickle charger.

Exactly.Even 3 months, or less, pull the batteries, take them home.Trickle charge them.

[CBWELL]

If it's diesel, give it a good dose of Diesel fuel conditioner and drive a few miles to let it get through the injectors and fuel system. If gas, a can of Sea Foam does wonders. Take your batteries out and put on a trickle charger. My batteries are 6 years old, well maintained, and I just did a load test today and they are still in great shape. Have been on trickle charge since October. Put some baking soda in the fridge, some Cab Fresh inside the coach and you should be fine.

[coasttocoast]

Six months without charging? The bell tolls for thee....

[jimdelane]

If you have lead acid / AGM batteries, then you need to remove them and take them some place and put a trickle charge on them. If they are lithium batteries then you can disconnect them and not worry.
Both lead acid / AGM batteries and lithium batteries will self discharge when in storage.

All batteries, regardless of their chemistry, will self-discharge. The self discharge of batteries with Lead-Antimony plates can be high - as much as 1% per day on an older battery. A new AGM typically self-discharges at about 1-2% per month, while an old one may be as much as 2% per week.

The rate of self-discharge for lead acid batteries depends on the storage or operating temperature. At a temperature of 80 degrees F. a lead acid battery will self-discharge at a rate of approximately 4% a week. A battery with a 125-amp hour rating would self-discharge at a rate of approximately five amps per week. Keeping this in mind if a 125 AH battery is stored for four months (16 weeks) winter without being charged, it will loose 80 amps of its 125-amp capacity.

At below 90% charge, lead acid / AGM batteries will also start to have severe sulfation, which causes additional loss of capacity.

The quickest way to kill your flooded lead or AGM batteries is to leave them in a partially discharged state for any length of time. Keep your batteries charged while not in use!

The self discharge of batteries with Lead-Antimony plates can be high - as much as 1% per day on an older battery. A new AGM typically self-discharges at about 1-2% per month, while an old one may be as much as 2% per week.

LiFePO4 has a typical self discharge rate of 5% per month. Unlike lead acid/AGM batteries, lithium batteries can last indefinitely in a partially charged state without any damage. They also mainain a higher constant voltage. Should you return 10 months later and find it at 40% or 50% state of charge, you will still have over 12.8v. Lithiums typically last 3000-5000 cycles versus 300-500 cycles for lead acid / AGM and can be used to 100% of capacity (but then the lights go out).

Lithiums are more expensive than lead acid/AGM but have dropped in price to where they are competitive with AGMs in usable energy.
More expensive is relative. They last longer which brings the lifetime cost to a fraction of lead acid/AGM. They are maintenance free and corrosion free. They charge 5 times faster and maintain higher and constant voltage. They weigh a lot less which means less fuel costs. They will likely be the last battery you will ever buy.
Lead acid/AGM should not be discharged over 50% or it will reduce cycle life. So it takes (2) 105Ah AGM batteries = (1) 105Ah lithium battery. (2)AGM @ 60# ea vs (1) lithium at 30lbs.
Quality lithium battery suppliers include:

AMPS Lithium
https://lithiummarinebattery.com

Battleborn
https://battlebornbatteries.com

Dakota Lithium
https://dakotalithium.com/

GoPower
https://gpelectric.com/product-category/batteries/

LiFeBlue Battery
http://www.lifebluebattery.com

ReLion
https://relionbattery.com

Renogy
https://www.renogy.com

SmartBattery
https://www.lithiumion-batteries.com

[Vlamgat]

Everyone that has made a reference to a "trickle charger" does not really mean a TRCKLE Charger. You do not want to consider a charger that continuously charges even at a very low amperage as in"trickle". What you need is a 3 stage (at a minimum) charger that will Bulk (charge), Absorb and Float. There are plenty available via Amazon but beware anything that says "trickle" as these will destroy your batteries within a month.

[hhendrix]

Keep the refer door propped open. Baking soda by itself in a closed compartment for six months won't stop the odor and potential mold growth. Also agreed you must remove the batteries and find an appropriate maintenance charger or write them off and get AGM's or lithium when you return. Either way, remove the batteries.

[Zach05855]

Originally Posted by Vlamgat

Everyone that has made a reference to a "trickle charger" does not really mean a TRCKLE Charger. You do not want to consider a charger that continuously charges even at a very low amperage as in"trickle". What you need is a 3 stage (at a minimum) charger that will Bulk (charge), Absorb and Float. There are plenty available via Amazon but beware anything that says "trickle" as these will destroy your batteries within a month.

You need to use a Battery Maintainer, and if they are AGM then you should use one specifically for AGM.


I use the CTEK 40-206 MXS 5.0-12 Volt Battery Charger

https://www.amazon.com/CTEK-40-206-5...6447082&sr=8-3

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Vlamgat

Everyone that has made a reference to a "trickle charger" does not really mean a TRCKLE Charger. You do not want to consider a charger that continuously charges even at a very low amperage as in"trickle". What you need is a 3 stage (at a minimum) charger that will Bulk (charge), Absorb and Float. There are plenty available via Amazon but beware anything that says "trickle" as these will destroy your batteries within a month.

No...a quality tickle maintenance charger will do just fine...I use them on two vehicles that haven't moved since last Oct. 12hrs on per day.
The boat gets one in summer, between outings.
Charge fully and tickle.
Just make sure the parasitic draw doesn't exceed the charge rate of the unit.👍

Bob
🇺🇸

[Vlamgat]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

No...a quality tickle maintenance charger will do just fine...I use them on two vehicles that haven't moved since last Oct. 12hrs on per day.
The boat gets one in summer, between outings.
Charge fully and tickle.
Just make sure the parasitic draw doesn't exceed the charge rate of the unit.👍

Bob
🇺🇸

If they are really trickle chargers, and only the cheapest are, then you are destroying your batteries. But hey that's your choice, I am just pointing out the chemistry facts.

[Toasterlife]

Any chance you can use a solar panel? we have our in covered storage (roof only) and have our solar panel connected and at the front of our slot to "catch the rays". We do hit the "battery disconnect switch" - this has worked for us for months at a time, and before that we went through our share of batteries....
The panel offsets the parasitic load and keeps our batteries topped up without frying them.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Vlamgat

If they are really trickle chargers, and only the cheapest are, then you are destroying your batteries. But hey that's your choice, I am just pointing out the chemistry facts.

You noe best for sure.

But 45yrs of trickling batteries 'sez looney. Shouldn't be that hard to outsmart an inanimate object.



Bob
🇺🇸
Describe cheapest.

[Magnet18]

Originally Posted by Vlamgat

If they are really trickle chargers, and only the cheapest are, then you are destroying your batteries. But hey that's your choice, I am just pointing out the chemistry facts.

It's called a colloquialism bud, battery maintainers are generically called trickle chargers

OP, you've got your answer, take em home and hook up a maintainer if you can, next best is unhook them and plan to top them up when you return

[Vlamgat]

Originally Posted by Magnet18

It's called a colloquialism bud, battery maintainers are generically called trickle chargers

OP, you've got your answer, take em home and hook up a maintainer if you can, next best is unhook them and plan to top them up when you return

Not so. They are two different things. Some batteries require trickle charging because they are constantly in service and cycling the charge on/off can overheat them. Most of us really need maintainers hence my caution to the OP to check the wording describing the product.

[LouK]

We experienced the same problem with our AS Interstate. Living in the desert, the high summer temps led us to finding an indoor storage place and, thankfully, they offered the option of having them plug in the unit and charge the batteries periodically. It was expensive but leaving it outside in heat that hits 130 occasionally wasn't an option. Hope you find a place with a plug or charging option.

[Rain]

If you have sunlight, use solar. We have a Renogy solar charge controller, they offer several models on Amazon that you can set via a front panel push button to match your battery type (AGM, automotive, deep cycle, lithium, etc). This is assuming you don’t already have solar, you can use the Renogy charge controller and a flexible 50 or 100W panel propped up internally as a windshield cover, connect the charge controller to your battery bank via alligator clips, worked great for us, never lost a battery yet. We used to move this setup between vehicles but have since put 400W of panels on the roof and we charge a bank of 4 large lifeline batteries and they’ve stayed solid for over 5 years and still going strong. This has included extended storage.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Vlamgat

Not so. They are two different things. Some batteries require trickle charging because they are constantly in service and cycling the charge on/off can overheat them. Most of us really need maintainers hence my caution to the OP to check the wording describing the product.

UNCLE....You do it any way and i'll do my way.
Bertha's 6v lead acid has been on a timed trickle charger since '76 when we adopted her. SFSG.

Bob
🇺🇸