| Author |
Message |
ogite
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 05, 2005 - 10:40 am: | |
While it's still warm here in Nebraska, winter will be here all too soon. This will be my first winter with my bus. When I had a travel trailer, I would remove the one battery and keep it charged over winter in my garage.
The Eagle has 4, L16 house batteries, two start batteries and one for the gen. How should I care for the batteries during the cold months? The bus is in an unheated shed.
Thanks for the advice. |
Stan
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 05, 2005 - 8:26 pm: | |
Late in the fall make sure they are all fully charged and then remove the ground cables. They self discharge very slowly in cold weather and the engine batteries should still be able to start the bus in the spring. Check with the large construction companies in your area and they might offer a better suggestion. Where I live (Alberta) they leave the batteries in the equipment. |
FAST FRED
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 06, 2005 - 5:50 am: | |
The bats will loose about 1% per day , perhaps a bit less in real cold.
Either take then out and charge them at least monthly ,
or bring out a power cord & plug in some sort of charger ONCE a month.
Discharged batts will freeze , where fully charged ones are harder to ruin in the cold.
Batts are a big ongoing expense , weather the coach is a daily driver or a storage shed, IF you don't want to be purchasing new batts , MAINTAIN what you own.
Keep the tops very clean,only use distilled water.
FAST FRED |
Stan
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 06, 2005 - 8:11 am: | |
Fast Fred: Your 1% per day discharge doesn't compute with my experience. I spent more than twenty winters in the US South and I left about a dozen batteries sitting for more than six months in temperatures that varied from +70 F to -40 F. Some of these batteries were more than ten years old and never failed to start the tractors, lawnmowers, welder, air compressor, etc. when I came back in the spring. None of them froze and I can't remember any that failed in less than five years.
Like the auto companies say, this is the theoretical mileage you will get, 'Your experience may vary'. |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 06, 2005 - 12:30 pm: | |
I suspect that the discharge rate that FF indicates is from published information from battery manufacturers.
Like Stan, my actual experience is significantly different. At 1% per day, a battery would be totally dead in 90 days or sooner, and with all the equipment I have actual experience with, 90 days is really no problem if the batteries are fully charged and have no leakage paths. I have had batteries set for six months or longer and still have sufficient power to start the equipment.
Richard |
niles steckbauer (Niles500)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 06, 2005 - 2:15 pm: | |
The info I have recieved for "storage" from all Battery mfg's and distrubutors has always been to store in a cool dry place (not frozen) and charge every 6 mo's to maintain the batt's - Niles |
Tom Caffrey (Pvcces)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 1:11 am: | |
Niles, that disagrees with our experience. While the start batteries might hold out for six months, the self discharge rate on most of the deep cycle batteries we've worked with says that they should be charged once a month or they become deeply discharged.
The above is for flooded lead acid batteries. The self discharge seems to worsen with age and condition.
For what it's worth.
Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576
Suncatcher |
FAST FRED
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 6:04 am: | |
"The self discharge seems to worsen with age and condition."
The batt Mfg and Home Power agree that old near replacement bat sets will loose 3% per day near the end.
My solution is with a 75W Shell solar panel and charge controller.
We have left the coach for 2 months , to come back to Fully charged batts this summer, and leave a boat on a mooring for 6 months , using power tools with a cheapo inverter , and everything is at FLOAT in a day or so.
Charging never hurts , near dead reduces the batt sets life.
You chose,you pay,
FAST FRED |
niles steckbauer (Niles500)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 12:57 pm: | |
Tom - just checked the latest manual on my Lifeline AGM's - Says to boost them every 90 days 'to ensure maximum battery life' - YMMV - Niles |
Tom Caffrey (Pvcces)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 8:49 pm: | |
Thanks for the info, Fast Fred and Niles.
Every little bit helps.
Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576
Suncatcher |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 6:11 pm: | |
While on my trip I had a group 31 battery explode when I tried to start the engine. I relplaced the two group 31 engine batteries with 800 CCA Optima (red top) AGM batteries from Sams Club for about 06 each. I am using only two 750 CCA Optima house batteries right now, as a test since I am constantly supplied with AC power for most of the is trip anyway. If I am satisfied with the service of these batteries, I will install additional AGM batteries this winter, either Optima or Lifeline.
The explioded battery had no known provocation and spilled acid all over me when I removed it. I am ready for either AGMs or a forklift battery with a good solid case. |
Jack Conrad (Jackconrad)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 6:43 pm: | |
The battery may have had a poor connection on one of the terminals that created a spark from the heavy load of the starter. The spark would ignite the hydrogen gas given off by the battery. Jack |
Tom Caffrey (Pvcces)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 09, 2005 - 11:44 pm: | |
Jack and Stephen, actually, while charging or recently charged is when most battery explosions occur, but not always.
We have had a plate connector inside a battery come loose of the post and it could have exploded, but it didn't.
If a spark occurs during or right after a charge, it is easy to ignite the charge gas, whether inside or outside the battery.
That's because the hydrogen and oxygen produced during charging are perfectly mixed to ignite and burn completely.
Sparks shouldn't be present around a charging battery if inside and above the electrolyte or outside near the cell opening. The same thing can happen if jump starting.
I think that one of the best ways to minimize the risk is to use the Hydro Caps. They recombine the gases before they ever get outside and dissipate the heat gradually.
I realize that there isn't room for them some of the time.
For what it's worth.
Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576
Suncatcher |
TWODOGS (Twodogs)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2005 - 11:06 am: | |
nobody has mentioned keeping the top of the battery washed....if you think I'm wrong,get a multimeter & place a lead on battery post & one at different places on the top of the battery.. |
Tom Caffrey (Pvcces)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2005 - 6:37 pm: | |
Twodogs, the battery that stayed up the longest between charges for us was one that was exposed to the rain. I believe in keeping the tops clean.
Tom Caffrey pd4106-2576
Suncatcher |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 11:36 pm: | |
ogite-
I've had charged batteries freeze in sub-zero temps. It's a sick
feeling, to see slush inside the cells instead of water, but even
sicker, to see the battery case bulging from the pressure of
the ice inside the case. And below zero, the battery power
is about 1/2 of what it is when it it's warm. Why take a chance?
Battery warmers, like this one, can save the day, and the
backaches from carrying them in and out. It also saves on the
wear and tear of undoing the terminals too often. The one time
you neglect to tighten one terminal connection, is the time you'll
burn that connection. The smoke from the battery compartment
will provide you with another real great story to tell the kids...
If it doesn't go up in flames...
Do a google for battery warmers. |
Stan
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 - 8:14 am: | |
Everything freezes at absolute zero but a fully charged battery will not freeze at -40 F. It may only put out one half power at that temperature but many thousands of vehicles are started in the cold. Any colder than that, gear boxes and wheel bearings don't want to turn so stay inside by the fire.
All the problems of battery connections can be eliminated with marine type terminals. Install the terminal correctly and use a proper connector on the cable end to the bolt. When you replace the batteries, also replace the marine terminals. |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 - 8:50 am: | |
I spent one winter, years ago, in northern Minnesota. For a two week period the temperature dropped to -40 degrees every night and warmed up to about -10 degrees during the day. Neve once did my old Caddy fail to start and there was no heater on the battery. That convinced me that I never needed to add a battery heater.
Richard |