# Battery Question...oops!



## Currey (Apr 27, 2016)

So, my absent mindedness (paired with being the father of a toddler), led to me forgetting to remove my battery after winterizing (I have since composed a "winterization checklist"). My question is this: is my battery ruined after leaving it in the battery box all winter? I live in WV where it routinely gets below 20 deg F throughout the winter, with spells in the single digits. How can I test the battery to see if it can be revived? Lastly, while I'm at it, what is everyone's guidelines for storing their RV battery(ies) throughout the winter? Thanks for the input!

Aaron


----------



## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Was the battery left alone (meaning not being charged) during that time period?

Depending on the battery it might or might not be ok. Higher end batteries today can withstand being left in the cold, but having (at least) a small charger on them is best. I left mine in the our 5th wheel all Winter, but they (Trojan T-1275's) are attached to a 4x136W solar panels (via MPPT controller) so they are being charged all Winter long. Just went to get something from RV 2 weeks ago and they were at 100%.....love solar!!!


----------



## Currey (Apr 27, 2016)

Oregon_Camper said:


> Was the battery left alone (meaning not being charged) during that time period?
> 
> Depending on the battery it might or might not be ok. Higher end batteries today can withstand being left in the cold, but having (at least) a small charger on them is best. I left mine in the our 5th wheel all Winter, but they (Trojan T-1275's) are attached to a 4x160W solar panels (via MPPT controller) so they are being charged all Winter long. Just went to get something from RV 2 weeks ago and they were at 100%.....love solar!!!


My battery was completely drained all winter. What kind of solar setup are you using?


----------



## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

Long. long ago, I worked in a battery shop. When a battery is discharged, the liquid in it is mostly water and will freeze. Look at the battery case. If it looks very rounded on the sides, it most likely did freeze. If the battery freezes hard enough, the case can split. You can charge it up and get it tested but don't hold your breath on it being in good working order.

I charge up my batteries and leave them on the trailer with the battery switch turned off. My trailer is in a lot where the owner charges an absurd amount for power. Usually once or twice during the winter, I go to the lot and plug it in overnight just to be sure the batteries are fully charged. I go in after dark and plug the trailer in. I make sure to be there the next morning when the lot opens to unplug it before he notices. I don't think twice about it considering I have been paying him for the spot since early 2008. I figure a few cents worth of power isn't going to break him.

If you keep your batteries in the garage over the winter on a float charger be sure not to leave them on the concrete floor. Some people insist this is an old wive's tale but there is some science to it. To put it simply, lead acid batteries charge faster the warmer they are. When a battery is placed directly on concrete, the concrete is a giant heat sink and will pull all of the heat out of the battery. The colder the concrete is the faster the heat is pulled out of the battery. When the battery gets too cold it won't charge at all. Place batteries on wood blocks to isolate them from the concrete and it will be much easier to keep them charged with a float charger.


----------



## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Currey said:


> My battery was completely drained all winter. What kind of solar setup are you using?


Here is my setup for being completely off the grid camping. We dry camp about 90% of the time.


----------



## KTMRacer (Jun 28, 2010)

Oregon_Camper said:


> Currey said:
> 
> 
> > My battery was completely drained all winter. What kind of solar setup are you using?
> ...


we also dry camp a lot, for sometimes weeks at a time. our setup is very close to yours. we run out of holding tank capacity well before we run out of power, like you we run a transfer switch to AC to let us run the true inverter microwave, and other items but not the converter (dugh), WH, Fridge, AC. And we have 480 watts of solar on the roof, and another 480 watts of portable solar for the many places were we are parked in the trees and shade away from much solar. We run 4 GC trojans, solves the voltage drop issue with GC batteries when running heavy (75+A) loads. We only have a 1000W inverter, but it runs the panasonic true inverter microwave just fine on 50% power where it draws about 800VA, unlike the 1600VA or so on full power.


----------

