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Old 06-16-2024, 12:37 AM   #1
2018 Vista 32YE
 
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Coach batteries on or off?

Should they be switched to the on or off position while hooked up to shore power?
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Old 06-16-2024, 05:09 AM   #2
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On.
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Old 06-16-2024, 07:50 AM   #3
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On except when stored as it does cut off the RV 12volt items like lights but also cuts off the charging from the converter to the batteries!
Also it is often important to know that the cutoff DOES NOT cut all the drains on the battery during storage as the safety items are left powered! That can run the batteries down during long term storage if we don't assure there is some form of charging!

Enjoy! It can take a bit to get the details!
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Old 06-16-2024, 08:52 AM   #4
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Thank you and yes I have alot to learn! Wonderful forum here that freely shares information.
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Old 06-16-2024, 10:36 AM   #5
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In storage OFF.

In any kind of use - camping, driving, loading, unloading, etc ON.
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Old 06-16-2024, 10:50 AM   #6
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I keep the the MH at our local Lodge that has electric hookups.
Is it OK to keep power to refrigerator/freezer and a small electric heater on during the off season?
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Old 06-16-2024, 10:57 AM   #7
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Lots of folks do it. I've had issues doing that.

See, if it's not at your house you don't know when the power goes out. And, then in no time at all your fridge empties your batteries, and then mold builds up in the fridge. If there is any food inside, well, that's a nightmare right there. Plus, the batteries sit depleted which can quickly ruin the batteries.

Plenty of folks do keep their rig plugged in away from home. So, it's up to you if you find the risk acceptable or not.
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Old 06-16-2024, 11:15 AM   #8
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Good Morning Sooeey,
I leave my 2019 Minnie Winnie <On> year-round. When parked, my house batteries are being maintained by the built-in Winnebago power system. I still have my original two Group 24 Lead-acid NAPA batteries, and they are working well. Check to be sure your voltage is running in the low 13s, such as 13.05 VDC (once the rig is in steady-state and in storage for a couple of hours. Check the battery water level at least every other month, and keep the battery tops clean.
I also recommend back-feeding your coach motor-start battery through a cigarette lighter port with an automatic maintenance charger. I also soldered-in a Cigarette Lighter Plug to facilitate this, and then just plug-into one of your 120 VAC outlets inside the motorhome.
When in storage, always shut-off your refrigerator and leave the doors open, or it will be mold city in there!
I recommend 130 watt Davis Heater(s) while in storage (one or two of them). I just use one, and that is fine for a 24' Class C.
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Old 06-16-2024, 01:17 PM   #9
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Lots of different ways to deal with keeping both sets of batteries charged during storage! One I like as it cuts the extra equipment needed and makes it simple to hook up, is tying the two together.
If you have been driving the RV, there is a mode solenoid setup which connects coach to chassis so that the engine alternator is putting "some" charge into the coach batteries as we drive.
If we have been using the coach battery while camping and not hooked to power, they may be somewhat run down, so it is a cheap and simple way to get a little put back in them if we drive far enough! It is a slow process that may take at least four hours for a full charge, but "some"!

When we get back home the difference in voltages of the two groups is near zero as both have been connected together.
That does a couple good things for us when we want to finish off or add charge to either.
Since the voltages of each are so near the same right at the posts, the wire we use to tie them together doesn't have to be very large! For jumper cables and such we use really large but in this case, that is not needed and totally safe, assuming we watch a small point.

The size of wire is set by how much current we want it to carry. That current is determined by the "difference in potential' of the two points or difference in voltage for the way most of us think? When we drive the voltage is going to be the same or "no difference" so the current flowing between them if we put a jumper from one to the other will be very low!
We can get by very well if we just clip some smallish wire like a number 12 gauge between the two positive battery posts. We don't need a second wire for the jumper as the negative posts both go to ground already! In a house, we use 12 gauge to carry 20 amps but that is way, way more than we will get in this use! A small wire with large clips to fit on a battery cable some way?

In your case, the batteries for starting and for coach are side by side under the steps, I think?
So if you drive the RV and the two groups have been connected together, if we open the step and strap the two positives together within an hour or so, there will be hardly any difference from what was done as we drive!

The converter that is working when we are plugged in and the battery cutoff switch is left on, will charge both.
We can save the extra charger and connecting them in harder methods but with one caution!

The caution is that if we forget to take this strap off and go out camping without power, we can run BOTH start and coach batteries down to strand ourselves!
Maybe a note on the steering wheel is a good idea until we get the habit?
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Old 06-16-2024, 11:02 PM   #10
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My two cents: I'm always plugged in at my storage facility with 120v 20A circuit. Refrigerator breaker off. House and chassis batter in the on position so the inverter/converter can keep a charge on the batteries.

As for power going out, we were having a problem with a neighbor RV plugged into the same 120v source. To much load and my system was only drawing 6a. The RV was in storage 8 miles from the house so I needed a method of detecting when the power went off to reduce my travel time to check the RV.

Solution: MySpool Power Monitor. Internet connectivity is needed. I use Visible with an old android phone someone gave me and Visible is very inexpensive for unlimited data.

When the power goes off I'm alerted and when it goes back on I'm alerted. I stay plugged in and don't have to worry about batteries being discharged. If the power is off for a few hours, even overnight, I can run up to see what the problem might be. Lose of internet, phone reboot, etc.

Leave it plugged in and leave the house and chassis battery disconnect switches in the ON position.
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Old 06-16-2024, 11:17 PM   #11
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Things needed to monitor condition of an RV in storage:

ThermoPro (Thermo Pro) visible router wifi. Model TP-90 - Monitors inside temperature

TPLink (TP LInk}, AC750 Wi-Fi Travel Router, Model Nr: TL-WR902AC
This is a neat little router. Is working very well for me.

A cell phone capable of Visible's service, I used an old android ZTE Blade A7 Prime VS that was given to me.

Visible Cell Service , cheap plan $25 a month unlimited data/text. I don't use it for any thing other than monitoring the RV. Visible, I believe, is a subsidiary of Verizon and uses their network.
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Old 06-23-2024, 08:45 PM   #12
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Thanks for asking that, I’ve been curious myself
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Old 06-24-2024, 12:51 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sooeey View Post
Should they be switched to the on or off position while hooked up to shore power?
2018 Vista 32 YE
Leave the battery disconnect on and if your storage area has AC available leave it on, if no AC is available in storage I would install a solar panel to keep the batteries charged, as for the chassis battery I have connected the house and chassis batteries with a Voltage Sensing Relay that charges the chassis battery with the house batteries! The batteries will last longer if kept fully charged and won't freeze!
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