For most RVers, winter means putting our RVs into storage for several months, and in the upper Midwest, sometimes up to 6 months! Hopefully most of us take the typical precautions for winterizing such as adding antifreeze to the fresh water system, emptying out the water heater, and preparing for rodents! However, most RVers walk away from their stored rigs and think they can easily come back in the spring to bring them out of hibernation. Unfortunately, there are a few RV winter storage items that should be conducted throughout the maintenance process.
Batteries
12-Volt Deep Cycle House Batteries
12-Volt deep cycle batteries are designed to provide continuous power for interior lights, roof vents, and other appliance for an extended period of time. They will be discharged from a fully charged 12.6-Volts to 10.5-Volts and recharged repeatedly which is called a “cycle”. These are different than automotive batteries which maintain a constant charge and are designed to provide a large amount of current for a short amount of time, or “Cold Cranking Amps” to start a vehicle.
Once the car is running, the alternator provides the power for the vehicle and the automotive battery just maintains its charge. Automotive batteries are not designed to be drained more than 20% of charge, otherwise they will weaken and become defective. Deep cycle batteries typically have thicker plates and higher quality materials used such as paste, separators, and grids. The house battery or batteries are designed only for energy storage. There are four different types of 12-volt deep cycle batteries:
Lead Acid/Flooded –These batteries are constructed with a hard plastic shell, lead plates, and an electrolyte fluid containing sulfuric acid and water covering the plates which is referred to as “flooded”.
As the energy is used, or the battery is discharged, lead sulfate crystals form on the lead plates. This condition is termed Sulfation and will limit the storage capacity of the plates. The lead acid battery needs a multi-stage or desulfation charge once a month that will break up the lead sulfate crystals on the plates, and then adds an equalizing and float charge. To get this type of multi-stage charge, you need a converter or battery charger that has this capability. Most converters are simply a charger that senses when the battery drops to 10.5-Volts and provides a 13.6-Volt charge until the battery reaches 12.6-Volts. This does not condition the batteries and they will become sulfated.
Most large (2000w+) inverters have this function, as well as larger solar panels with a controller. If your rig does not have this function, you will need to get a different charger, or install a Battery Minder which applies a high impact wave initially to break up the lead sulfate crystals and condition the battery. If you do not have power available to your rig in storage, you can get a Battery Minder with a solar panel, or remove the batteries and apply a multi-stage charger in your garage. If you do not have electricity and do have a multi-stage charger, you will need to go to your rig once a month and start the generator or bring a portable generator to condition the batteries which might take several hours!
One more issue with lead acid batteries. During the initial high voltage charge, the acid will actually boil and gas will emit from the vent holes which will deplete the acid in the battery. You will need to check and add distilled water once a month so the fluid level does not get below the lead plates.
Gel Batteries – The gel battery utilizes the same core construction with a gelling agent (usually fumed silica) added to the acid. This battery is totally sealed so it requires no fluid level maintenance, however it still can become sulfated and requires conditioning although much less than lead acid batteries. Therefore the Gel Battery does require the same multi-stage charging conditions as stated in the Lead Acid description above for units that are plugged into a 120-volt source, or not.
Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) – AGM batteries are also sealed so there is no fluid maintenance and they are less prone to sulfation similar to the Gel, however not completely! AGM batteries were developed in the 1980’s with a very fine fiberglass mat to absorb the sulfuric acid for the military and UPS to provide a spill proof and lighter battery that requires less maintenance and can be shipped without a hazardous material label. They can be layered with plates similar to the lead acid battery or can be “spun” in a circular manner. An AGM battery can sit in storage without a charge longer as they have less self-discharge in colder temperatures and only need a desulfation charge every six months.
Lithium Ion – Since the late 1800’s lead had been the primary component used for battery plates in lead acid, gel, and AGM batteries. Lithium was introduced as a storage component in electronics for cell phones, laptops and other devices but had some issues with combustion situations in the early phases. The new chemically engineered Lithium Ion batteries introduced to the RV market have been proven winners and provide extended battery power and limited maintenance. However they come at a higher price point.
Generator
If you have an on-board generator, it should be “exercised” every month which consists of running the generator under a 20 amp or more load for at least 30 minutes. This lubricates the seals and reduces varnish build up in the gasoline versions. This is a maintenance task that few RV owners do, therefore there are several cases of generators not performing well or not starting at all due to varnish build up.
RV Cover
A cover is a great idea if your rig is stored outside as it helps reduce harmful UV rays, keeps the tires from weather checking, and keeps sealants from drying up. However, heavy winds and other environmental factors can wreak havoc with covers, and they should be inspected on a monthly basis to make sure they are not torn or coming off. A torn cover can flap in the wind and cause severe damage to the side or top of an RV as well as letting rain or snow to get under the tarp.
Other Inspection Tips
It’s also a good idea to visually inspect the unit for water leaks, rodents, odors or anything else that may be unusual to prevent it from getting worse. Last winter a local owner had a squirrel chew through the cover vent and made a nest inside the roof air conditioner. During the winter it completely chewed up the foam insulation inside the roof air, and in the spring he fired up the AC and it blew white foam “snow” all over the inside! Inspecting the rig for leaks and damage often may allow you to catch it early enough to fix or repair before it becomes major!
I can get 115 v shore power to my class A. Can I let the shore power on all the time? Should I start the diesel engine for 1 hour every month and the diesel generator for 30 minutes every month. I’m 79 years old and I can’t take the batteries out for storage indoors.
Hello Gerald,
Thank you for contacting us.
Yes you can leave the RV plugged in all of the time. This will keep the batteries at a good charge during the off-season. Starting the engine and generator is good practice too. It is more important to do this with gas generators but it doesn’t hurt to do it for diesel systems either.
If you have any other questions, please chat, email, or call Customer Service.
Sincerely,
Sarah
RV Lifestyle and Repair Video Membership
We rarely turn on the furnace in our coach. Recently we turned it on due to the temp and my wife immediately identified a smell as that of a dead mouse. What now?
Hello,
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Thanks!
I have removed the battery, mice proofed, if that is possible and covered the camper. Question is it harmful to leave the camper plugged into shore power for winter storage? I have rodent devices plugged in that require ac to work, but that is all. Don’t really need them if it is doing harm to the converter or power systems.
Hello Customer,
Thank you for contacting us.
It won’t do any harm. There are many RV’s plugged in all year round from people living in it. I would just make sure to tape off the battery terminals since there will be voltage going to them when plugged into shore power. Just to be safe, I would wrap tape around the ends. Other than that it is fine to leave it plugged in to operate things in the outlets.
Sincerely,
Sarah
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Great Sarah. Thanks for the response. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Should the propane tank be full for winter?
Hello Larry,
Great question! The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members of our online community. By becoming a member, you will have access to our expert’s knowledge. With your membership you will also receive discounts on products and hundreds of hours of Premium content.
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Sarah
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Winterize
How do you de winterize a Winnebago Vista 29ve.
Hi James,
Thank you for contacting us.
When you de winterize a unit you just need to flush out the lines with water and then set the water heater back to operating settings. I would first connect to a water sources and flush out all of the lines until they run clear of water. You then install the drain plug for the water heater and then open the bypass valves to allow water into the tank. These valves are either on the back of the tank or in the wetbay with the water connections. Sometimes there are a few valves or there could just be one. Your owners manual should tell you what valves need to be turned for this as well. Once there is water flowing into the hot water tank, leave a hot faucet open until solid water is coming out and then the system is ready to use.
If you have any other questions, please chat, email, or call Customer Service.
Sincerely,
Sarah
RV Repair Club Video Membership
The automotive battery died ,purchased a new one ,now it won’t start ,it will turn over ….
Hello,
Here’s what the experts had to say about your question:
If you have a new battery and it tries to crank but doesn’t start then there could be a few issues. Most of the time either there isn’t a spark forming or there is a lack of fuel. The best things to check are the spark plugs and the fuel filter. It could be something simple like a fuse for the fuel pump as well. These would be the best places to start and if everything looks fine then you might have to get the compression tested.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Batteries appear dead. How do I find out if they will be able to hold a charge or they need to be replaced. If they are still good do I just drive around for an hour or put a charge to it.
Hello Howard,
Thank you for contacting us.
What is the year, make, and model of your RV?
If you have any other concerns, please contact us at 1-855-706-3536, or chat with us on our site.
We greatly appreciate your business!
Sincerely,
Lindsay
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Winterize System
How do you winterize a prism 2000 new millenium camper? My daughter just bought a used one. There is no manual. There is no utility center nor is there a command center. I can’t find the low point drain. We have no idea how to turn on the water pump. I can’t find a battery either. Please help.
Hello Matthew,
The answer is pretty standard for most RV’s. All RV’s are different and without being able to see what was installed there is no way of knowing what they have so I can give a description that should cover all needs. There are some differences in all models but the same principals apply. You want all water to be out of the system. You can either blow out the lines or add RV anti-freeze to push the water out. Anti-freeze is the best way to be sure all water has exited. Where ever water comes out in an RV, you want anti-freeze to be coming out. This includes all faucets inside and outside, toilets and low point drains. Holding tanks do not need anti-freeze, they just have to be empty. I will share some steps to follow below.
***
Start by draining all of the holding tanks, this includes the fresh potable water tank and all gray and black waste tanks. You then want to drain the hot water tank. Atwood/Dometic models have a 7/8″ or 15/16″ plastic drain plug and Suburban models use a 1 1/16″ steel drain plug that has an anode rod attached to it. Both of these drain plugs are located on the outside of the hot water tank near the bottom. Pull the plug and leave it out during storage. Once the tank is drained you want to bypass the tank.You don’t want to add anti-freeze to the hot water tanks so you want to bypass it. Most RV’s are equipped with a way to do this either by valves on the back of the hot water tank or a valve in the wet-bay to put the water lines in bypass. Most travel trailers and some 5th wheels use the valves on the back of the tank, most 5th wheels motorhomes use a manifold system that has a valve in the wet-bay. I will provide a diagram showing how to set the valves on the back of the tank. There are many different set ups and can vary from year to year but the basic idea is to divert the cold line to the hot line without anything going into the tank. Some RV’s don’t even come with these valves and they would need to be installed if aren’t present.
Once the tank is in bypass you want to drain as much water as possible from the water lines. There should be some low point drains under the RV, these can be in many locations and are different on every model but there are typically two side by side. They can have turn valves, caps or even a valve inside the RV to release the water outside. Open both of these lines and then open all faucets inside. This will drain most of the water out of the lines. You then close everything back up. If you skip this step it is not a big deal but you will end up using more anti-freeze than if you didn’t. This is because the anti-freeze will mix with the water in the lines and you have to run more to clear out the mixture. Most RV’s use 2-3 gallons based on the size and extra features. Larger 5th wheels and motorhomes that include things like washers, dishwasher, macerator pumps etc will use a lot more. You can now add anti-freeze to the system. Most RV’s are set up to do this at the water pump. You want to locate the pump and see if there is a valve attached to it with another hose. If there is, this is the siphon hose. You turn the valves to open up the additional hose and put the hose in your jug of anti-freeze. Turn on the pump and let the pressure build up until the pump turns off. You can then go to each fixture one at a time and open the valves until solid color anti-freeze is coming out. On faucets make sure to do both hot and cold lines and also select the different spray settings for the nozzle if there are multiple ones. Make sure to get the toilet and outside fixtures as well like an outside shower or sink. You also want to make sure to open the lower point drains as well. Once anti-freeze is coming out of every fixture that water can come out, you are done siphoning. If you do not have this siphon feature at the pump, you can install your own using a kit or you can use a manual pump at the city water connection.
Once the lines are finished you can then take the remainder of the anti-freeze and poor it down all of the drains to fill the P-traps and prevent them from freezing.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
While dry camping we cannot keep the generator running for more than a minute before it cuts oFf.
Hi Cynthia,
There could be many things that cause this including varnished carburetor, clogged fuel filter, failing pump, low or old oil, clogged arrestor and dirty air filter. It is best to tune up the generator and make sure everything is clean and free. Change the oil, replace the fuel and air filter, clean out the arrestor and use a fuel additive to help clean out the carburetor. If this still does not help the carburetor may need taken apart and cleaned out. Most likely it is the fuel filter but could be any of the other components I have listed.
Sincerely,
Dan RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Sections of the fiberglass roof are delaminating, near the front on both sides (about 1.5 ft. in and about 10 ft. long)The nose cap seal looks in good shape and the side channels have been taped (similar to Eternabond). How do I reglue it or more important is there any moisture under it and how do I find out without cutting an inspection hole? There is also a small amount of delam on the sides near the back. There doesn’t appear to be any delam near the vents, antenna etc. thanks CR
Hi Clarence,
Sorry for the inconvenience, before the experts can assist they will need to know the make, model and the year of the RV?
If you have any other concerns, please contact us at 1-855-706-3536, or chat with us on our site.
We greatly appreciate your business!
Sincerely,
Joan
RV Repair Club Video Membership
I live in my around year do I have to do anything to my batteries? I would like to know if there is a solost to run my tairl
Hello Darlene!
We’d love to assist you! Would you be able to rephrase the last part of your sentence? We weren’t quite sure of your question.
Thank you!
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Need owners manual
Hi there Paul!
We’d love to help!
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Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
I have two 12v, lead acid house batteries. I have been going out every few weeks and running my generator to keep them charged. I am considering a solar, trickle charger as an alternative. Suggestions or comments?
Greg,
Running the generator does help but depending on how low the batteries were you would usually have to run the generator a long time to recover what the batteries need. This is usually most of the day if not over night. Running just a few hours does help prevent the batteries from going too low but it is best to keep them near full charge. This is best done by either removing the batteries and keeping them on a trickle during storage or installing a solar panel. The trickle charge solar panels work great and there are some that can be easily removed or permanently installed at all times. The only maintenance would be to clean off the panels periodically. If you are in an area with a lot of snow coverage and you install a flat panel you would need to clean it off after it snows every time to keep it working. There are window mount panels that don’t need cleaned as much but they do get less sun so it is better to get a higher watt panel for a side mount. There are many options out there but I think going solar would be the best for you.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
I have a 38 ft diesel pusher. Should it be stored lifted on the leveling jacks or left on tires / air ride suspension??
B,
There really is no harm storing it either way, I just prefer to store it with the leveling jacks in the upward position so there isn’t any tension on the system for long periods of time. Typically it should cause any damage if they were left down, I just like having it stored in travel position especially if I decide to pick up and go on a quick trip or have to move it, it is all ready to go without having to retract everything. I typically only recommend leaving them down if you go in there a lot to hang out or use it to stop the swaying. Other than that I typically recommend just leaving them up.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Living in the north east where temps can get below zero for several days, should I remove the batteries and place in a warmer room so not to freeze or will being plugged into shore power be good enough?
Robert,
Being connected to shore power is good enough. Batteries can freeze but it depends on the charge level and the temperature outside. If your battery charge is very low, it can freeze at around 20 degrees. If you have a full battery charge or it is receiving a charge the electrolytes won’t freeze at any livable temperature outside. If you aren’t plugged in, taking the battery inside is the best option but if you are connected to shore power and the charger is working fine the battery should not freeze.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Should I add dry gas to motor home fuel for winter storage?
Robert,
Only if you plan on using it at some point during the winter. It just helps keep any moisture in the gas from freezing which would make it hard at starting in the cold weather. If you don’t plan on using it, it would only help keep the gas from freezing but doesn’t really have other benefits. There are some other additives that can help stabilize fuel that sits for a while like SeaFoam or StarTron. These are great to use in items that sit for a long period of time.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
My water heater only has to shut off valves with no bypass valve how do I when winterize the tank
Bill,
Not all tanks have three valves, many only have two and some even have just one. It depends on how the plumbing is set up and if check valves are being used on the tank. If you only have two valves, you will be turning both of these to divert the antifreeze past the tank. The valves will either point up and down to go towards the bypass line or they can go side to side to go to the line. There are many different configurations these days but if you only have two valves, that is all you need for your system to bypass the tank. The valves should only make a 90 degree turn so you just have to turn them in the opposite position they were in and it should be fine.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Winterizing
Hello Jack!
We’d love to help! If you have a question, let us know by replying to this comment along with the year, make, and model of your RV and I’ll pass along your question to our expert!
Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Living in the cold of Minnesota, is it OK to leave my house batteries and chassis battery our in the RV all winter is I have a Battery Minder hooked up to them. My garage isn’t heated and not sure about bringing them into the house with the Battery Minder all winter.
need to winterize this generator
Hello Ann!
Let us help with that!
What kind of generator do you have as well as what is the year, make, and model of your RV? I will then forward this information to our expert!
Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Looking for videos on winterizing
Hi there Susan!
Here is a video download available for purchase: https://www.rvrepairclub.com/product/winterizing-and-storage-video-download/
This video covers everything to do with winterizing your RV!
If you have any other questions or concerns, please email, chat, or call us at 1-855-706-3536.
Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Heading into the first winter in Michigan with my MH. Couple storage questions. 1) Can I put a battery tender on the chassis battery while it is still fully connected in with the house batteries? 2) I have power next to the MH and plan to plug it in once a month for a few days. Is that a good practice? It doesn’t seem like if would need to be left plugged in 24×7.
Steve,
Both of your suggestions are good ideas. You can put a battery tender on the chassis battery, this does help ensure that the battery stays in good condition while in storage. As for being connected to the house batteries it depends on your system. Most RV’s are set up to only have the chassis battery connected to the house batteries when the vehicle is running to help charge them. This also prevents drainage of the chassis battery when using the house batteries. Many times there is a switch that can be left on to charge the chassis battery while plugged in. This can be done while in storage to charge both sets of batteries but they way you mentioned is how I recommend doing it. Leaving a tender on the chassis battery so if the need to move it quickly arises, you know it will start. You can then plug in the RV for at least 24 hours to make sure the house batteries get a charge once a month. This helps keep them in good working condition and helps prevent sulfation. You don’t have to keep it plugged in all of the time, once a month is perfect. I hope this helps!
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
took house battery out to purchase new did not take picture before I removed it need cable location to battery
12v charger onboarding to charge house battery not working. And or power insufficient to get them turned on
Hey Jeff!
In regards to your issue, we’d love to help! Could you please supply us with the following information:
-Year
-Make
-Model of your RV
-What you’ve already done to attempt to fix the issue
Once we have those bits of information, we’d be more than happy to forward your issue onto our experts!
Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
With the “House” batteries turned off my batteries continue to discharge to empty within one day. I’ve checked all basement lights to be sure none are misfired and “on” even though the House battery switch is off. Any suggestions?
Dear Robert,
Thank you for your patience. In response to your question-
Even with the switch set to “on” it should take a lot longer than one day for the batteries to deplete. I would first make sure your batteries are getting a charge and holding a charge. The typical battery size is around 100 amp hours and if it goes empty in one day after being fully charged, there is a very heavy load on the system. Most likely the case is the batteries are not getting a charge or holding a charge. When you are plugged into shore power I would check the voltage at the batteries, make sure the switch is set to “on”. The voltage should read above 13.6VDC when getting a charge. Make sure to test with very little on in the RV as well, this helps concentrate most of the voltage to the battery charger. If is is reading lower than this there is either a blown fuse, bad connection or problem with the converter sending voltage to the batteries. If it does send a good charge to them I would have them load tested to make sure they are still accepting a charge. If they pass a load test they you would have to dig into the wiring of the system and find out what could be drawing such a high load. An internal short in a component might cause this but would be rare without blowing a fuse. I would then start tracing the wires from the battery and see if they connect to anything else before the disconnect switch. I hope this helps!
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Hot water dripping under dash on passenger side.
[…] Source: RV Winter Storage: Tips and Techniques | RV Repair Club […]
Ticket 23393 Can I leave pilot light lit when staying somewhere for 2-3 days?
Dear Elizabeth,
Thank you for your patience. In response to your question-
You can have pilot lights on the whole time you are camping if you like but it does waste a little bit of propane if you aren’t using the appliance for a while. If you leave the site I always recommend turning off pilot lights to be safe so you don’t have an open flame in the camper when you aren’t around. They do have safety valves that are supposed to shut off the gas going to the pilot if the flame goes out, but I always play it safe and turn them off when not in use or when I’m not going to be around the site for long periods of time.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Video Membership
when I park my rv at home I usually connect the 110v to the camper ( for the residential refer and lights) should I use the battery disconnect switch to keep from overcharging the home batteries?
Hello Ed,
Most of the converters now have a built in charge system that have multiple stages. Once the battery is charged it will go into a “float charge” stage. At this stage it maintains the battery at a full charge and prevents it from overcharging. So leaving the battery disconnect switch on is actually good for the batteries.
I hope this was helpful!
Dan
RV Repair Club Video Membership
House batteries are not charging when driving. Main battery charges, but not the back. What can be the cause.
Hi John,
It could be something like the connections or in line fuse being bad but most likely it is the battery isolation switch. A lot of RV’s are equipped with an isolation switch. This switch is activated when the ignition starts and connects the chassis battery to the house batteries so they also get a charge from the alternator. It will be in the engine compartment and you can test this by checking the voltage on the side terminals when the engine is running and making sure the voltage is going through. If it is not, check all connections and make sure they are good and if so it may need replaced. Some RV’s have a selector switch which is different. This will be turned on to charge the batteries, some will turn on automatically when the engine starts but can be selected when parked to run slides or have the chassis battery charged when plugged in. I would check your owners manual and see what type of setup you have and then you would be able to see where to start troubleshooting.
I hope this helps!
Dan
RV Repair Club Video Membership
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Onan generator not getting power
On my Motorhome I have a battery disconnect switch for the house batteries above the entry door. Does that completely disconnect EVERYTHING from the house batteries so there is no draw from the battery whatsoever? Also, should I install a cheap battery disconnect switch on the chassis battery to keep things from drawing down the battery when in storage? I think the chassis battery holds the memory on the radio and perhaps some other items in the Motorhome. I know there have been many discussions on batteries but I am looking for advice on my specific topic mentioned above. Thank you.
Hello,
The disconnect switch for the house batteries should disconnect them completely from the system. When activated, there should be now draw on the house batteries. The chassis battery can loose a little voltage over time when not in use since it has a constant connection but it won’t loose as much as the house batteries would when connected. If you have it in storage for months at a time it is not a bad idea to put a disconnect switch on it to help preserve the voltage. Taking it off and putting a battery tender on it is best to do, for both sets of batteries, but isolating them from the system does help prevent voltage loss. You will loose the memory for the radio for sure when disconnecting the chassis battery but there shouldn’t be much else.
I hope this helps!
Thanks,
Becky
RV Repair Club Video Membership
As far as covering your tires during storage, I haven’t had much problem with checking but I have had other tire issues. Is it better to run on 10 ply tires than it is to use 6 or 8 ply tires. I’ve had many issues with flats in the past 2 years. Any suggestion on which Brand is the best?
Hi Randy,
Ply ratings are just based on how much load the tire can handle. Today’s ply ratings are different then they used to be, an 8 ply tire now may only have a few layers compared to old tires that actually used 8. This is because of advancements in technology. They still use the ply rating to compare the strength of older tires. The ply rating coincides with the load rating. Load range C is 6 Ply, range D is 8 ply and range E is 10 ply. You want to get tires that are rated to equal or greater than what your trailer is made to handle. Upgrading to a larger ply/load rating doesn’t necessarily increase the durability of the tire, just the load it can handle. If you are experiencing a lot of flats, I would have the wheels inspected. There could be small leaks from debris on the wheels causing them to go flat. As for the durability of tires, I know Goodyear Endurance tires have been a popular choice lately and they have a good reputation. I personally have Carlisle tires on my RV and have never had a problem. There are some reliable brands out there so checking reviews and seeing what other people have experienced is the best way of finding something good.
I hope this was helpful!
Dan
RV Repair Club Video Membership
I store my rig in a barn at our county fairgrounds, but I am unable to get access to it while in storage for the 6 month period. Should I remove the house batteries before storage and keep them on a trickle charge during thos time? I also keep the gas in the tank at minimum 1/2 full and run the generator and engine with Sea Foam in the gas while driving to storage to hopefully reduce varnish build up in the generator carb. Not sure what else I can do when unable to run the generator monthly, as you suggest.
Hi Tom,
First of all I do recommend removing the batteries when in storage. Using a good battery charger like a tender or maintainer does help prolong the life of the battery and keeps the plates in good condition. As for the gas, Sea Foam can help a lot to clean out any build up that is present but to prevent it I like using Star Tron. It is an enzyme fuel treatment to help prevent the damaging effects of ethanol. I use it in all of my carb run things at home, generator, snow blower, motorcycle and lawn mower. It can be used in all gas engines and helps keep the gas in good condition. If you add this to your fuel on the regular and then run the generator while it is in the fuel, you don’t have to worry about starting it once a month during storage. It is still a good idea if able to, but having this fuel treatment does help prevent issues when not running for a while. I will post a link below with more information on the treatment.
http://www.starbrite.com/startron
I hope this helps!
Dan
RV Repair Club Video Membership
I winterized the liquid (water) lines; however, I have question(s) if that is all I need to do; i.e., batteries, etc. Is there a source (book?) where one can learn this process?
Also, I have the RV hooked up to a electric supply, will that suffice to (re)charge the batteries, at least for the unit. I am not sure what to do about the truck battery.
Otis,
Yes “winterizing” just means clearing the lines and tanks of water. You want to make sure the water lines are blown out or have antifreeze in them, drain the hot water tank, fresh potable water tank, then the waste black and gray tanks. You just want to rid the RV of water is the goal. The house batteries can be left on when plugged into shore power as they will be getting a charge from the converter. As for the chassis battery it is not a bad idea to get a battery minder and plug it into an outlet, since you will be plugged into shore, and connect it to the chassis battery to help keep it maintained. If you don’t want to do this, starting the engine once a month or more and letting it run for a little bit helps keep it in better shape. Keeping a minder or solar charger on it would help ensure it is in better shape though. We don’t have a book but we do offer a video download for winterizing that could help you. I will share the link below. I hope this helps!
https://www.rvrepairclub.com/product/winterizing-and-storage-video-download/
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
How can I increase the force of air from my air conditioner??it does not provide adequate air conditioning in hot climates.