Didn't "store" battery - Fiberglass RV
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Old 11-22-2009, 10:13 PM   #1
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Hello! Just have a quick questions for the battery experts before we head from Florida to North Carolina Tues. Morning. We puchased our trailer new in Oct 2008 and took our first/only trip mar 2009. Since then the trailer has been stored in our garage with the battery in it's box on the tongue. We did remove the fuse from the battery per dealer instructions but I'm wondering if the battery still would have discharged? I do plan on getting some sort of battery monitor/maintenance thing but as of today I dont have anything of the sort. Tomorrow we are opening it up to load it and get it ready but I'm wondering if I need to plug the trailer into the house (using an adapter to my garage outlet) to charge the battery for the trip and would this be complete in 24 hrs time.

Thanks for educating me,
Melissa
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Old 11-22-2009, 10:35 PM   #2
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Hello

Your battery will have likely suffered from self-discharge. 12 hours plugged into shore power with the converter working should bring it to full charge.

When you have the time, go to www.batteryfaq.org and read all about lead-acid batteries.

Have a great trip!

-- Dan Meyer
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Old 11-23-2009, 06:50 AM   #3
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I agree, plug into your home/garage and your battery will be fully charged in 10-12 hours!
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Old 11-23-2009, 11:39 AM   #4
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Just don't forget to put the fuse back in first.

The simple things are easy to forget.

Bill K
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Old 11-23-2009, 12:02 PM   #5
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Never let a battery go below 80% it will not last as long if you do. Letting it go completely dead is murder on a battery and the longer it stays that way the worse it is. Merely recharging it does not get it done.

Ideally, it shouild be kept inside in a reasonably warm place and be trickle charged BRIEFLY for an hour or so every couple of weeks. Keeping it topped off with distilled water is also a wise move.

Sure it's a pain in the arse, bur so is buying batteries.
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Old 11-23-2009, 12:11 PM   #6
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Quote:
Hello! Just have a quick questions for the battery experts before we head from Florida to North Carolina Tues. Morning. We puchased our trailer new in Oct 2008 and took our first/only trip mar 2009. Since then the trailer has been stored in our garage with the battery in it's box on the tongue. We did remove the fuse from the battery per dealer instructions but I'm wondering if the battery still would have discharged? I do plan on getting some sort of battery monitor/maintenance thing but as of today I dont have anything of the sort. Tomorrow we are opening it up to load it and get it ready but I'm wondering if I need to plug the trailer into the house (using an adapter to my garage outlet) to charge the battery for the trip and would this be complete in 24 hrs time.

Thanks for educating me,
Melissa
As Judith mentions, before recharging, check the fluid level in each cell, and bring each to the fill line with distilled water. In this situation it would probably also be a good idea to buy a hydrometer (inexpensive) and check the specific gravity of each cell. Without going into specifics (so to speak), all of the readings should be very close to each other.
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Old 11-23-2009, 02:59 PM   #7
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Thanks for all the advice and the website to learn about the upkeep of our battery. I didnt realize it would discharge even if it's not connected. I did look at it today and it's a Deep Cell Marine battery so I dont know if that matters or not. We're gonna head out tonight instead of tomorrow to split up the 600 mile trip. Easier on the kids and us too, lol.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

Melissa
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Old 11-23-2009, 05:13 PM   #8
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A battery that sits in a discharged condition will build up sulfation on the plates. If it is bad enough, the battery will be junk. Batteries will discharge without being connected to anything. If the top deck of the battery is dirty, current will track across it from one terminal to the other running the battery down. If the battery is discharged and freezes, it will damage it.

Test it before you write it off.
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