Winter Battery Storage for your Travel Trailer or RV Tips

Is your RV ready to take the winter siesta?   Your battery should be a well thought out plan when thinking about storing your RV for the winter.  

1.  You will want to remove your battery from your storage compartment and store it in a clean dry environment.

2. Remove any corrosion using a mixture of baking soda and water.  The terminals can be cleaned with a wire brush to remove remaining traces of corrosion or an old toothbrush.

3. If the battery is being stored in a vehicle, disconnect it to avoid self-discharge due to parasitic loads such as clocks, ground faults, etc

4.  Fully charge your battery before putting it into storage.

5.  If the battery has removable vent caps, check the electrolyte (battery fluid) level in each cell. If required, add distilled water to bring the fluid level to just below the filler tube. Charge the batter prior to topping up the electrolyte, otherwise electrolyte expansion during the charging process could cause the fluid to overflow.

6.  Keep your battery above 75% state-of-charge at all times. Check state-of-charge every 90 days and recharge if necessary.

7.  Store your battery in a cool, dry place with temperatures no lower than 32°F (0°C) and no higher than 80°F (27°C). Do not allow your battery to freeze and NEVER attempt to charge a frozen battery – the battery could explode!

8.  Never leave a battery on trickle charge longer than 48 hours, or serious damage to the battery will occur.