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10-15-2016, 08:45 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Lake Country, BC, British Columbia
Trailer: 2016 19 ft trailer
Posts: 9
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Should I turn off the electrical system?
Hi, Everybody:
We picked up our new trailer this spring and went out on quite a few camping trips. Now I have winterized the trailer according to the manual (dry method). The only issues were finding a 1 1/16 inch socket to remove the anode in the hot water tank and finding some source of compressed air to blow out the system. Anyway, that's all done.
My question is: should I turn off the electrical system for the winter? We live in the central Okanagan Valley in BC, The winters here are not very cold (by Cdn standards), maybe a few lows of -10 or -15 C. I don't want to remove the batteries if that can be avoided. We do have a solar panel so that would charge the batteries if there was any sun.
Thanks for any help,
Cheers,
Phil
__________________
What do you get when you put root beer in a square glass?
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10-15-2016, 09:33 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Galesville, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2017 21 "Blue II" & 2017 Highlander XLE (previously 2010 17B "Blue" & 2008 Tacoma)
Posts: 4,232
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Hi Phil, you will get lots of opinions. Were it mine, I would use the disconnect switch, which isolates the batteries from the rest of the trailer, but leaves them connected to the solar. I would also check the water in the batteries once a month or so.
__________________
Eric (and Mary who is in no way responsible for anything stupid I post)
"Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance." George Bernard Shaw
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10-15-2016, 09:57 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,051
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A thumbs up for Eric's post.
__________________
Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
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10-15-2016, 09:59 PM
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#4
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thoer
Hi Phil, you will get lots of opinions. Were it mine, I would use the disconnect switch, which isolates the batteries from the rest of the trailer, but leaves them connected to the solar. I would also check the water in the batteries once a month or so.
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I agree. By springtime, you can simply pack up the trailer and go. The batteries will have been maintained by the solar panel.
Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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10-15-2016, 10:07 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Benton County, Iowa
Trailer: 2013 Escape 21 Classic Number 6, pulled by 2018 Toyota Highlander
Posts: 8,217
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I use the procedure described by Eric in his post above. I use a turkey baster to add distilled water to the batteries if they need it. No, I do not used the same baster on my turkey at Thanksgiving. The solar works well year around to keep the batteries charged.
Dave
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10-16-2016, 02:36 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thoer
Were it mine, I would use the disconnect switch, which isolates the batteries from the rest of the trailer, but leaves them connected to the solar. I would also check the water in the batteries once a month or so.
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Another vote for this approach... but if you need to add water after only a month or two of storage with a solar panel maintaining charge, something is wrong.
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10-16-2016, 06:57 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
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Wow, everyone agrees with Eric, me too.
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
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10-16-2016, 07:17 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: St. Thomas not BVI., Ontario
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0TA / 2016 Ram Eco Diesel 4X4
Posts: 8,034
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Quote:
Originally Posted by padlin
Wow, everyone agrees with Eric, me too.
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Hi: padlin... ME TOO... ME TOO!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
__________________
Quote Bugs Bunny..."Don't take life too seriously, none of us get out of it ALIVE"!!!
'16 Ram Eco D. 4X4 Laramie Longhorn CC & '14 Escape 5.0TA
St.Thomas (Not the Virgin Islands) Ontario
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10-16-2016, 09:16 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 2013 19' & 2013 15B
Posts: 2,634
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Is probably adequate to top off the water in your batteries when winterizing, and then again in the spring when getting ready for camping again. That is what I have done and levels never drop significantly over the winter. Is good to also shutoff the master power disconnect switch.
__________________
2013 19' \ 2013 15B, 2020 Toyota 4Runner TRD Offroad
"It is better to remain silent at the risk of being thought a fool, than to talk and remove all doubt of it." - 1907, Maurice Switzer
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10-16-2016, 09:26 AM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Marcos, California
Trailer: 5.0TA 19 Aug 2016, 2012 Dodge RAM 1500, Andersen Hitch.
Posts: 40
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We picked up our new 5.0TA on 8-19-16. Survived 3 days/nights in Whistler Nat Park outside of Jasper with nothing but our parking spot. Two weeks later on a stop in Minnesota, I took a look at the batteries. There was "battery corrosion" around all of the battery caps, I cleaned it off. Two weeks later, at home, more of this material; is this normal? (I am not an "electrician".)
Is there any solution?
-Ethan
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10-16-2016, 09:56 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Galesville, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2017 21 "Blue II" & 2017 Highlander XLE (previously 2010 17B "Blue" & 2008 Tacoma)
Posts: 4,232
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Quote:
Originally Posted by padlin
Wow, everyone agrees with Eric, me too.
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Wait... what?
__________________
Eric (and Mary who is in no way responsible for anything stupid I post)
"Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance." George Bernard Shaw
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10-16-2016, 10:02 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Galesville, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2017 21 "Blue II" & 2017 Highlander XLE (previously 2010 17B "Blue" & 2008 Tacoma)
Posts: 4,232
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Ethan, you might want to check to make sure the caps are on tight. With lots of steep up and down driving and rough roads it's always possible to slosh a bit of acid if they are not tight. That can cause corrosion very quickly. That's also why it's important to not overfill the batteries when adding distilled water.
There are quite a few spray or paint on products available that can be used on the terminals to help prevent corrosion. Most recommend a careful cleaning before application.
__________________
Eric (and Mary who is in no way responsible for anything stupid I post)
"Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance." George Bernard Shaw
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10-16-2016, 01:13 PM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Ocean City, New Jersey
Trailer: Escape 21 2019
Posts: 74
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Is the disconnect switch the one under dining table seats? if not where is it? Thanks, Andrea
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10-16-2016, 04:48 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Denison, Texas
Trailer: 2015 21'; 2011 19' sold; 4Runner; ph ninezero3 327-27ninefour
Posts: 5,136
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrea
Is the disconnect switch the one under dining table seats? if not where is it? Thanks, Andrea
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Yes, that is it.
__________________
Cathy. Floating Cloud
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.... "
Emerson
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10-20-2016, 06:33 PM
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#15
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Lake Country, BC, British Columbia
Trailer: 2016 19 ft trailer
Posts: 9
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Should I turn off the electrical system thanks
Hi, All:
Thanks so much for your very helpful responses, especially thoer (Eric & Mary) who just about everybody agreed with. I didn't know that turning off the electrical left the solar connected to the battery. Where does it say that? I looked in the Escape trailer manual and the manuals for the solar panel and could not find this anywhere. Maybe I missed it.
I will keep a close watch on the battery fluid level. Again, thanks to all,
Phil
__________________
What do you get when you put root beer in a square glass?
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10-20-2016, 06:54 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Denison, Texas
Trailer: 2015 21'; 2011 19' sold; 4Runner; ph ninezero3 327-27ninefour
Posts: 5,136
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Valentine
Hi, All:
Thanks so much for your very helpful responses, especially thoer (Eric & Mary) who just about everybody agreed with. I didn't know that turning off the electrical left the solar connected to the battery. Where does it say that? I looked in the Escape trailer manual and the manuals for the solar panel and could not find this anywhere. Maybe I missed it.
I will keep a close watch on the battery fluid level. Again, thanks to all,
Phil
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Yes, solar will still work with master switch off. Don't know if they always did it that way so maybe that is why you are not finding it. You should see that little strange object in the photo on a battery for the solar.
__________________
Cathy. Floating Cloud
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.... "
Emerson
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