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Old 10-04-2011, 07:39 PM   #1
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Winter Battery Storage

Hi, folks!

I need your wise counsel on what to do with our 2 6v battery this winter. We will need to store SittEscape in unheated, unpowered storage area. Seems like most of you who do that in cooler northern climates take the batteries out and put hem in your garage. Okay, I can do that. Then what type of battery maintainer should I have? What do you who do this recommend? Do I need 2? Or can I safely [to preserve the batteries] switch back and forth every week or so?

K&KSitte
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Old 10-04-2011, 07:54 PM   #2
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Re: Winter Battery Storage

I put my batteries in the basement of my house for the winter. On the first Saturday of each month, I hook them together in series and then put them on a 12V 3 stage charger until it goes into float mode. http://www.duracellpower.com/battery...y-charger.aspx You should check the water level in each cell before charging.

There is good information on the Trojan website http://www.trojanbattery.com/Battery...e/Storage.aspx
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Old 10-04-2011, 08:15 PM   #3
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Re: Winter Battery Storage

I have just left mine in the trailer with the disconnect off for the past two winters. I made sure they were fully charged when I parked it, and would check them every month or two, and actually only had to top up the charge once each winter. Whether they are stored inside or not does not really matter so long as you ensure that the charge is kept above 80%. Leaving it in a discharged state too long will cause battery damage (whether inside or out) and could allow the battery to freeze causing irreparable damage.
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Old 10-05-2011, 08:09 PM   #4
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Re: Winter Battery Storage

I leave the battery on the trailer all our cold Wisconsin winter. I check the charge about once a month and recharge as needed using one of these:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...s_ohs_product. I think the battery would also do fine just plugging in the trailer for the charge, but use the Battery Tender since I have it.

Eric
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Old 10-18-2011, 06:52 PM   #5
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Re: Winter Battery Storage

I just plug the rig in for about 8 hours once a month.

If you take your battery out, DO NOT SET IT ON CONCRETE!

That will remove the charge in no time. Set it on a couple of 2x4's, or 50x100's for you Canadians. LOL
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Old 10-18-2011, 07:01 PM   #6
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Re: Winter Battery Storage

Hi: Roger C H ...You can't buy 2X4's any more...only 1& 1/2 X 3& 1/2's (4X9cm's) in Canada EH!!! When ordering some at the lumber yard they always ask " How long do you want them" to which I reply " For quite a while I'm building a house". Alf
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Old 10-18-2011, 07:40 PM   #7
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Re: Winter Battery Storage

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger C H
If you take your battery out, DO NOT SET IT ON CONCRETE!
I had a tough time believing this could be true, it just did not make sense, so I double checked on Snopes.
LINK
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Old 10-18-2011, 07:58 PM   #8
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Re: Winter Battery Storage

It's not that I don't believe the Snopes post. The explanation makes sense to me. But, I have to ask, are you not suspicious of what you read on Snopes? Or anywhere else on the web? What can we believe these days?

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Old 10-18-2011, 08:43 PM   #9
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Re: Winter Battery Storage

Snopes does a good job on checking into the validity of things. Things that I do know about for certain, they have always got right. We have this big resource with the internet, might as well use it. One does need to use their own discretion where things are a bit more critical though.
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Old 10-18-2011, 09:17 PM   #10
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Re: Winter Battery Storage

Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo
It's not that I don't believe the Snopes post. The explanation makes sense to me. But, I have to ask, are you not suspicious of what you read on Snopes? Or anywhere else on the web? What can we believe these days?

baglo
My experiences with it have shown Snopes to be a quite reliable place.

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Old 10-18-2011, 09:50 PM   #11
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Re: Winter Battery Storage

I'm not disputing the accuracy of Snopes. I'm just getting caught in one of those loops, like Russian dolls. Wait, that's not right. Like fun-house mirrors.

Or, as the Old Bag said at supper, "I didn't pay for an argument".

"Yes you did".

baglo
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Old 10-19-2011, 10:11 AM   #12
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Re: Winter Battery Storage

Okay, just for the record, I'm not storing them on the concrete floor of my garage, but not because I was concerned about the batteries discharging. I have them on a furniture dolly so I can roll them around whenever I need to move them. When I took them out of SittEscape, I was amazed at the weight of each battery. I guess it's been a long time since I moved the battery, even in my cars. Hey, shouldn't a 6 V battery weigh half of a 12 V battery?

Anyway, I didn't want to have to struggle with them during the off-season. I connected a very simple Schumacher's Speed Changer battery maintainer from Wallyworld. Once a week or so, I switch from one battery to the other. Seems to be working just fine, although it's only been a month.

Thanks for all the friendly advice and banter.

Klaus
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Old 10-19-2011, 01:12 PM   #13
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Re: Winter Battery Storage

Quote:
Originally Posted by kksitte
Hey, shouldn't a 6 V battery weigh half of a 12 V battery?
They just use the heavier volts in a 6V battery. Kinda like having a good heavy high alcohol content beer, compared to those wimpy light ones. 6 of the heavy ones carries as much punch as 12 of the light ones.
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Old 10-19-2011, 06:23 PM   #14
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Re: Winter Battery Storage

Hey! You're in my loop..

baglo
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