Battery Question

[Kodakajika]

Merry Christmas All! Until now, I have used my solar to keep my dual batteries charged year round. We lived in Southern California, left our E21 out of doors and all went well. We now live in Middle Tennessee, and have stored our E21 indoors in a climate controlled garage. Do I cut off the battery and plug into 110? Would that burn up the battery? Or, do I leave the battery switch on, run some things that drain the battery? Or, is there another way I should be doing this? (I am keeping my garage heated minimally at 45 degrees.) Thank you for your help.

[Vermilye]

If you have lead acid batteries, they do best stored at full charge. In a heated garage they would probably be OK with the battery disconnect switch open (ie off) if you don't have AC to run the converter, but if you have AC, I'd plug in the trailer and leave the disconnect switch on (ie closed) so the converter keeps the batteries full. I would check the water/acid level in the batteries every month or so and fill with distilled water as necessary.

Some of the older converters don't have a float stage and overcharge an unused battery, but the WFCO used by Escape does eventually drop to 13.2V during storage. This keeps the battery charged, but shouldn't cause the batteries to off gas and lose water.

[marsman]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

If you have lead acid batteries, they do best stored at full charge. In a heated garage they would probably be OK with the battery disconnect switch open (ie off) if you don't have AC to run the converter, but if you have AC, I'd plug in the trailer and leave the disconnect switch on (ie closed) so the converter keeps the batteries full. I would check the water/acid level in the batteries every month or so and fill with distilled water as necessary.

Some of the older converters don't have a float stage and overcharge an unused battery, but the WFCO used by Escape does eventually drop to 13.2V during storage. This keeps the battery charged, but shouldn't cause the batteries to off gas and lose water.

Jon,

I found your last statement interesting; is this why we have to continually fill the water in these AGMs? They are being overcharged by the converter under normal use?

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by marsman

Jon,

I found your last statement interesting; is this why we have to continually fill the water in these AGMs? They are being overcharged by the converter under normal use?

Here is a short discussion of AGM vs wet cell (flooded) lead-acid batteries. Crown battery is a well respected manufacture.

https://www.crownbattery.com/news/ag...u-need-to-know

[HABBERDABBER]

Originally Posted by marsman

Jon,

I found your last statement interesting; is this why we have to continually fill the water in these AGMs? They are being overcharged by the converter under normal use?

The AGM's I've seen and use are completely sealed, and can not be refilled with water. Lead acid ones....yes, they need to be topped off occasionally, but not AGM's.

AGM's and Lead Acid batteries are 2 different configurations of similar electrochemistry.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

The AGM's I've seen and use are completely sealed, and can not be refilled with water. Lead acid ones....yes, they need to be topped off occasionally, but not AGM's.

AGM's and Lead Acid batteries are 2 different configurations of similar electrochemistry.

I believe you mean AGM and flooded are the two different configurations. They are both lead acid batteries.

[Iowa Dave]

We have had excellent results keeping our Escape batteries charged by leaving the switch on and keeping the trailer plugged into our 30 amp RV circuit in our pole building. The readout is usually 90 percent except on those rare occasions when it’s in the float stage which happens every 28 days or so. When it’s in that stage the readout is 100 percent. This is how Nigel at Escape told me it would work.
He said “Now listen, 90 percent is a 100 percent. Do you understand?”
I told him I did and he said “ Good, a lot of people can’t understand that.”

I top off the two 6 volt flooded batteries about the first of November when we put the trailer away for the winter. Distilled water and a Turkey baster with a few popsicle sticks to check the depth of the water over the lead. Might be crude but it’s accurate and effective. I’ve be checking and watering batteries that way since automobiles and trucks had 6 volt systems. And that’s been a while.

In late March or early April we de-winterize and I check the batteries. They take a minimal amount of water at that time. I top them off. Then I check them mid season and add water if needed.

This schedule worked on our 19 for several seasons till we sold it and got the 21 in August of 2017. The 21 batteries are now 5 1/2 years old and still good. I may have to buy new ones before long but I don’t figure they owe me anything.
YMMV
Iowa Dave

[HABBERDABBER]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

I believe you mean AGM and flooded are the two different configurations. They are both lead acid batteries.

Yes, same chemistries, different constructions.

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by marsman

Jon,

I found your last statement interesting; is this why we have to continually fill the water in these AGMs? They are being overcharged by the converter under normal use?

As others have noted, I should have been more specific describing lead acid batteries. Flooded batteries should be checked for water level. If you find that you need to add water more than one a month or so, you may be overcharging them, but even with proper charging cycles, eventually you will need to add water. Never let it get below the plates, and fill to 1/8" below the slotted indicator in each cell with distilled water.

AGM batteries are lead acid, but are sealed and do not (in fact, cannot) need to be checked for water level.