First, the requisite word of caution: Whenever you work with batteries of electrical systems, even "low voltage" ones, take off your jewelry! Watches, rings, and bling-bling things. The potential energy in an RV battery is something to reckon with, and welding your ring to an electrical contact will ruin your whole day. Watch out with tools and other metals. The male of this writing duo once dropped a crescent wrench across a deep cycle battery--fortunately he was able to rescue it before it welded into place--narrowly avoiding a major fire.
Keep 'em Charged: A battery left in a low state is one that deteriorates.
Keep 'em Clean: That "little bit of dirt" across the top of the battery case can actually conduct electricity in the presence of moisture. A slight, but real discharge of juice can occur.
Keep 'em Filled: ALWAYS keep the top plates of "flooded" batteries covered with electrolyte. This means refilling to the "split ring" or about a half inch above the separators. ONLY USE distilled water, NEVER tap water. Don't over-fill.
Keep Out Intruders: Don't add "battery acid" or other additives. Thus far nothing has really proved up in the way of a miracle elixir that will give you more power, more potency, or more life to your batteries. There's no such thing as "Voltage Viagra."
We found a great tool to help us keep our batteries filled up. We have very little "head space" in the compartment above the top of the batteries, and they don't easily come out for service. A solar panel retailer sold us a battery fill tool, the "filler part" of which presses into the battery cell and fills until the correct level is reached. It's real skinny, as you can see, and fits right into those tight spaces. 
Alas! The retailer went belly up, and we've yet to find somebody else that sells them. They were a lot less expensive than the automated battery fill systems being marketed today. If you know anybody who carries these great tools, please post a reply!
7 comments:
you can sill buy those battery feeders at many truck stops, and at the solar shop in Quatzsite
Looks like the corner of an inverter peeking out from beside the red-cased battery. Not a good idea. Battery fumes and inverters don't mix very well. As far as the second picture it is kinda hard to see who is doing what to whom but that IS a nice wrist watch band!
One item that drains your batteries is the LP gas detector if you are winterizing your RV and are sure that no one will be using it for an extended period simply take the fuse out of the fuse panel. " CAUTION" Before doing so turn off all propane and dissconect the gas lines before removing the fuse. Also make sure the fuse is replaced before RV use or connecting LP gas lines.
you can purchase these fillers at DICOUNT SOLAR in quartzite arizona
Am I the only one who almost always gets my RV back from a service dealer after they've kept it for weeks & my batteries are drained. Do they not know how to shut them off? Or do I have to tell them & hope the word gets passed?
Hi All.
Well, we sure have to agreea on the Batty Fillers, both for 6 Volt Battery Systems and for the 12 Volt Battery Systems as well. We bought ours when the first hit the market. The 5th Wheel Travel Trailer I had at that time, had two Deep Cycle Battries that were stacked on top of each other. And I'll tell you, were they ever a you know what to get at. The Battery Filler System for the for the 12 Volt Battries makes it mighty eas to get at, and have your water Level in "Perfectly".
While we wee at it we went ahead and bought the ^ Volt Battery System, as we knew we were going to be buying a Class A Motorhome in the very near future, and I knew I wanted to use 6 Volt Golf Cart Deep Cycle Battreis.
We knew for sure that both thSets of the Battery Filler Kits would be perfectly on either type of Battries. I'm net even sure when they first came out on th market, but that's how long we have used our both sets. And what even better about them, making them so much easier to take care of your Battery Banks, it would n fact make your "Battery Banks" last a lot
longer. I got 9 years on my fist set of 12 Volt Battries in our 5th Wheel Trailer. The 6 Volt Battery Bank", in our Motorhome are now at only 5 years. I'm on
5 years. I am hoping to see at least another 5 more years on the Motorhomes "6 Volt Battry Bank", or maybe even a bit more.
Good Luck. Happy Travels. Dan & Jill & our two Small "YORKIE KIDS, who love to travel as much as we do. Also a big help is both TV's are LED TV's, and every light in the Motorhome, or Storage Compartment are LED Lights also. Same for our "Toad" also.
I had to buy new house batteries last summer. I upgraded my converter to a Progressive Dynamics PD-4645 with Charging Wizard, that automatically adjust to 3 different stages. I also put the batteries on a Battery Minder for a week at a time, usually at least once between RV trips. Hope these actions give me extra life out of the new batteries.
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