Habitation Battery
Ok Guys, your thoughts appreciated.
Our Swift Bolero 714SB has been kept outside with vehicle battery isolation switch off so negligable amount drained when not is use....no problems.
The habitation battery is left on and trickle charged by the solar panel. No probs.
The difference, is now our vehicle is kept in a barn so solar panel does not work. Do you guys switch the habitation battery isolator switch off? With a full charge how long would you expect a decent battery to last before recharging?
So good to have you guys "been there and done that" to advise and guide.
Comments
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If it's in storage, inside or outside, then it needs a decent run as often as possible.
Not only will the battery/batteries go flat but the tyres will get 'flat spots' if left too long in one position.
In a barn I presume there is little moving air ( moist/cold air ?) and this will affect the mechanics such as hand and foot brakes and other normally moving parts which could stop working as they should when you eventually take it out of storage.
I would imaging at least once a week take it for a run (depending on snow and ice) and make sure everything seems to be as it should.
Barns are notorious for mice making homes in the relative warmth of vehicles and it might be wise to take some precautions against them.
I would presume you have an alarm fitted and that will need power from the batteries wherever you leave the vehicle so the battery will be slowly depleted and the more often you run the engine or take it out for a run the better.
I don't think there is a definitive time to leave the MH, some might leave it weeks or even months and not have a problem with 'newer' batteries, but in my opinion the more often its turned over the better.
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Hi Keith & Margaret
Thanks for detailed reply.
The barn is concrete block with Yorkshire boarding so dry but with good airflow. The farmer has full vermin control so none of us eight motorhomers have had any vermin issues. The barn is netted so no bird problem. We're lucky on that score. We're trying to get farmer to install electric hook up which I'm happy to contribute installation costs. There is no alarm on MH but a tracker that is still operative even with habitation isolator switch off.
I take motorhome out every 6 weeks ish and leave it on charge for a few days so I think I'm doing most things to cover all basis. Handbrake left off in few wheels are checked.
It'll be interesting to hear what others do.
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Batteries will last for months without charge but this assumes that you have noting in circuit. The problem is that even with them turned off there is usually something connected that will drain them. The automotive manufacturers are good at this so all the ECUs go to sleep when they recognise the vehicle is laid-up and minimize the quiescent drain on the battery, they can also turn off when the battery voltage is low. The problem with habitation batteries is that the associate hardware is generally not smart so keeps on draining the battery until its dead.
Even so I would not leave it more than 2 months without a good charge and you need to see the effects on the habitation battery by measuring the voltage each week to see at what rate it is discharging.
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I follow my dealer’s advice and take it for a run every 1 - 2 months as you are doing. This should be enough to keep the batteries charged but if it has a sluggish start or low voltage indication on either battery then you will either need more frequent runs or auxiliary charging.
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I don't have a problem with the habitation battery, if left isolated. We now have a solar panel connected to both habitation and vehicle battery, but the vehicle battery goes flat in several weeks. I left it for 4 weeks over Christmas and it was flat, 12.7 volts, but when the key was turned to the starter position it dropped to 12.2 volts and all the dials flickered, but no starter.
It is only 2 years old but did the same thing last February. I think I will have to use it more often.
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