Proper storage and batteries?

[Charlotte Rosita]

New to this online forum stuff so please forgive me if this has already been discussed here.

My husband stores our Newell beside our home. We have been leaving it plugged in all the time and we have a trickle charger on the batteries. My husband is thinking we should cut the coach and chassis batteries off while in storage when plugged up to the shore power. We have always left them on and as far as we can tell with no damage.

Can anyone tell us the pros and cons on this?

We'd like to know what is the proper way?

Should the batteries be on or off?

Thanks a lot for the help!

[Chester B. Stone, Jr.]

I do not have a technical answer, but for many years I have stored my coaches connected to 50 amp service to keep the batteries fully charged at all times. Never a problem.

[The Newell]

Another option is installing solar power to keep both chassis and house batteries fully charged.

[lbrachfe]

I do like Chester and keep it plugged in

[Charlotte Rosita]

Okay thanks a lot for the help!

[chockwald]

Ideally you should have a multi-stage charge/converter already installed in your coach, which would have a built in trickle charge as one of the stages to keep your batteries topped off. If you are only going to store the coach for a few weeks at a time without access to power using the battery disconnects is a must to be sure the batteries are not drained prematurely. In our coach we have 4 different disconnect switches to shut off our four 8d batteries from any power draw in the coach. If you are able to leave your coach plugged in to even 15amps of power, and you have the batteries on a trickle charger, or your built in charger has that as one of the charging stages then your batteries will be fine. Some of the newer Newells draw a lot of power, even when just sitting, and not being used, and in some cases it is difficult to completely isolate the batteries from all phantom electrical draws. If you have an older Classic coach then the odds are you can isolate the batteries adequately with the existing cutoff switches, and safely store it for weeks at a time not plugged in.

[fulltiming]

If you have power, it is really best to keep it plugged in and the batteries connected. To keep the chassis (engine) batteries charged when you are not using the coach you will either have to have the merge switch on or have a Trik-L-Charge or Echo Charger installed.

[prairieschooner]

Charlotte Rosita,
1st) what a beautiful name!

2nd) OK please post what your coach is so we can respond correctly.
3rd) Having said that, we have an '82 and I store it with all battery switches in the OFF position. All is well when I check on it although I do have to reset all clocks a. A newer coach may have different needs so that is why it is important to add your coach to your signature.
4th) Now to answer your question correctly it will depend on your charging system installed. Some systems are not "smart" enough to be left plugged in all of the time without power drain.