Before you put your RV away for the winter, do this to protect your battery – Jalopnik

As RVs are put away for the winter season, one component faces more failures than almost anything else: the battery. Owners often deal with an RV that won’t charge because the battery has suffered damage from long periods of inactivity, cold temperatures and gradual self-discharge. The way you prepare the vehicle before storing it can make a big difference.

There are mainly two types of batteries in RVs: lead acid and lithium iron phosphate. The process of properly storing an RV with lead-acid batteries starts with a quick inspection. If you notice corrosion on the terminals or acid residue in the battery box, neutralize it with baking soda and a battery-safe cleaner. Then clean it thoroughly.

You should also check that the electrolyte level in the battery is about an inch above the plates. Anything lower than that exposes the plates to air and permanently reduces the battery’s capacity. If the electrolyte level is low, add enough distilled water to cover the plates. Then fully charge the battery. Many RV owners move the battery indoors in the winter and connect it to a fully automatic maintenance facility, which prevents the battery from self-discharging and prevents the battery from being exposed to the risks of overcharging from an old-fashioned trickle charger.

Preparation for lithium batteries is a lot easier: simply charge them to the manufacturer’s recommended range, disconnect them completely from the RV and leave them as is. Without parasitic loads draining the battery’s charge, they lose only 1% to 2% of charge per month on their own.

What really happens to an RV battery between the day you park the RV and the time you start it up months later is not clear from the outside. Even a battery that looks perfectly clean can lose charge the entire time it sits, and winter conditions speed up that process.

Lead-acid batteries rely on a balance between sulfuric acid and water. As the camper stands still and the battery discharges, the acid concentration slowly decreases over time. That shift causes the remaining fluid to freeze at higher temperatures than during the summer (although you’ll find that car batteries tend to fail more quickly in warm climates). A deep freeze can cause the battery case to crack, which can lead to leaks and permanent damage. The chemical shift continues even when the RV is turned off, as small pulls in the rig can continue to draw voltage.

Some lithium batteries behave differently than lead-acid models in that they exchange the liquid medium for a solid ceramic or polymer layer. However, many types, including traditional lithium iron phosphate batteries, still use liquid electrolytes containing lithium ions. The main difference is that they typically do not freeze or require maintenance at the water level like lead-acid batteries.

Internal management systems further limit how quickly lithium batteries lose their charge. They are not immune to slow draining of anything still plugged into the RV, which is why completely shutting down the system during winter storage is so important. Without that disconnect, even low monthly discharge in the spring can cause problems. Hopefully, with the adoption of true solid-state batteries, this battery problem will be solved soon.