Battery Maintenance?

Originally posted by StephenH Disconnect from shore power is not needed if you go to your power panel and turn off the converter (on mine, it is the bottom circuit breaker). If you are not using metal when working around the batteries, you don't necessarily need to disconnect the cables unless you need to do so for access to the cell covers. Be sure to use distilled water when adding to your battery. That way, you don't introduce contaminants to the electrolyte.

You don't need to disconnect or shut down anything when you check your water levels. `The battery will be at around 13V whether you disconnect or not. There is no shock hazard at that voltage, you can touch the battery + terminal with one hand and the - with the other hand and not feel a thing. But, as StephenH says, don't ever short out the battery + terminal to either the - or to the trailer frame with anything metallic as that would cause high current to flow and so creates a risk of burns and fires to occur. 

Do you need to 1) disconnect the shore power when you check the water levels and 2) disconnect the battery cables when you check?

Originally posted by Olddawgsrule Same basic principle here, every 3 months for water level. I keep my charged with solar. I do go a bit further and check voltage weekly. I also tend to run the batt's down a bit once a month. Just me and what I do. My trade-in batts for these new ones where close to the age of the salesperson selling them to me.. LOL I'll have to learn a whole new way once the lithium is installed. That will come in the house for the winter and be a UPS as required.

Use of them as an UPS is a good way to make use of them during the winter months. Mine is installed and is going to stay in the RPod. If it were on the tongue, I might think differently, but it is safely ensconced inside so there it will stay.

I normally check mine every two months except during the winter here in northern Michigan.  In November both batteries (12v. Interstate, deep cycle, group size 24) get pulled out of the 177.  They are placed on the concrete floor in our unheated garage.  Before charging I check for electrolyte levels and clean the top of the battery with baking soda and rinse off.  They are then given a trickle charge of 2 amps from 24-36 hours or until fully charged.  They then sit in hibernation until the following May when I repeat the process and then re-install in the 177.  Batteries are 9+ years old, we boondock a lot so the batteries are used a lot, they have been very dependable over the years.  Am curious to see how long these will last.