R-pod Owners Forum : Winterizing -Battery

R-pod Owners Forum : Winterizing -Battery https://www.rpod-owners.com/ This is an XML content feed of; R-pod Owners Forum : Mods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks : Winterizing -Battery Copyright (c) 2006-2009 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Mon, 07 Sep 2026 10:32:07 +0000 Sat, 08 Jan 2022 03:40:31 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 9.64 360 https://www.rpod-owners.com/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=15100 R-pod Owners Forum https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_images/web_wiz_forums.png https://www.rpod-owners.com/ Winterizing -Battery : 4-5 years is normal. Time for... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15100&PID=146596#146596 Author: offgrid
Subject: 15100
Posted: 08 Jan 2022 at 3:40am

4-5 years is normal. Time for new batteries. I wouldn't try to recover them at that age if they have been fully discharged once or twice. As others have suggested, a dual 6V flooded golf cart battery system is generally best for most folks if you boondock, single 12V flooded battery if you don't.

Li batteries are great but there is quite a lot of work and money involved in that conversion. You need a different charger, different battery location to keep them from being exposed to freezing temps, and a DC to DC converter to charge them from your tow vehicle via your 7 way connector while driving. Not worth it for most folks.

Be sure to eliminate that short before reconnecting.it's possible, although unlikely, that a resistive short remains even though the dead short that was tripping your breaker is gone. A resistive short is one that passes some current but not enough to trip the breaker. No only will that discharge your battery but much worse, it will produce heat and can start a fire.

Get a multimeter with a clamp on DC current probe (available quite inexpensively on Amazon and elsewhere). Clamp that on one of the main battery cables and see if there is any current flowing with everything shut off. Shouldn't be more than 0.1-0.2 amps or so. You can also use it to see how much current your various loads are using and your charger is producing. Be sure the meter specs call out DC and not just AC current.

Yes you can leave your batteries in place and the trailer connected to shore power. The WFCO on board charger will keep them charged. However, do both check the battery electrolyte level as others have suggested and also confirm the battery voltage is within the proper range. My WFCO failed and overcharged the battery (it was up around 15.5V-16V). The same thing can happen if you pull the batteries and charge them independently, so that doesn't eliminate the need to keep an eye on them. If you buy flooded batteries no harm done if you catch it before enough water is consumed to expose the battery plates. But that can happen in a week or two at those high charge voltage levels. So check water levels often and use your multimeter on the DC voltage scale to confirm the battery voltage is floating in the 13V range. Lower allows the electrolyte to stratify and higher consumes too much water, neither is good.

]]> Sat, 08 Jan 2022 03:40:31 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15100&PID=146596#146596 Winterizing -Battery : Agreed. I think you found the... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15100&PID=146595#146595 Author: StephenH
Subject: 15100
Posted: 07 Jan 2022 at 9:46pm

Agreed. I think you found the culprit. It does sound like you are getting power from the converter so that is not an issue. You should probably see if the battery will accept a charge. If so, charge it, pull it, and take it to some place to get it tested. It may be that the battery is bad. If it won't accept a charge, then no need to take it anywhere except to turn it in in where you purchase a new one. Don't bother with sealed lead-acid batteries. I saw a battery analysis that said they are not worth the extra cost. The best bang for the buck with lead-acid is two 6V GC2 batteries wired in series to deliver 12V, but there is a significant weight to those. I now am using a 200AH LiFePO4 battery. The cost for it and the changes needed to make it work are high, but the expected life of the LiFePO4 battery means it will probably outlast the RPod. I like to do things for long-term. It would not be worth it if you don't do a lot of boondocking and if you don't plan on keeping your RPod long. I could justify it because I do both. Plus, I changed the refrigerator to a compressor one that is AC/DC only (no propane), so I needed the higher capacity battery for that also.]]> Fri, 07 Jan 2022 21:46:36 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15100&PID=146595#146595 Winterizing -Battery : Most likely you found the culprit.... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15100&PID=146594#146594 Author: jato
Subject: 15100
Posted: 07 Jan 2022 at 8:51pm

Most likely you found the culprit. We simply pull both our 12v batteries out for the winter here in northern Michigan. Give each a 36 hour 2 amp trickle charge first week in November then disconnect and set directly on the concrete floor in our unheated garage. It has now been almost 9 weeks since they were charged, checked and one battery read 12.39v while the other is at 12.45v. Outside temperature is -14C so it is cool. Will check batteries again at 12 weeks, if they get to the point of 12.2v or 60% S.O.C they will receive another trickle charge but in the past they have never gotten an additional charge until April when they are thereafter re-installed in our 177. The oldest battery (12v Interstate group size 24 deep cycle) will turn 11 years old in April 2022.
]]> Fri, 07 Jan 2022 20:51:21 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15100&PID=146594#146594 Winterizing -Battery : I think you just helped me out.... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15100&PID=146593#146593 Author: rawest50
Subject: 15100
Posted: 07 Jan 2022 at 7:27pm

I think you just helped me out. The dealer shop said absolutely nothing. We did some mods to the bath/shower. No problem noticed then the shower light and exhaust fan did not work. I replace fuses and pop. I took it to the dealer and said it was blowing fuses. They fixed it. Found a screw through the wires. When I hook up the jack worked. Still to land power. Got to dealer 30 miles away and battery dead. I got sentence out of order. The screw in the wire could have been draining the battery. ]]> Fri, 07 Jan 2022 19:27:38 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15100&PID=146593#146593 Winterizing -Battery : Well, 4 or 5 years is pretty long... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15100&PID=146592#146592 Author: StephenH
Subject: 15100
Posted: 07 Jan 2022 at 6:42pm

Well, 4 or 5 years is pretty long for some batteries, pretty short for others. Some have been able to get extended life from the 12V batteries. I do have a question. Was the RPod plugged in when the battery died? If so, were the lights and other things still working? If so, it is unlikely that the converter is bad. However, if everything died when the battery did, then the converter is possibly bad. Go on the WFCO site and download the troubleshooting guide if that is the case. Other than that, there isn't enough information to say one way or the other as to whether it is the battery that went bad or the converter.]]> Fri, 07 Jan 2022 18:42:05 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15100&PID=146592#146592 Winterizing -Battery : Thanks. My battery was totally... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15100&PID=146591#146591 Author: rawest50
Subject: 15100
Posted: 07 Jan 2022 at 5:12pm

Thanks. My battery was totally dead. Zero charge. I have left my pod connect just like you. It lasted 4 or 5 years.

Thanks for your input.

]]> Fri, 07 Jan 2022 17:12:14 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15100&PID=146591#146591 Winterizing -Battery : I could give you the short answer,... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15100&PID=146590#146590 Author: StephenH
Subject: 15100
Posted: 07 Jan 2022 at 1:29pm

I could give you the short answer, No, No. However, those would require more explanation so here it is.

First off, it won't damage the battery. I have done that since we purchased our RPod in December, 2015. The point to consider is to check the battery. If it is flooded lead-acid, then take the caps off and make sure the electrolyte is above the plates. Add only DISTILLED water if needed. The converter will maintain the battery just fine.

If you disconnect the battery and leave it plugged in, then the converter will provide power for the RPod still. However, if you want to run the furnace, you may have trouble if the battery isn't present. It helps smooth out the power load. If you disconnect the battery, unplug the RPod and use a battery tender, that will keep the battery charged, but if it isn't connected to the system, it won't provide power to the RPod. Thus, no lights, etc.

Just leave it connected to power and you will be fine as long as you check the battery periodically.

]]> Fri, 07 Jan 2022 13:29:22 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15100&PID=146590#146590 Winterizing -Battery : Winterizing. I leave my pod connected... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15100&PID=146588#146588 Author: rawest50
Subject: 15100
Posted: 07 Jan 2022 at 12:03pm

Winterizing. I leave my pod connected to land power. 30 amp. My question is will it damage the battery over the long winter? Can disconnect the battery and install a trickle charge tendor (I think that it is what it is called) and still have full power in the RV. I know I will lose power to the jack but that is fine. Not an electrical person at all. I just plug stuff up and watch to not overload the circuits.

]]> Fri, 07 Jan 2022 12:03:40 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15100&PID=146588#146588