https://www.rpod-owners.com/ This is an XML content feed of; R-pod Owners Forum : Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks : Battery Life Copyright (c) 2006-2009 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:39:51 +0000 Tue, 18 Aug 2015 11:51:34 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 9.64 360 https://www.rpod-owners.com/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=6826 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_images/web_wiz_forums.png https://www.rpod-owners.com/ https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64909#64909 Author: WillThrill
Subject: 6826
Posted: 18 Aug 2015 at 11:51am

Originally posted by David If memory serves, lead acid batteries self discharge about 10% per month, even with no usage.

The self-discharge rate is 3-5% per month for lead acid batteries.

I like using the Battery Minder #1500 because it's temperature sensitive. This means that it adjusts the float charge's voltage depending on the temperature. When it's warm, the needed voltage drops, and vice versa. The difference between the two is not insignificant.

For instance, I keep my batteries in my garage when we're not out in the Pod. In the winter, when my garage was around 30F, the voltage rose to 13.85. In the summer, when it's 85F, the voltage drops to 13.20. Most battery chargers have their float charge set to assume a temp of 70F. If it's warmer than that, then your batteries are being slightly overcharged, and if it's colder, they're being undercharged.

Reportedly, using a temperature sensitive battery charger/maintainer can extend the life of lead acid batteries (stored outside at least) by 25-50%. That sounds a bit ambitious to me, but if it extends their life by only a year or two, it's a good investment.]]> Tue, 18 Aug 2015 11:51:34 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64909#64909 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64902#64902 Author: Leo B
Subject: 6826
Posted: 18 Aug 2015 at 8:44am

Good breakdown!]]> Tue, 18 Aug 2015 08:44:40 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64902#64902 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64899#64899 Author: furpod
Subject: 6826
Posted: 18 Aug 2015 at 8:20am

GLBCamper.. If you have the ability to plug in, they will be fine.

It's near impossible to know how batteries have been treated by someone else.

One thing to note.... OK, a couple...

Winter storage is not that much different then summer use for most RV's. Anytime the pod sits, with it's battery hooked up, and not on shore power, 10-14 days, or less, and the battery is drained. Several parasitic loads on at all times, with the only way to stop them being an after market battery disconnect.

Pods don't generally come with true "deep cycle" batteries, they come with "marine/RV" batteries, which are a hybrid and not a true deep cycle.

Also the conventional wisdom is, every time a battery discharges below 50%, which on a 12v battery is 12.06 volts or so, it does much more damage than just dropping to 50%.

The same gurus say any time a battery goes "dead", it "halves" it's remaining life.. So, if you have a "4 year battery", and run it dead a couple times, which many new owners do before sorting out the storage issues of an RV, and boom, you have a 1 year or less battery.
]]> Tue, 18 Aug 2015 08:20:29 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64899#64899 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64895#64895 Author: Guests
Subject: 6826
Posted: 18 Aug 2015 at 7:28am

Originally posted by GLBCamper I leave my batteries on the pod during the camping season and just leave the pod plugged into my 15amp outlet. Is that OK? I will take them out for the winter.

I leave my camper plugged in 24/7 during the camping season. The WFCO converter has a built-in 3 stage charger which will deliver a float charge (once the battery(s) are fully charged) - much like a "battery maintainer" device.

During the winter, well, it depends on my mood. I may just leave them installed on the camper, with it plugged in all of the time. Or, sometimes I put them in the garage and plug them into a "battery maintainer" once per month. If memory serves, lead acid batteries self discharge about 10% per month, even with no usage.]]> Tue, 18 Aug 2015 07:28:53 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64895#64895 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64893#64893 Author: GLBCamper
Subject: 6826
Posted: 18 Aug 2015 at 12:54am

I leave my batteries on the pod during the camping season and just leave the pod plugged into my 15amp outlet. Is that OK? I will take them out for the winter.]]> Tue, 18 Aug 2015 00:54:54 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64893#64893 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64892#64892 Author: WillThrill
Subject: 6826
Posted: 18 Aug 2015 at 12:36am

Originally posted by David X2 regarding Mountainrev. Something is not right. There is usually a date code sticker on the battery on the top. It may be a warranty issue. All of the RVs that I have bought in life came with "hybrid" (Marine/RV) type batteries (not true deep cycle) - usually the "Interstate" brand. I just replaced 2 Marine/RV batteries after five years of use. My research indicated this was the typical lifespan of this type of battery - under normal use.

I agree that it's probably a warrantied problem. Unless the battery was left in a discharged condition for several months, it should not be remotely dead at this point. If a marine battery is cycled to 50% state-of-charge and then recharged back to 100%, you can do this about 100-150 times. It doesn't sound like you remotely came to doing that.

Are you sure that your charger is working? I always try to have a separate voltmeter clamped onto my batteries when not in use. When I'm not actively using my batteries, they're in my garage on a Battery Minder #1500 maintainer. It's only 1.5 amps, so it's not a true 'charger', but it does a fantastic job of maintaining lead acid batteries.]]> Tue, 18 Aug 2015 00:36:55 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64892#64892 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64884#64884 Author: Guests
Subject: 6826
Posted: 17 Aug 2015 at 7:03pm

X2 regarding Mountainrev.

Something is not right. There is usually a date code sticker on the battery on the top. It may be a warranty issue.

All of the RVs that I have bought in life came with "hybrid" (Marine/RV) type batteries (not true deep cycle) - usually the "Interstate" brand.

I just replaced 2 Marine/RV batteries after five years of use. My research indicated this was the typical lifespan of this type of battery - under normal use. ]]> Mon, 17 Aug 2015 19:03:30 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64884#64884 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64883#64883 Author: Mountainrev
Subject: 6826
Posted: 17 Aug 2015 at 6:43pm

There is no "standard factory battery."  R-pods are shipped w/o batteries.  Dealers supply them, so they vary from Pod to Pod.  Having said that, yes, that is ridiculous.  What brand?  Is there a date sticker on it?  Is it still under warranty?  Did you drain it completely?  Doing so can sometimes kill a battery, regardless of how you maintained it. 
]]> Mon, 17 Aug 2015 18:43:52 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64883#64883 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64882#64882 Author: EdPod
Subject: 6826
Posted: 17 Aug 2015 at 6:39pm

We purchased an R Pod 171 June of 2014. It had the standard factory battery which is now toast. Doesn't that seem like a ridiculously short life for a battery? It was properly stored and maintained during the winter months.   ]]> Mon, 17 Aug 2015 18:39:11 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6826&PID=64882#64882