Battery maintenance? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Battery maintenance?

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

depends on how hot it is out...charging cycles...battery type and usage.........I would inspect on a 30 day maintenance schedule.....................IMHO....most will very

rv-vagabond · RV-Dreams Community Member

Also depends on what you are using for a charging system. The closer to a flat dc output to the battery the less likely of it boiling the battery.

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Except for 3 times when we Wallydocked, we're hooked up to 50 amp service. We have had to add water about every 30 days. They're the original batteries that came with the RV (2008) so I'm sure they'll need to be replaced. But it sounds like this is still within the normal range, right?

We hope to be upgrading to solar after the boondocking rally in Feb, so hopefully these batteries will last until then.

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

After my modification.......................I now add NO water.
I did the "Mineral Oil" treatment in the cells. No more going low and no more gassing and corroding battery connections. The oil floats on top of the acid/water acting like a fluid barrier and reduces the vapours from gassing as batteries are discharged and recharged.
It's basically 12oz per entire battery.
So a;
12volt has 6cells = 12oz / 6cells = 2oz per cell of mineral oil
6volt has 3cells = 12oz / 3cells = 4oz per cell of mineral oil

I simply draw out the battery acid(save in a plastic container for later) with a turkey baster until it's flush to the top of the plates.
Then I precisely add the correct amout of mineral oil to the cells. I then top of cells with the previously extracted acid until up to the level indicator ring in each cell.
That's it.
I really had my doubts before doing this but it WORKS.

rocknb · RV-Dreams Family Member

Very interesting !!

A-S Travelers · RV-Dreams Family Member

I check our batteries every 30-45 days and usually only add water every 3 months or so. The water level doesn't drop enough in 30 days to need refilling.

We boondock or dry camp over 50% of the time so the batteries are subject to a 25-40% dischaged/charge cycle frequently. In about 10 days we are coming to the close of our 4 month summer/fall trip.