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+--- Thread: EFFING Winter (/thread-3316.html)
EFFING Winter - heron - 11-04-2019
Van's about to go in the barn. I'm sure it's been addressed elsewhere, but I just don't have the whatever to search it out. How do I best take care of my 2 6V gc batteries over the winter? How bout the starter battery? And do I have to worry about creatures walking on the solar panels or should I wrap 'em up? I'd appreciate the info and the forbearance at my laziness.
RE: EFFING Winter - American Nomad Patriot - 11-04-2019
Sternwake prob best to answer your battery questions. I would definitely cover the panels. This will save them from getting bird chit on them and other stuff that could damage the panels over time. Plus when the panels are covered it basically turns them off. At least what little I know about them. Why you shutting down for the winter if I may ask?
RE: EFFING Winter - sternwake - 11-04-2019
Cold temperatures slow the self discharge of batteries, so they can be fully charged and then disconnected,Fully charged batteries lead acid batteries will not freeze until about -90F. but 100% discharged batteries can freeze at about 20f.
Even if freezing does not crack the battery casing the plates are likely compromised and perhaps shorted if freezing does occur. It can be dangerous trying to charge batteries that have frozen over the winter.
Cold temperatures do not Kill batteries, cold temps reveal weak batteries as they lose capacity and cranking amps when cold, the same time the engine requires more power to for the starter to turn.
If there is power in the barn, one can run a battery maintainer, but these, if they should go bad or be disconnected can actually drain the battery to dead as a doornail, and then they can freeze at temps above zero, and be destroyed.
If you can fully charge all the batteries, and remove the ground terminals on both house and engine battery, they should still be above 80% charged in 4 to 5 months when you reconnect them.
Much depends on the actual average battery temperature and health of the batteries, as to how much they self discharge.
If you can go in monthly and top charge them, they would be happier than if they just sat and slowly self discharged.
Lots of philosophy can enter this equation. Some swear by battery maintainers by battery tender jr or battery minder, when the area has reliable power. Others have found that the breaker tripped, or the extension cord got unplugged, or the maintainer failed then completely drained and allowed freezing temperatures to destroy the battery.
I think safest is to fully charge them, and disconnect the ground wires over the winter, assuming a cold climate. If one can go in every so often and top charge them, all the better.
The goal should be to keep them above 80% charged when in storage, and they should not have lost much capacity when stored at full charge. As long as they are fully charged, the colder the better in terms of self discharge.
Older batteries will have more self discharge than new ones, and batteries watered with contaminated water will also self discharge more.
The batteryminder maintainer, if this is the route chosen, at least has the option of buying and adding a remote battery temperature sensor so it can keep the correct float/maintenance voltage. other maintainers have an ambient air temp sensor which is not as good as a battery mounted sensor.
https://www.batteryminders.com/1510-12-volt-maintenance-charger-desfulator-with-warranty
how much better the batteries will be after a winter of being on a temperature compensating battery maintenance charger, vs fully charged and disconnected is highly variable, depending on battery condition when disconnected and actual battery temperature and the length of time that passes.
Will paying 70$ for a maintainer instead of putting that 70$ towards new batteries sooner, be worth it?
Do note there are cheaper wall wart style 'maintainers' sold by harbor freight and others. These would be OK for short periods in mild winter, but their voltage is poorly regulated, and these, if they do fail, are known to then drain battery dead as a doornail
If you do go the maintainer route on house batteries, then the engine battery is out of the loop. You can run a single+ red wire to it to keep it at near the same voltage as the house batteries, or bridge the big contacts on the isolating solenoid. it really depends on how they are isolated now from engine battery with engine off.
without power in the barn and perhaps even with it, I would likely insure the batteries are top charged, then disconnect the ground cables from all the batteries.
But
RE: EFFING Winter - Blacktank - 11-04-2019
what about the little solar battery maintainers ? https://www.walmart.com/ip/Schumacher-SP-200-2-4-Watt-Solar-Battery-Maintainer/16550320?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=3&adid=22222222227010190503&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=40838655992&wl4=pla-78652356632&wl5=9032901&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=16550320&veh=sem&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqa3lwKDS5QIVSr3ACh1SCgHKEAQYAiABEgJTvPD_BwE
RE: EFFING Winter - sternwake - 11-04-2019
I'd not run one of those over lengthy wire outside the barn, and obviously it will not work inside the barn.
If running a solar panel outside the barn, I'd at least get a panel big enough to be useful as a portable when regularly deep cycling the batteries.
RE: EFFING Winter - heron - 11-05-2019
Thanks, Stern. I think I'll make sure they're topped off and then unhook them, as you suggested. I can go down onece a month and hook everything up and just run the van long enough to top them off. Is that a good idea? That van is NEVER getting road salt on it, so won't be driving it.
ANP - Yup, I'll cover them. Come spring, if I'm still here, the barn swallows will be moving in. We're here for the winter because Ed has Parkinson's Plus and Lewy Body dementia. It's progressive and seems to be moving quickly toward its logical conclusion. Could be months, maybe even years, though I think that's unlikely. Regardless, he's moved beyond the place where I can take care of him in the van. Or alone, for that matter. It's a 24/7 deal.
RE: EFFING Winter - American Nomad Patriot - 11-05-2019
(11-05-2019, 11:44 AM)heron Wrote: Thanks, Stern. I think I'll make sure they're topped off and then unhook them, as you suggested. I can go down onece a month and hook everything up and just run the van long enough to top them off. Is that a good idea? That van is NEVER getting road salt on it, so won't be driving it.I can relate. I alone had to take 3 yrs off the road to take care of my mother who got dementia. Then she went to my brothers house until him and my sister-n-law could no provide the care she needed. Found a great senior home for her. I wish I got to see her more than I do. My view to people with dementia. They may not remember much or anything in there minds..but their soul and their spirit knows, feels, and remembers all. For that is the parts that are connected closest to God. JMO.
ANP - Yup, I'll cover them. Come spring, if I'm still here, the barn swallows will be moving in. We're here for the winter because Ed has Parkinson's Plus and Lewy Body dementia. It's progressive and seems to be moving quickly toward its logical conclusion. Could be months, maybe even years, though I think that's unlikely. Regardless, he's moved beyond the place where I can take care of him in the van. Or alone, for that matter. It's a 24/7 deal.
RE: EFFING Winter - B and C - 11-05-2019
I feel for you Heron. My wife has frontal lobe dementia (can't process information) and is in need of my 24/7 care. She said a couple of years back that she is ready to go, just have to wait for the inevitable now. We gave up travel a couple of years ago, no way to take care of her in the van and the constant scenery change was too much for her.
RE: EFFING Winter - American Nomad Patriot - 11-05-2019
Heck..I'm 50...and due to my traveling much of my life I am home on the road. My family knows that. I'm at the point now with no wife,no kids, etc. (except two cats) that I'm ready if the time comes. If SHTF then I'm going to the front a defend the others best I can to give them longer life. I'm disposable at this point.
B&C... My mother and father have both said the same thing. They said many years ago that their "job" was done. They raised me and my brother to be great adults with our own lives to live ..That's all they wanted...everything else is just existing. Sounds harsh to some maybe..but my family always kept it real and in perspective.
RE: EFFING Winter - BCGuy - 11-05-2019
(11-04-2019, 09:42 PM)Blacktank Wrote: what about the little solar battery maintainers ? https://www.walmart.com/ip/Schumacher-SP-200-2-4-Watt-Solar-Battery-Maintainer/16550320?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=3&adid=22222222227010190503&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=40838655992&wl4=pla-78652356632&wl5=9032901&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=16550320&veh=sem&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqa3lwKDS5QIVSr3ACh1SCgHKEAQYAiABEgJTvPD_BwEI had one. I think the manufacturer was Sunbeam. The battery died. A friend had the same experience with another brand.