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11-10-2021, 01:39 PM
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#1
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Humboldt
Posts: 69
M.O.C. #27605
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Battery and Cold Weather
This is the first year we will be making the trip to Arizona with our Montana in late December. Normally, I would take the battery out for the winter and put it on a battery tender in my house. Since we will be leaving in about 6 weeks I would prefer to leave it in.
Winter temperatures in our parts can be quite severe. Temperature could potentially drop down to -25 or -30C. I currently have the trailer plugged into shore power which should keep the battery charged. Will I be okay with this, considering the cold weather or should I bring the battery in the house until I leave and just leave the trailer connected to shore power?
Thanks
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Cal & Kim
2013 3582RL
2012 Ram 3500 Laramie
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11-10-2021, 01:44 PM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Alton
Posts: 2,714
M.O.C. #24086
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If you are plugged into shore power your flooded lead acid battery will be fine. If it is lithium, they don't like being charged below freezing temperature.
I put a battery heater on mine and another one in the basement to keep the chill out.
Also a small ceramic heater in the rig on low. Again just to keep the chill out.
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Daryl and Marianne,
2019 3130re 20th Anniversary Edition
2016 F350 Lariat
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11-10-2021, 06:53 PM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Wilsey
Posts: 18,799
M.O.C. #11455
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Before we went full time we left the rig plugged in and the batteries still in place when wind chills would be well below zero from time to time. Never had an issue. A full charged battery won't freeze.
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Dick, Joyce, Diego, Picatso and Gustav
2017 3720 RL, and 2013 HC 343RL
Pullrite Hitch, IS, Disk Brakes, 3rd AC, Winegard Traveler, Bathroom door mod, Dometic 320, couch for desk swap, replaced chairs, sun screens, added awnings, etc.
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11-10-2021, 07:12 PM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Livermore
Posts: 5,155
M.O.C. #1920
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We are plugged in at home and our batteries do fine even double digit below zero F. And, a good reminder for me to put my battery heater switch on in the camper.
__________________
Ron and Terrie Ames - MOC #1920/KF0NTA
2021Montana 3230CK Super Solar Legacy Package
2021 Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn, BIM Charging
4x4, SRW, LB, Crew Cab, Pullrite 3900 Hitch
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11-11-2021, 08:59 AM
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#5
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Humboldt
Posts: 69
M.O.C. #27605
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Thanks for all the input. I don't have a battery heater on my trailer but I'm going to buy a battery blanket and plug it in. That will give me some peace of mind. One other question - is it okay to open the slides in below freezing temperatures? I'm thinking as long as water didn't freeze around the slide seals I should be okay?
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Cal & Kim
2013 3582RL
2012 Ram 3500 Laramie
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11-11-2021, 09:09 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Livermore
Posts: 5,155
M.O.C. #1920
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Mad max, don’t overthink it. You don’t need a battery blanket, first off. Think of your truck battery. Ours does fine even below zero. Batteries only freeze if they aren’t charged. I need a heater because I have lithium batteries and it’s part of my Super Solar system. As for the slides, the coldest we have put our slides In/Out is -12 degrees F. The only thing to check is to make sure your unit has the 80 amp breaker on the slide. You can do a search on the forum if you are unsure. Your slides will work fine, albeit slower if it’s really cold. We were headed home last January from Florida and pulled over because of snow in the St. Louis area. We did squeegee snow from the slide when we put them back in. We don’t have slide toppers because of the wind where we live (59 mph this morning). Relax and enjoy your trip.
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Ron and Terrie Ames - MOC #1920/KF0NTA
2021Montana 3230CK Super Solar Legacy Package
2021 Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn, BIM Charging
4x4, SRW, LB, Crew Cab, Pullrite 3900 Hitch
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11-11-2021, 09:32 AM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Carson City
Posts: 2,017
M.O.C. #21963
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Kilovault hlx series lithium batteries are designed for colder temps.
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2016 3160, Legacy, Sailuns, Splendide 2100 xc vented, 1 1/2" axle lift blocks, disk brakes. 2014 Ram 3500 SRW SWB 4X4 6.7 Aisin Mega Cab, EBC slotted disks and brakes, Titan fuel tank.
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11-17-2021, 01:51 PM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Qualicum Beach
Posts: 665
M.O.C. #26399
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Madmax07
This is the first year we will be making the trip to Arizona with our Montana in late December. Normally, I would take the battery out for the winter and put it on a battery tender in my house. Since we will be leaving in about 6 weeks I would prefer to leave it in.
Winter temperatures in our parts can be quite severe. Temperature could potentially drop down to -25 or -30C. I currently have the trailer plugged into shore power which should keep the battery charged. Will I be okay with this, considering the cold weather or should I bring the battery in the house until I leave and just leave the trailer connected to shore power?
Thanks
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You said you are taking the trailer to Arizona. Does it get that cold there in the winter? With my first trailer I lived in northern Ont Canada with temps well below freezing (-20C/-4F and cold as -40C/-40F). Took out the battery and placed in the cellar. Not plugged in. Did that for years with 0 issues. Now I live in BC on the coast where it seldom gets below 5C/41 so no problems even with lithium which are in heated space in the bass thru.
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2018 Keystone Montana 3811MS
2017 Ford F450 diesel dually
600AH Battle Born Lithium Batteries, 1,080 watts solar
3,000 watt hybrid inverter with 120A charger
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11-17-2021, 02:12 PM
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#9
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Montana Fan
Join Date: May 2015
Location: fargo
Posts: 185
M.O.C. #17461
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either leave the battery in and attached to shore power OR disconnect the battery and unplug the shore power while leaving the battery in the rv
charged batteries don't freeze, zero issues with the cold, but if you don't disconnect the battery the rv will draw it down and it will freeze at those temps
shore power for extended durations can be a bad deal, boil the battery(s) or cause a fire via equipment failure
I'm in ND, we have very cold winters, across the board we charge the batteries then disconnect the negative side, zero issues (rv's / atvs/ boats / vehicles / etc)
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11-18-2021, 04:10 AM
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#10
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Missoula
Posts: 138
M.O.C. #26938
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We live in MT and have some cold temps. When i winterize the trailer and park it for the cold weather i remove the battery and put it in the garage. We will head to AZ in January. I will check the water level and hook it up to a charger before putting it back in the trailer. Having dealt with equipment, tractors etc over the years in cold weather, taking the battery out and keeping it warm always works and helps increase the life of the battery. When we set up the trailer for travel, i turn the furnace on to warm it up before extending the slides. Seems to work fine.
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Jack & Tanya Wenger
Missoula, MT
2006 Montana 2980RL
2004 Chev 2500 HD
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11-18-2021, 08:15 AM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Mesa az
Posts: 2,961
M.O.C. #5651
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Some (many?) rigs have the furnace vents covered when the slides are in. I think at least one of mine is that way, so running furnace before extending slides is not always possible.
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Tom and Gail
2013 Mountaineer 362
2012 Silverado 2500
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11-18-2021, 08:24 AM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Mountain Home
Posts: 845
M.O.C. #20949
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Batteries will be fine at those temps.. Lived here in Idaho for over 30 years and we dont pull the RV batteries in wintertime... (-10 or more some days)...
The converter will maintain charge.. as others said just keep electrolyte topped off
Hyd slide outs.. mine has 3... I routinely open them in the wintertime and on cold days the fluid viscosity is thicker so the slides move much slower...
I yanked the OEM 509 amp breaker back in 20914 and installed 80 amp breaker
Ive never had an issue operating the slides in the cold weather
My curretn GC2 batteries are now six year old Costco specials at $89 each.. they re now $98
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11-18-2021, 08:27 AM
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#13
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Missoula
Posts: 138
M.O.C. #26938
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we're fortunate that none of our vents are covered with the slides in.
__________________
Jack & Tanya Wenger
Missoula, MT
2006 Montana 2980RL
2004 Chev 2500 HD
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