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Open Roads Forum  >  General RVing Issues

 > Plugging RV to house elec supply in winter???

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Tizi

Puyallup, WA

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Posted: 10/05/09 09:46pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

I take my batteries out and store them in the garage. I hit them with a charge once a month. I keep my camper plugged in also so I can run a small space heater.


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skipnchar

Topeka Kansas USA

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Posted: 10/05/09 10:48pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Nothing wrong with your plan at all. Yes, it's POSSIBLE you'll loose some water but MOST converters on newer RVs are much better than older ones. I add water to my RV about two times a year and it's plugged in ALWAYS except when we're on the road or dry camping in it. For what it's worth, if your batteries are any good they won't be harmed by being in the cold and NOT plugged in for at least two or three months provided there is nol draw on them. Just remove the negative lead to make sure there is nothing drawing them down.

While we're wintering in warm south Texas all winter my other two vehicle sit in the drive with batteries inside and have NEVER had any kind of battery problem when we return months later. If the batteries are no good and don't hold a charge then they might freeze but what would be the loss? Good luck / skip


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jameswb1

Danville alabama

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Posted: 10/05/09 11:09pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Wher do you guys get all these cold temperatures? None here in the sunny south!

dodgebob08

Mississippi

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Posted: 10/06/09 02:26am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

the cord has to be large enough gauge to carry what ever amps your pulling (i don't have a clue but don't figure it's alot). the longer the cord, the fewer amps it'll carry. make sure to use the sortest cord you can and faily large gauge (not a cheap cord). best bet might be to buy a roll (comes in 50' or 100') of exterior grade romex and put ends on it. this would be about as cheap as a high dollar cord and you should have no worries about running most anything except a/c or central heat. if the house breaker is big enough the a/c and heat may run but the voltage loss over that distance may damage the motors.

jameswb1, we may not have the cold temps but we got enough rain to sell the RV and buy a house boat.


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big dave

Soldotna, Alaska, USA

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Posted: 10/06/09 10:23am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

jameswb1 wrote:

Wher do you guys get all these cold temperatures? None here in the sunny south!

I've been in the "sunny south" when I couldn't take enough clothes off to get comfortable. At least here in Alaska I can put more on!

I just disconnect the batteries, check voltage once in awhile, and charge when necessary (once or twice per winter) and they do fine. We may see -40 on occasion.


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smkettner

Southern California

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Posted: 10/06/09 10:39am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

2oldman wrote:

As said, your converter may boil them dry, and you're not likely to be checking the batteries as you should in bad weather.


At 10 below? If anything even a 13.8 voltage will be slightly low.
Might be trouble in summer.

To the OP, it will work just fine. No worries.


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wa8yxm

Wherever I happen to park

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Posted: 10/06/09 12:27pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Well... Water systems on an RV at -10 F should be full of air, or at the worst pink stuff, not water.. now, I have had my system "Wet" at -6, with the furnace running no less (heated tanks) and.. .. When it got warmer.. I had to do repairs (less than 10 bucks, GOT LUCKY)

As for electric, So long as you route the cord safely and use a winter grade cord (and a 12ga one at that) I see no problems.

When I re-landscaped for RV parking I had existing wires from an old swimming pool in place.. I used one of them (The wrong one as it turns out) to feed an outlet for the RV to connect to... That way I could keep my Progressive Dynamics 9180 with wizard working to keep the batteries charged all winter long, which was nice.. Cause the RV is the primary ham shack,, I use the radio every day, almost

Same outlet feeds the electric lawn mower in the summer


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Bubby's RV

CA

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Posted: 10/06/09 01:39pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

smkettner wrote:

2oldman wrote:

As said, your converter may boil them dry, and you're not likely to be checking the batteries as you should in bad weather.


At 10 below? If anything even a 13.8 voltage will be slightly low.
Might be trouble in summer.

To the OP, it will work just fine. No worries.

Yes, as the temperature gets lower, the float voltage increases, so you won't have to worry about "boiling" them dry.


John, Winnebago Minnie 24V


DSteiner51

Wooster, Oh

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Posted: 10/06/09 03:34pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

I have been using a standard 30 amp rv extension cord summer and winter. I discovered that mowing over the cord in summer is much harder on it then the cold winter weather.


D. Steiner


D & M

Laurel, MD

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Posted: 10/06/09 03:58pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

My rig sits beside the house and is plugged in all winter. The converter only draws a coupleof amps amd I have never boiled a battery dry.


Dave
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