RV Battery Maintenance is Essential to Your RV
RV batteries are an essential component of an RV’s power system. After all, they store and supply electrical energy for your RV’s 12-volt system. Your RV batteries provide power for essential RV amenities such as lights, the water pump, the 12-volt refrigerator, the furnace, the stove top, and the 12-volt RV TV.
That said, whether you’re parked at a scenic boondocking site or powering lights after dark in a campground, your RV batteries need a little care and maintenance. Without it, even the best batteries will lose their ability to supply power when you need them most.
1. Understanding Battery Types
Most RVs use some form of lead-acid battery to supply power to the 12-volt power system. Lithium LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) batteries have been gaining a lot of popularity in the RV world in recent years. Each battery type has specific maintenance and care requirements.
Lead-Acid Batteries
Lead-acid batteries use the reversible chemical reaction between lead, lead dioxide, and sulfuric acid. During discharge, these components react to produce electricity, and during charging, the reaction is reversed to restore the battery’s chemical energy. To do that efficiently, your RV batteries need a little help from you.
- Flooded lead-acid (Most common, need regular watering)
- Sealed AGM (Maintenance-free)
- Sealed gel batteries (Spill-proof and maintenance-free)
LiFePO4 Batteries
LiFePO4 batteries uses a similar process of using a chemical reaction to produce and store electrical energy. However, LiFePO4 batteries use lithium, iron and phosphate as chemicals instead of lead and sulfuric acid to produce and store electricity. These batteries use a process of lithium-ion movement when charging or discharging. When the battery is charging, lithium ions move from the cathode to the anode, but when discharging, they move from the anode to the cathode. As this happens, an electrical current is created. It’s this flow of ions and electrons that provides useful energy that provides power for the RV.
- LiFePO4 Lithium-Ion Batteries:
- Extremely low-maintenance
- Lifespan: 5–10 years
2. Inspect battery housing, terminals, and connections regularly
IMPORTANT: Battery acid is extremely corrosive and can quickly burn through clothing and skin. Therefore, before you do anything with lead-acid RV batteries, be sure to wear eye protection, long sleeves, and gloves.
RV house batteries tend to be one of those things many RVers don’t think about until they don’t work. With that in mind, taking time to inspect house batteries every 4–6 weeks allows you to stay on top of small issues before they become bigger problems. Here are the steps you should follow.
- Battery housing: Inspect the battery housing for anomalies like cracks, bulging, and/or leaks.
- Terminals and connections: Inspect battery terminals and ensure connections are tight and free of corrosion. Corrosion looks like white or blue-green powder around the battery terminals and connections. If you happen to find any terminal corrosion, proceed to step 3.
- Disconnect the battery: You can do this either using the battery disconnection switch or do it the old-school way and disconnect the terminals one at a time. Always disconnect the negative terminal first and then disconnect the positive terminal. When reconnecting, use the reverse order. That is, connect the positive terminal first, and then the negative.
- Use a baking soda paste to neutralize and remove corrosion from terminals
- Make a thick paste by mixing baking soda with a little water.
- Apply to corrosion using an old toothbrush or a wire brush.
- Allow the paste to sit for a few minutes to neutralize the corrosion.
- Rinse or wipe off with a damp rag or paper towel.
- Apply a light coat of dielectric grease on each battery terminal to inhibit corrosion.
3. Check and refill flooded lead-acid batteries
Flooded lead-acid batteries contain lead plates that need to stay submerged in a sulfuric acid solution to function properly. If the level of liquid in the battery becomes low, the battery won’t charge or perform properly, and its lifespan will be shortened.
- Check levels after charging, not before
- Wear PPE: a long-sleeved shirt (preferably one you don’t like), eye protection, and gloves for this job
- Remove the cell lids
- Only use distilled water to fill cells just above the plates
4. Maintain Proper Charge Levels
LiFePO4 Lithium batteries can be discharged to 100% capacity without affecting their lifespan (or so it’s claimed), but the same is not true for deep-cycle lead-acid batteries. Deep discharging lead-acid batteries below 50% capacity can drastically shorten their life. Therefore, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on battery voltage levels using your RV’s battery monitor. Additionally here a few things you can do to prolong the lifetime of your RV house batteries.
- Charge them before and during storage.
- Keep them charged when not in use.
- Don’t overcharge batteries. This is often expressed as a C-rate that’s 10% of the battery capacity. For example, a 100Ah flooded lead-acid battery should be charged at a rate of less than 10 amps. Slower charging allows the electrolyte to mix properly, preventing the acid from separating and settling at the bottom. This maximizes battery performance and longevity.
5. Battery storage tips
Storing RV house batteries properly when your RV isn’t in use will help prolong their lifetime. That said, improper storage of RV batteries will quickly destroy them. Here’s what you should know about storage requirements of both lead-acid batteries and LiFePO batteries.
Lead-Acid Battery Storage
- Store lead-acid batteries in a cool, dry environment.
- The ideal temperature for lead-acid battery storage is between 50°–77°F (10°– 25°C)
- Never expose lead-acid batteries to freezing temperatures or extreme heat.
- Store lead-acid batteries in the RV if the RV is plugged into power. This will keep them charged.
- If plugging into a power source isn’t an option, remove the batteries and store them where they’ll be protected from freezing temperatures.
- Charge batteries before storage.
- Check charge level every month, and recharge as necessary.
LiFePO4 Battery Storage
LifePO4 batteries have different storage requirements than their lead-acid counterparts. Here’s what you should know.
- Always disconnect LiFePO4 batteries before storage.
- Charging LiFePO4 batteries to 100% capacity before storage can kill them. The ideal charge level for storing LiFePO4 batteries is 30–50%.
- The ideal storage temperature range for LiFePO4 batteries depends on how long they are being stored:
- Less than 30 days: -4℉–140℉
- 30–days: 14℉–95℉
- More than 90 days: 59℉–95℉
- Never store LiFePO4 batteries in direct sunlight or in hot temperatures.
- LiFePO4 batteries can be stored up to a year without significantly affecting their lifespan. However, battery-charge levels should be checked every three months.
RV Battery Maintenance Keeps Your Power Systems Problem Free
Maintaining your RV house batteries is an easy way to maximize their lifespan so you can enjoy the all the amenities your RV’s 12-volt system offers. Not only that, but proper care and maintenance of house batteries helps avoid costly RV technician calls and expensive RV battery replacement.
RV LIFE Maintenance is a handy service that simplifies tracking and scheduling essential RV maintenance specific to your RV. That makes maximizing the lifespan of your RV easier than ever.