[A/S] Battery Maintenance

["Terry Tyler" <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Max,

As full timers, we replaced our marine batteries in July 2005 for 
second time in 16 years.  When we traded trailers a few years back, we 
kept our old batteries figuring their history was known. The batteries 
in the "new to us" Airstream were NOT a matched pair and therefore 
"suspect."

Also, I found that marine batteries purchased in towns beside big lakes 
with a concentration of fisherman have worked better for me than those 
purchased at inland stores.

Over the years, we occasionally use FHU sites - generally while 
attending Airstream rallies or when inadvertently surprised by freezing 
weather. The rest of the time we're off grid. Four 75 watt solar panels 
keep both sealed batteries charged. An inverter is used for strictly 
110 volt appliances.

According to our "solar guard" gauge, the batteries are almost always 
at or above 13.75 volts by mid morning. On mornings after we had 
retired early the previous night, the reading is higher - usually 
13.90+. I've not seen the gauge higher than 14.00 volts and not lower 
than 12.25 volts, except once after playing Mexican Train Dominoes with 
friends late into the night on BLM land at Quartzite.

I don't know the exact reading to indicate when batteries are being 
overcharged, but I doubt our batteries would have lasted this long had 
that occurred. Someone on this list will have that data readily 
available.

Max, you might want to install a digital meter and know what's going on 
with your batteries. Or not. Not everyone has a need to know such 
things. We have friends with a cavalier attitude toward their batteries 
and they enjoy the full timers lifestyle with gusto.

Terry
'89 32' Excella - 4 solar panels with solar guard and inverter
'67 22' Safari - 2 solar panels with solar guard and inverter
'63 22' Flying Cloud - refurbishing in progress