The RV battery is the core component of the RV electrical system. If the engine is the heart of the RV, then the RV battery is the key component to activate the heart. Not only that, the RV battery will continue to power many electrical appliances and safety and comfort systems during driving, such as RV headlights, RV car audio and electric heated seats, etc. How to maintain the RV battery in winter?
Low temperature RV batteries are so fragile. Generally, the best temperature for RV batteries is 25°C, and when the temperature drops by 1°C, the available capacity of the RV battery will decrease by about 0.8%, and the capacity will decrease when the temperature rises. recovery.
1. The RV is harder than usual to start
If there are no other factors, if you suddenly find that the RV is difficult to start, it may be a sign that the battery is about to die. Of course, there is another situation in winter, which is the so-called difficulty in cold start in winter. It depends on whether your RV is a new RV or it is almost at the end of the battery life.
2. When idling, the headlights become "candles"
For example, when you are waiting at a red light or temporarily parking your RV, you suddenly find that your headlights suddenly dim. This is because the charging power of the engine decreases when idling. If the battery of the RV is not strong at this time, and at the same time it is necessary to supply power to the electrical equipment in the RV, the power distribution of the headlights outside the RV will drop significantly.
3. The RV battery fault warning light is on
4. Abnormal sound when starting
Due to the weak discharge capacity of the RV battery, the starter is running poorly and squeaks. This situation is especially obvious at low temperatures. Because the weather is cold, the activity of the RV battery will also decrease, and the situation will improve after the weather gets warmer. disappear, so many RV owners don't care.
5. Observe port changes
There is a viewing port on many maintenance-free RV batteries. There is a light showing whether the RV battery is working well. Green means it is good, and black means that the RV battery needs to be replaced. However, some RV owners report that this light is unreliable. Start the RV, let's use it as a reference.
6. The RV battery is bulging and leaking
Here it mainly depends on whether the RV battery is leaking or bulging. If such a situation occurs, it should be replaced in time. Such a situation will not only bring about problems with the life of the RV battery, but even have certain safety hazards.
7. Voltage changes before and after starting
The normal voltage of the RV battery is about 12V, and after starting, the voltage will increase to about 13-14V due to the charging of the generator. Many RVs have the function of voltage detection. Paying attention to the voltage before and after starting is also a good means to judge the life of the RV battery. If it is lower than 12V when the RV is not started or lower than 13V after starting, you should consider whether there is a problem with the RV battery.
1. Before parking the RV, turn off the lights and air conditioner
There are also many people who tend to ignore the air conditioning system. After the engine is turned off, the air conditioner remains on. Although there is no energy, the air conditioner cannot be started, but when we start the RV again, the air conditioner will automatically run. This is a load on the battery. Very large, it will also affect the life of the battery.
2. Before turning off the engine, close the car window
The windows and sunroof of the RV are powered by the battery, so it is best to close all the windows before turning off the engine, not after turning off the engine, or even close the windows by pressing and holding the RV lock button after leaving the RV.
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