wi_rver
Fond du Lac,WI
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Articles on winterizing suggest pulling the coach and chassis batteries. However, they also suggest running the generator once a month with a load on it, like the AC, to keep it in shape.
Is it okay to run the generator without the coach batteries?
Thanks
David Havard
Fond du Lac, WI
32' 1996 Damon Ultrasport
P-30 Chevy Chassis with 454 CID V-8
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dhamblet
Olympia, WA
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Yes.
2005 Dutchmen 35SRV, Pergo floor, 5th Airborne, JT Strong Arm, Kodiak Disk Brakes, Backup camera
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johntank
Oxford, Ms 38655 USA
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dhamblet wrote:Yes.
Agreed, just put a load of some type on the genny I have found that a 500W work light will do a good job or as said run the AC.
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Kirk
Livingston, Texas.
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It would not harm anything to do that, but since the generator gets power to the starter from the coach battery, I'm not quite sure how you would start it?
If your batteries are properly serviced when you put it away, it would be just fine to leave them in place. I would lift the negative cable from each battery to insure that nothing draws any current from them and I would also make sure that the batteries were fully charged by using a separate battery charger to bring them to full charge before shutting down. You could even use that battery charger as a part of the load when you run the genset each month.
Good travelin! ........Kirk
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wi_rver
Fond du Lac,WI
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Good point. I didn't think of needing the coach battery in place to start the generator.
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Deen
Vancouver, WA
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Some of the invertes and converters require the batteries to be in the circuit to dampen surges. OP. you might want to read the owners manual or contact the inverter/converter manufacturer.
Deen - Vancouver, WA
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whiteeye42
USA
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I have never understood why you need to run the gen set once a month i have never started mine in the ten years i have owned it and it has run just fine. Another thing do you think that when all the gen sets are in the warehouse that someone goes around once a month and starts them all i don't think so.
* This post was
edited 10/22/08 07:31pm by whiteeye42 *
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dbates
Marion, Indiana
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Since my converter does not charge the chassis battery I installed a Schumacher battery trickle charger for it and have left the MH plugged in 24-7 for two years (with all batteries remaining in place) with no ill effects on either the house or chassis batteries (house batteries are 6.5 years old, are marine batteries and chassis battery is also 6.5 years old).
Most everything I read on this & other forums say to exercise the generator, not only for the engines sake but for the generator itself. (Click HERE for a very good explanation of why). Other than a couple of power outages at home we seldom use the generator (don’t boondock) so in the summer I use the AC and in the winter I use an electric heater for load. I run mine for 2 hours about every other month (they say it should be done monthly). In the 3.5 years I’ve had the MH I’ve had no problems with starting or running the generator.
Dave
Plus New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island & Nova Scotia
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