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RV Tips : Batteries 101

There is nothing more frustrating than hoping in the drivers seat, straping yourself in, turning the key, and....

Keeping you batteries charged is a necessity of RV travel. Not understanding the importance and steps to take to keep them charged can leave your RV at a stand still.

Load testing can be very complicated, or very easy. Testing your RV Batteries under no load with an inactive battery means very little. However, a battery under standard load will give a true reading at testing time. Here are some ideas for managing your RV batteries.

Measurements are usually made with small digital voltmeters. It is generally useful to take 3-4 readings to verify the loads and charges.

Take the first reading under no load, an example of a reading might be 12.20 VDC. The next reading should be under minimal load for a short period of time, an example reading may be   11.80V; this includes having a few interior lights on in the RV. The third reading should take place after a longer period of almost 1/2 hour. You should see a slight vaiance in the reading, such as 11.80 V. The final reading should be done after the generator has kicked in and the charger is building charge in the RV battery. This reading should be higher than the others since the battery is getting some assistance from the devices. An example reading would be 13.30V - this includes with and without any load (lights on or off).

There are many battery testers on the market, the one we've found helpful is listed here at Harbor Freight. The problem I have found with load testers is that they tell you how the battery sustained that one load, but don't give you a hint about the next time a load is put on the battery. Even a 1 volt drop under load means it may take many hours of charging with a basic charger to get the battery back up to full charge.