Winter Storage

[crazbs53]

Hi,
I am about to store my class B camper(1999 Dodge Xplorer)for the winter in Wisconsin. This will be my 3rd winter doing this but the previous 2 winters I have been home. I have stored it covered in my driveway plugged into power and have gone out once a month to start it up, run the generator and move it so the tires can rotate a little. This winter I will be gone for 6 months so I will not be able to do that and it will just be sitting there the whole time. Does anyone have any words of wisdom on the best things to do to prepare for that?

I have already removed everything I can from the camper, drained the water and run antifreeze through the lines, filled the gas tank, added SeaFoam, put mouse deterrent packets around inside, placed mothball cakes in the engine compartment and will be parking it on wood panels so the tires(which will be covered)are not on concrete. Should I remove the batteries (house and engine)? Should I leave it plugged into my house power? Anything extra I should do to the generator (Onan gas generator)? Any help will be appreciated as I am really nervous about leaving it unchecked and untouched over the winter.
Thank you,
Carolyn

[avanti]

1) Ditch the cover. Does more harm than good,
2) Assuming your batteries are FLA, just (a) make sure they are fully-charged and (b) disconnect the grounds. No need to take them inside or to trickle-charge, and the latter carries some risks.
3) Be happy that you will be unable to start the engine. It is far, far better to just let it sleep. I can't speak to the Onan, though.
4) Leave a few windows open just a crack. A little circulation goes a long way.
5) Relax and enjoy your trip. It will be fine.

[drsdig]

I have been leaving my 2000 Xplorer winterized and outdoors for years. I am away for 7 months each year and have very little trouble with it when I return. I once tried covering it, but one severely windy winter, the cover tore and caused more damage than just leaving it uncovered. Since I have no space at home to keep it, it is in an outdoor storage facility, lined up with other RVs. They offer some protection from the wind. My tires are covered and it is parked on gravel. I have not had any more problems with tires and batteries than I would normally have with their age and use.

I think you can leave it without to much concern. Enjoy the time away.

[nicaland]

Make sure and run some of the Seafoam laced fuel in the Onan. Even better, after doing so drain the carb's fuel bowl as well.

[@Michael]

If it were me (in Minnesota or Wisconsin) I would:

• leave the camper plugged in so that the batteries don't self-discharge.
• run the generator for an hour so the seafoam makes it to the carb (@niclan).
• not leave a window open - it'll fill up with snow during the inevitable blizzard. The last time I left a window cracked during a blizzard I had to shovel a couple bushels of snow out of my cargo van.

[nicaland]

I would say that in regard to whether or not you should keep the van plugged in or not, if your converter/charger is as originally installed in your Xplorer, best to follow avanti's suggestion to disconnect the battery grounds and leave it unplugged. The original charger would more than likely in time cook your house batteries. If however the charger section has been replaced with a PD or similar 3 or 4 stage charger I would keep the batteries connected (make sure they are topped off with distilled water) and the van plugged in as per @Michael's suggestion. Alternatively, you could use a small multi-stage trickle charger like what Battery Tender makes (I have been using these to keep up various flooded lead-acid batteries with great success) and just hook it up to your house bank directly. For that matter you could use another one in the same fashion for your chassis battery as well.

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by @Michael

If it were me (in Minnesota or Wisconsin) I would:

• leave the camper plugged in so that the batteries don't self-discharge.
• run the generator for an hour so the seafoam makes it to the carb (@niclan).
• not leave a window open - it'll fill up with snow during the inevitable blizzard. The last time I left a window cracked during a blizzard I had to shovel a couple bushels of snow out of my cargo van.

I (in Minnesota) after storing our Class Bs outside for 12 years got smart and sought a heated garage and eliminated an Onan generator.