Trailer Battery Replacement: When Is It Time to Change Your Camper's Battery?

The open road means miles of farmland or flat plains. You love the freedom of taking your camper up and down the highway, or through the mountains. The last thing you want is to get stranded, with a car camper. Then you need to call for roadside assistance.

Despite what you desire, batteries can die easily. We want to help you avoid these potential pitfalls and to know when you need to buy replacements. Any safe driver can learn how to maintain their batteries, both when driving or not driving.

If you drive a camper or RV, you need to make sure your batteries are working. This is especially important for the winter time when batteries are more than likely to run down than during other seasons.

RV Batteries

RVs, campers, and trailers all use deep-cycle batteries. These batteries are meant to last for several years, provided that you charge them regularly. You measure their power in amp hours or reserve capacity. AH and RC measurements are different units, so when purchasing batteries, make sure that you only compare AH and RC amounts separately.

Batteries can either be flooded or regulated lead, gel type, or absorbed glass mat. AGM batteries are the hardest to find, while lead is the most common.

How to Measure Camper Batteries Charge

Ideally, you want to run down your batteries to 50% before needing to charge them. It can be hard to evaluate when they get to that point. Many of our batteries come with portable chargers, and some RVs will have a plug that you can use at designated stations.

Several tools can help you measure your battery charges. There are expensive meters that will check your voltage. The voltage runs the risk of being inaccurate.

If your battery is unsealed, you can measure specific gravity, which is more accurate. For a sealed battery, measure voltage six hours after removing the battery from the RV for the best measurement.

When Do Your Batteries Need Replacing?

If your batteries are under or over-charged, then they will die in less than two to three years. Obviously, you would rather make sure that they last for as long as possible, to reduce your costs on vehicle maintenance.

Overcharging is tricky. When the battery reaches one hundred percent, a trickle charge emerges that can damage the battery’s capacity. That can mean it takes longer to hold a normal charge.

If your battery dies too many times, it won’t be able to hold a charge. This can happen in the winter, or if you’re not driving that much. Not using your batteries means that they go flat. Obviously not what you want. Or it can happen if you simply forget to charge it or try to run it down on purpose. Many circumstances can kill an RV battery or permanently damage it.

Also, you should check your batteries every two to three years. That is the best way to evaluate their health honestly, because if you are taking good care of your batteries, then they should last their natural lifespan.

Find Out More From PS Janitorial

Performance Janitorial is happy to outfit you with all the lithium and cell batteries that you need for the season. We will also provide tips and any equipment we have on hand to ensure that your camper will drive for a long time.

Reach out to us today. We will be very happy to help, to keep you on the road for a long time.