December RV Q&A by Mark Polk

*NOTE: At Mark's discretion, material might be edited to suit a wide audience. Due to the large volume of material and correspondence we receive, individual replies might not be possible, nor can we acknowledge receipt of submitted material. Selected questions will be answered in future issues of our RV Education 101 newsletter and on our site. Thank-you for your understanding.

Q. Mark, I stumbled on your web site and was impressed with the information. My question relates to batteries and equalization. Is equalization covered in your DVD? ....if so which one?

Mark Says: I discuss equalization in my Deep Cycle Battery DVD on a brief to moderate scale. Basically equalizing is an overcharge performed on a flooded lead acid battery after it has been fully charged. It reverses the buildup of negative chemical effects like stratification, a condition where acid concentration is greater at the bottom of the battery than at the top. After charging a battery you can set the battery charger on equalizing voltage and charge it again. The battery will begin to gas and bubble vigorously. Test the specific gravity every hour. Equalization is complete when the specific gravity readings no longer rise during the gassing stage.

The reason I don't cover equalizing more in depth is because I recommend using a product called The Battery Minder. The Battery Minder charges, maintains and conditions the batteries and will never over charge them and it prevents sulfation. If a battery is not recharged the sulfate material that attaches to the discharged portions of the plates begins to harden into crystals. Over time this sulfate cannot be converted back into active plate material and the battery is ruined. Sulfation is the number one cause of battery failure. With this product you really don't need to be concerned with equalization.

Q. I'd like to learn more about waterless batteries for RV's. Both 12 & 6 volt deep-cycle. I live in the So Calif. desert and also this summer while traveling in Utah, Montana, Idaho, & Washington State I was too frequently finding that I had to add water to my 12 volt deep cycle batteries. I need to buy new batteries and would also like to change over to the 6 volt golf cart type as I understand they give better service. What brands do you recommend? Do the 6 volt type have any advantages over the 12 volt deep cycle. Do 6 volt batteries come in a waterless format?

Mark Says: Under your conditions it would be beneficial to look into Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries for your RV. AGM technology uses a fibrous mat between the plates that is 90% soaked in electrolyte. They are virtually leak proof, don't need to be watered and for the most part are maintenance free. They are more expensive than a standard lead acid battery, but can be worth the cost.

Six volt batteries are true deep cycle batteries with thicker plates and better separators than a 12 volt marine/RV type battery. I personally recommend Trojan deep cycle batteries. Here is a link with more information.
http://www.trojan-battery.com/ProductLiterature/pdf/vrla_sellsheet.pdf

Q.Dear Mark: I thoroughly enjoy your videos. Especially since I can go back and see them again as a reminder. I have just done that with the Winterizing & Storing Your RV. I have only had my Coachmen Leprechaun for 3 years and prior to that a Coleman Pop-up for 30 years, so I am learning all over again. In your video you mention removing the in-line water filter under the sink and using a by-pass hose. Does that mean that the filter can be used for more than one season? If so, do you recommend any special treatment of the filter over the winter?

When I took delivery on our new Leprechaun, I was first intimidated with its 31'. However, once I got home with it, I watched your Class C Rental/Owner video again and knew I had ordered the right coach. Your video was a significant part of my education with my new Class C. I have ordered other titles of yours and I learn a lot from each. Thanks for being the teacher and thanks to Dawn as well.

Mark Says: Thanks for writing and I'm glad to hear our products have been helpful. Most water filter manufacturers recommend changing filters annually, but the water filter in an RV won't normally get used as much as one in your house. If the filter still has some useful life remove it and store it where it can't freeze until you re-install it next spring.

If you know the filter manufacturers name it might be helpful to look the company up on the Internet and see what procedures they recommend for storing a used filter.

Copyright 2007 by Mark J. Polk owner of RV Education 101

RV Expert Mark Polk, seen on TV, is the producer & host of America's most highly regarded series of DVD's, videos, books, and e-books. http://www.rveducation101.com/