New Owner - Used 176

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   Thanks Jato. That's pretty impressive battery life for 10 year old batteries.
I had pretty low expectations for batteries sitting in my case, but I was probably biased as most of my experience for seasonally used battteries was based on 6v motorcycle batteries and they have a pretty short life if not managed closely.

Side question, but I note that my shore power cord has a 20amp plug on the shore end. I would have guessed that it would be 30amp plug just like on the rv end but maybe in the early 2010's they came with a 20amp? Anyways, it easier for plugging in at home but I assume that a 30 amp adapter would be useful for campground usage. 

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Rpod_North Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 12 Dec 2020 Online Status: Offline Posts: 12	Topic: New Owner - Used 176 Posted: 16 Dec 2020 at 4:07pm
	Thanks Jato. That's pretty impressive battery life for 10 year old batteries. I had pretty low expectations for batteries sitting in my case, but I was probably biased as most of my experience for seasonally used battteries was based on 6v motorcycle batteries and they have a pretty short life if not managed closely. Side question, but I note that my shore power cord has a 20amp plug on the shore end. I would have guessed that it would be 30amp plug just like on the rv end but maybe in the early 2010's they came with a 20amp? Anyways, it easier for plugging in at home but I assume that a 30 amp adapter would be useful for campground usage.

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 16 Dec 2020 at 6:05pm
	Contrary to popular belief cold is good for batteries. They are filled with sulfuric acid and constantly chemically corroding from day one. Chemical reactions are accelerated dramatically at higher temps. So if you live in the UP of MI you will get much longer battery life than if you live in FL or AZ. The reason batteries tend to ultimately die in cold weather is because the chemical reactions which release energy from them are slowed down then as well. So batteries age in hot weather but tend to die in the cold. Bottom line is, don’t expect long battery life in a warmer climate. And the idea that placing batteries on concrete is bad is a myth. If you really have a 25 amp connector on your cable then it’s only good for 25A, not 30. You don’t want to run 30A through it via an adapter, it can overheat. Get a proper 30A cable and connector.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Rpod_North Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 12 Dec 2020 Online Status: Offline Posts: 12	Posted: 16 Dec 2020 at 8:20pm
	Batteries dying in the cold weather around the first few cold snaps is a common experience so people have probably naturally inferred that cold is bad without realizing that heat is what ages them. Good information to know that isn't the case. There is indeed a three pin connector on one end of the cable, which was somewhat surprising as mentioned. May have been more common back then or an option if some people thought they would plugged into standard outlets at home or at the lake most often? I have no idea though, just guessing.

JR Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 31 Aug 2018 Location: Manistee, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 343	Posted: 17 Dec 2020 at 8:25am
	Double check to ensure that an adaptor is not installed on the shore power end of your shore power cord. If that cord is heavy (10 gauge wire) "I think" that your trailer is wired for 30 amp service which you should definitely verify. The adaptors that allow a 30 amp shore power cord to be plugged into a 20 amp home outlet can be very deceiving a "look" like they are part of the shore power cord when in fact the adaptor is removable. Hope this helps
	Jay 179/2019

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 17 Dec 2020 at 10:15am
	JR has a good point. To be clear, an adapter like he is describing which goes from a lower rated receptacle to a higher rated cable is safe. You might trip a breaker using it but it won’t catch fire. An adapter that takes a higher rated receptacle to a lower rated cable is unsafe because the breaker on that circuit may not trip before the cable overheats.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold