Features > RV Tips > Starting RV Engine Every Couple Weeks
A common method of storing an RV is to park it and either yourself or someone else starts the engine and runs it for awhile every couple of weeks. This is meant to charge up the batteries, let it warm up and do who knows what else.
The fact is that this isn't necessary. Doing this only causes more wear and tear on the engine. You should only start a engine if you are ready to use it. Only start the engine if you are moving it both forwards and backwards. Ask what your dealerships do. They usually start and move cars around every few weeks or months.
Okay, you want to keep the batteries topped off but this isn't the way to do it. It's the most inefficient way to charge a battery. The starting battery will be fine in a few minutes after starting but you are most likely trying to charge the house batteries. Running the engine for a bit in the driveway isn't going to do much at all. You need to be running down the highway for a while to do a good charge from the engine. It is better to either plug in your RV to a hookup or hookup the batteries separately to a battery charger. Or for the best option, you can add solar panels and a good multi-charger to keep them in great shape all the time. We have much more on that in other posts.
What do you think? Do you do this common method and how does it work for you?
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