Winter covering in wet climate?

ObtuseMoose

Yes, yet another thread about covering! :-)

We live in southwest Oregon and have a new T@B 400 Boondock Lite with the factory solar panels.  I'm really undecided about covering the trailer for the winter. It will be stored on a concrete pad beside the house, open to the sky.  There are no nearby trees or overhanging limbs, so no worries about leaves or sap falling on it.

We don't get much snow at our elevation, but do get plenty of rain and sometimes we're fogged in for weeks at a time.  Winter temperatures usually run in the 20 - 50 degree (F) range, and we sometimes get a week or two with lows in the teens.

My hesitation with covering my T@B is the prolonged moisture.  Really don't want to give mold a chance to get started.  I've actually already acquired one of the Classic Accessories RPod covers that others have said fit the 400 pretty well, and it's supposedly "breathable" to avoid trapping moisture, but I'm still hesitant about using it.

Another reason I'm hesitant is that letting the solar panels keep the batteries topped up seems like it would be a good idea, and covering them would negate that.  I'd really rather not wrestle the 2 batteries out of the T@B if I don't have to.

So I guess I don't really have a specific question.  I think I'm just looking for other's experiences with covering and not covering.  I've read comments on other RV forums that seem to run 50/50 for and against the practice.  Just wondering if the situation is any different with the unique configuration of the T@Bs.

Thanks for any insights or observations.

db_cooper

No problems with mold or mildew using the classic accessories cover here on the Olympic peninsula. Keeps the trailer looking new.  The TV parked outside turns green though. We bought the camper one year old, and it was faded a bit from the previous owners lack of covering. 

 Can't imagine the solar would work as rainy and short as the days are, we just use a battery tender.

N7SHG_Ham

db_cooper said:

 Can't imagine the solar would work as rainy and short as the days are, we just use a battery tender.

I have 2x 80w panels on a utility trailer, I see some charging even on a cloudy rainy day in Oregon. In 13 years I have yet needed to charge the batteries (a pair of Optima deep cycle) with anything but solar.

Michigan_Mike

It sounds like you’ve got the ideal spot to park your trailer.  Since you have it on a pad, protected from any trees or sap, falling objects, etc. you could  position the trailer and panels (as best as possible) in a southerly direction and let Mother Nature keep the batteries charged up.  I would probably unplug the TV or possibly pull some fuses, etc. to minimize any parasitic drain on the batteries as a precaution and periodically check the charge to ensure things are fine when them dark clouds roll in.  

Sharon_is_SAM

@ObtuseMoose, another option with your 2 AGM batteries (which will hold their charge when isolated) is to charge them fully with an AGM specific smart charger, then turn your cut-off switch to OFF, cover the TaB and check your voltage at intervals.  Our AGM went for 4.5 months and was at 99% when we picked it up from storage.  The AGMs hold their charge like crazy if they are fully charged from the get go.  Also, some folks have reported being able to get a trickle charge from mounted solar through a cover, however, you would not even need that.