Sprinter Van Side Steps

Cold Weather Maintenance

• You can discharge (take energy out) of the batteries down to a battery core temperature of -4 degrees F.
• You can recharge lithium batteries when the core temp of the battery is 32 degrees F or warmer (41 degrees or warmer for Victron batteries. Victron is listed in C, this is 5 Degrees C)
• If your batteries have heaters, do not leave the heaters on all night unless you are plugged into shore power, as you will use unneeded energy.
• If your batteries have heaters, but there is no way to charge (not plugged into shore power, no generator available, solar panels are covered in snow), turn your heaters off.
• If you do not have heaters, your batteries MUST be warmer then 32 degrees F to charge (41 degrees for Victron).
• Some battery heater installations do not feature a switch for remote operation. If that is the case, your heaters will turn on and off automatically as temperatures demand. Please keep an eye on your battery state of charge.
• If you are not using your trailer / RV etc. for the winter, ensure your batteries are above 80% state of charge, and disconnect the master Negative cable from the batteries. If you have Battle Born heated batteries (BB12100H) disconnect the “heat enabled” wire from the small red button terminal located right beside the positive terminal.
• Many customers have main disconnect switches that will cut the power to the batteries, but you should take extra care that they are TRULY disconnected. Often RVs will still have a C02 sensor, backlit stereo, or some other emergency sensor that is bypassing this switch. If you are in doubt, simply disconnect the main positive and negative wires that supply your batteries. After the winter storage time, you should have plenty of charge in the batteries.
• With LiFePO4 batteries, we recommend disconnecting all potential power draws from the battery and letting them sit with a full charge, or at least a 50% charge minimum. On a full charge, LiFePO4 batteries have been proven to last at least a year in proper storage conditions with a 2–3% depletion each month. If left at a half charge, the batteries have the potential to not last as long in storage.
• Tests indicate that at 0 degrees Fahrenheit, with no insulation, the Battle Born internal heater is on about 30% of the time. With no external charging or loads, it gives approximately 185 hours (7 days) of heat capability before the battery goes into a low voltage disconnect.
• If the batteries are stored without a charge, their levels could dip below what the internal Battery Management System, or BMS, can protect over the winter season. If possible, we recommend storing them fully charged in an environment above freezing. Our team recommends not leaving a completely drained battery in that state for an extended amount of time, as it can damage the cells inside. Doing so will void the warranty!
• If you do find yourself with batteries that are too cold to charge, you have a couple of options:
• Bring the batteries into a warm space or park your vehicle indoors
• Run a space heater (use caution) inside your vehicle to warm the batteries up. DO NOT use power from the batteries ie. Your inverter, to power the heater. Run an extension cord from your house to the vehicle and plug the heater into your home.
• If your batteries are above 60% state of charge, and you can confirm there is no load on the batteries (verify though your shunted meter, you should see 0.0A / 0W load), you can safely leave your batteries for 90 days without worry.
• LEAVING A LITHIUM BATTERY IN A FULLY DISCHARGED STATE WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY!!!!
• When in doubt, remove your batteries and bring them into us to be fully charged and ready for storage. This will take 24-48 hours. TAKE PICTURES OF YOUR SYSTEM BEFORE DISCONNECTING ANY WIRING. We are not liable, nor can we assist with “I forgot where this wire goes”. That is your responsibility.

We do not install customer supplied parts or items purchased through our website. All items for your installation must be purchased through Bend Battery's retail location with guidance by a technician.

All of our clients are saved into our computer system under their first and last name so you do not need to keep your receipt. If you for any reason have lost your receipt and would like another copy, please email us with the first and last name you used during purchase and we would be happy to email you a copy.

The VictronConnect App allows you to wirelessly monitor your system and recieve a wealth of information about your voltage, current, state of charge, load output, load current, solar production and much more. Below is a link to Victron Energy's Youtube channel as well as their manual on their website which gives you step by step instructions and explanations of each feature. Once you get the hang of the basic features, you will be amazed at how much information about your system is right at your fingertips. If you are still struggling, please email us at bendbattery@gmail.com for further assitance.

VictronConnect Manual

VictronEnergy Youtube Channel

We are open Monday-Friday 10AM-2PM for walk in customers. The rest of our day is dedicated to one-on-one appointments with clients. We reserve the weekend for our team to get out, enjoy life and recharge their own batteries so they can be ready to help you with all your questions when they return on Monday.

We do not fix cell phones, cameras or laptops. Please look for a local repair shop that specializes in small electronics to assist you.

We do not sell golf carts. We exclusively sell Trojan and LifeLine batteries for drop in replacement batteries. We also make custom replacement cables made of USA made welding cable, a 16 ton 6 way hydraulic crimp press and double walled heat shrink for the ultimate connection and protection from the environment. We do not provide any other services or maintenance packages for golf carts.