Battery question
 

Hubby disconnected battery from the charger to check the voltage and the water level. Voltage was good at 13.1. Found a thin layer of ice on the battery cells. Will this be harmful in any way? When we are done with the restoration will we will take the battery out and store in our heated home. Frozen water then the rest is distilled water in the deep cycle battery. This is the first winter we have left the battery in.

Frozen water ON the cells shouldn't be harmful, but ideally, the tops of the batteries should be dry. Water itself though is not a good conductor, so if it's just frozen "dew", there's no likely hood that the batteries are shorted from post to post.

However, if it's battery acid that has "boiled" out of the battery and is coating the top, that can and will short the battery. It won't freeze easily though.

The 13.1V that was measured sounds like a "surface" charge state. After about 6 hours (disconnected from the charger), check the no-load voltage again. If the battery is fully charged, it should be about 12.7V.

- Jack

Battery
 

Hubby read your post and he thinks we are fine. We are pluged into electric and the converter. Thanks for taking the time to reply.