Marianna, 14+V is not unusual for initial charging of a battery bank.
Just a Crow's opine...... I've probably ruined more batteries by continual charging (even with a modern, electronic, multi stage charger that 'conditions' the batteries than I have by letting them rest and charging them periodically. A big fat clue that you are over charging the batteries is that you needed to add water to them and there was moisture around them when you checked. Plug in and forget is not, in my opine, a great idea except for batteries used in uninterruptible power or emergency applications. The downside is that you end up replacing burned out batteries a bit quicker than if they are periodically cycled.
The batteries in our View will go 6 - 8 weeks (but I usually do 5-6 weeks) without charging. They are called 'STORAGE' batteries for a reason. The State of Charge (SoC) when I begin to charge them is about 85 - 90%,
Almost always.... you need to have the "Master Electrical System" ON when plugged into shore power. Your RV may be different but all of mine required the MES to be ON if you are charging on shore power or the generator.
Yes. Do check the build sheet to determine what converter/charger you have. For quite a few years Views/Itascas use a Progressive Dynamics PD-9245 converter charger. It's a pretty good one with multi-stage charging and a maintaining cycle. Good stuff. OTH, a careful read of the operations manual for the PD-9245 shows that it will 'maintain' the batteries every 21 hours (after they reach full charge) on shore or genny power. That means that once a day your batteries are being 'maintained' . Again, just a Crows opine..... modern batteries are NOT your GrandPaps or your Daddy's battery that powered up his 54 DeSoto or tached up the old Buick Deuce and a Quarter. Modern batteries are built on a razor thin scale balancing materials and power production and longevity. Maybe the old Prestone or Delco of days gone by could handle a 21 hours cycle repeatedly but the new ones probably don't and won't. So, be gentle when charging these puppies.
Like very living thing... they need to 'rest'.
For your information (in case you can't sleep at night!!!!) here's a link to the Progressive Dynamics PD9245 "Charge Wizard' page. The graphs, RECHARGE PROFILE & RECHARGE CURVES) will help you understand how almost all modern converter/chargers work. Of particular interest will be the length of time it takes to 'fully' charge a battery when 50% depleted. Next, how the rates of charge change over that period of time to protect the battery; and the Recharge curve which shows you how the applied voltage varies over time for the various charging modes.....
https://www.progressivedyn.com/rv/charge-wizard/
Most chargers work in a similar fashion.... so the curves are sort of a 'school solution' if you will.
Last point... some basic, old school chemistry here. You need to add a touch of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to the water you are using to clean the OUTSIDE of the batteries, connections and surrounding areas. Yes, just snag a bit from that good old box of Arm & Hammer in the kitchen!!! Sodium bicarb will neutralize the acid in the splashes and moisture on and around the battery. DO NOT! LIKE NEVER EVER!!!! get the bicarb INTO the battery.
And last, Crow being a 'safety man'.... says always...always.... always wear good eye protection when messing with these batteries. A freaky splatter in the eye and you are in deep trouble.
Ok last point.... (I lied about the above being last point!) Our RV is not continually on shore power. I make it a habit to open the coach door and turn the Master Electrical Switch ON. I immediately go to the 'One Place Panel' that displays the tank levels, LP level and the battery State of Charge. I check the state of charge on both the chassis and coach batteries. Usually they are about 12.3-4 in the summer after sitting for a month to 6 weeks and down to about 12.2ish in the winter in 30-25F weather. When you go to shore power or the genny, the voltage (SoC) will slowly rise as the charger begins to 're-fill' the batteries. Tells you two things.... you know what the battery bank's SoC is... about 80-90% AND that the charger is working as it pulls the SoC up. (Note: Shore and genny will only charge the coach battery bank!!!! so it should start to rise while the chassis battery does not. That's normal.
It is also a good idea to check the SoC before you fire up the coach if you are not on shore or on the genny for awhile. Like when you move it out of the shelter. Check the SoC when you open it up as above. Start the engine and then go back to check the SoC. You should see it begin to rise as the engine's alternator is re-filling bot the chassis and coach batteries.
I hope this helps...