JohnG4706
Chicago Area
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I've done a search and am still confused. What do you recommend for a battery? (I know if this was about tires, Maxxis is the choice hands down!) Are there batteries to avoid? I have seen Lifetime, AC Delco, Trojan, Interstate, Optima and GNB Tech Batteries as mfgr's to look at.
Will mostly be using CG's with electrical connections, but will be going to Alaska next year and will probably boondock up to a max of 3 to 4 days before going back to CG's with electrical hookups.
I have read that some of the TT dealers will install the "wrong" type of battery and try to pass it off as a deep cycle battery.
I think I'm leaning to two 12V "Deep Cell" batteries, with the max AH available and will upgrade to a PD9260 converter with the Power Wizard. I think I'm also looking at the flooded battery instead of a sealed or gell unit. If they would fit, I'd go with two Group 27's. If not, the two Grp 24's.
What would you suggest?
Thanks.
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bikendan
Napa, Cal.
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it would help knowing what kind of rig, brand and model.
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JohnG4706
Chicago Area
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I'm looking at getting the Puma 23FB unit. Using a 2008 Sequoia 2WD with a 5.7L and a ProPride WD hitch.
Is that enough info?
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garym114
Bluff Dale, Texas
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Johnson Controls, US Battery, Exide and Trojan are the manufacturers of deep cycle batteries. What you listed are the end retailers that put their labels on.
I use 6v's.
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Some RV batteries live a long and useful life, some are murdered.
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bikendan
Napa, Cal.
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as the previous post said, all batteries here are made by about 4 companies for all the retailers.
the best ones for long term usage, are 2 6v golf cart batteries. you can get good ones at Sam's Club or Costco. Trojans are the best.
but i have 2 deep cycle 12v, for 2 reasons.
one, i need the shorter 12v to fit under my electric tongue jack.
two, if one of my 12v batteries goes bad, i still have 12v power. that won't happen with 6v batteries. one goes bad, you have no power.
yes, dealers will stick the cheapest battery they can find on the trailer. you can ask them to setup a two deep-cycle battery system as part of the deal.
by the way, not sure if they sell the brand you are looking at, but House of Camping in Bridgeview, is an excellent dealer to work with.
we drove from NorCal, because of the deal they gave us and they treated us very well.
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bryanl
Reno, NV
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Joined: 12/25/2003
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find a retailer who sells a lot to folks who use batteries like you and will stand behind what he sells. Then use price, specifications, and warranty as your guide.
For best battery service, put your attention on your converter to make sure it knows about multiple stage charging and has a storage mode that will keep a full charge on the batteries and do something to inhibit sulfation. It is use and maintenance that are the keys to best satisfaction from batteries in RV's.
As far as brands, voltages, types, and the other stuff brought in to solve all battery woes - it can be entertaining but of little value. Look for some measure to support the claim - something pertinent that someone will put their money on (like warranty or manufacturer specifications).
Watch out for the 'true deep cycle 6v golf cart' battery myths and flavors. There is no objective measure to support them and when questions are raised, the discussions often get ugly - and that tells you its more religion than reality.
Bryan
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daveshan
Durango Colrado
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Also check to see if the prorated part of the warranty is based on the sales price or "list price" several people including myself have been nailed when we found out that the ~2 year old battery we paid $100+- for had a list of >$200 which the prorated warranty was based on.
You guessed it, at 50% of list the replacement battery cost exactly what the new one did.
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booster
Minnesota
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If you plan to get 3-4 days of boondocking, unless you have an awful lot of battery capacity, you should go for good deep cycle batteries. As has been mentioned, the 6v golf cart style seem to do the best for most folks, with Trojan being the most popular. You should probably take a good look at how much power you use in a day, and compare to you capacity to see how deep you would have take the batteries down to get the boondocking time you want to have. Although battery life is better and lower drawdowns, like 50%, good, true deep cycle, batteries will survive many, many trips down to 80% DOD. Starting and deep cycle starting batteries will not do nearly as well.
IMO, just ignore the "myth" theories that Bryan puts out there, as he has never given any data to back them up on any of threads he has been on. He is correct on the recommendation to have the best charging system you can find, but don't think that just because a battery has longer warranty, it is a better battery. You can make and replace a cheap battery less expensively than making it good in the first place, and the best quality batteries are the ones that go into tough conditions, like golf carts, where even the best batteries are one year warranty. And as daveshan states, many of the warranties aren't what the appear.
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twodog
arizona
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This link may be helpfull........
http://www.marxrv.com/12volt/12volt.htm#testing
I often return to this site to "remember" things re bttys.
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11Southie
San Diego
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Just chiming in with some experience here, but just sold a 94 Winnie class A and went 7 years with two, group 31 AGM's. No maint, never worried about over charges, and although expensive, I had over a 500 AH rating. We boondock at the desert alot and I ran the inverter, TV's, outdoor lighting and a strobe light all night without ever going a light down on the galley system check monitor during 3 and 4 day weekends. Can't say enough about them and when mine go bad, I'll be buying again!
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