valhalla360
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Campinfan wrote:I do not boondock but the battery is used to run my inverter to power my residential fridge when driving. I know the truck supplies the power when driving. I guess if it will fit in the box, I will go a little bigger. and thanks for the MCA definition.
Is this the starting battery for a motorhome/truck or is it the house battery for a trailer (or non-engine loads in a motorhome)?
I'm guessing since you mention the fridge, it's the house battery.
A few clarifications:
- CCA and MCA are all about starting the engine. Overly simplified, if you ask the battery to put out as many amps as possible, this is how much it will put out. A big diesel often comes with 2 batteries as it takes a lot more amps to spin the engine fast enough to generate compression ignition vs a gas engine that relies on a spark to ignite the fuel/air mixture. This can easily be in the hundreds of amps.
- Amp-Hour rating is how long the battery can output power (at an assumed amperage, though much lower than the amperage for starting a truck engine). This would be a good estimate for how long it could run something like a fridge that might be drawing 10amps but for a long time.
- Then you have starting, marine and deep cycle batteries. This is the internal structure of the battery. Starting batteries use many thin lead plates as more surface area generates more amps. Deep cycle batteries use fewer thicker plates as thicker plates can hold more stored energy. Marine (aka: Combo) are generally starting batteries that have been relabeled starting batteries that have a wing nut attachment on the studs. It's almost impossible to find true deep cycle 12v batteries. Usually, people will get 6v golf cart batteries and wire them in series to generate 12 if they really want deep cycle.
For your use, the $4 upgrade is probably fine but don't expect much difference in amp-hr. Reality is your truck will keep the battery topped up and the battery will power the inverter, so it doesn't make much difference. For that use, I typically buy the cheapest battery available as there is negligible difference.
If you start boondocking more (aka: no shore power), that's when bigger and better battery banks become useful.
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wa8yxm
Davison Michigan (East of Flint)
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Group24 is about 75 AH give or take a few
Group 27 is the low side of 100
Group 29 is the high side of 100
Group 31 is about 130
You may safely use about 1/4 of a MARINE/deep cycle type battery
GC-2.. I a six volt golf car battery that is about the same size as a Group 24 but a bit taller.. If you have the room then-{6v}+-{6V}+==12 volts at 220 amp hours (Give or take) and you can safely use about half.
LiFePO4.. Not sure how many amp hours they can put in a 24 size (Guessing abourt 100) and of those 100 you can use 90-95 Man need a different converter however.
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wowens79
Georgia
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I use 2 GC2 (golf cart) batteries. They are 6 volt and a true deep cycle battery. They are also more durable if they get ran down. I run a resi fridge and do not boondock.
The truck does charge the battery on the road, but I don’t think it supplies as much power as the fridge uses. The 2 gc2 batteries have held up to a 16 hr drive.
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theoldwizard1
SE MI
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valhalla360 wrote:
A few clarifications:
- CCA and MCA are all about starting the engine.
CCA- Cold Cranking Amps (tested at 0°F)
MCA - Marine Cranking Amps
Useless information for your application.
valhalla360 wrote:
- Amp-Hour rating is how long the battery can output power (at an assumed amperage, though much lower than the amperage for starting a truck engine). This would be a good estimate for how long it could run something like a fridge that might be drawing 10amps but for a long time.
Amp-hour is the "best" information you will get (the testing method is convoluted) when trying to compare to different batteries for your application.
valhalla360 wrote:
- Then you have starting, marine and deep cycle batteries. This is the internal structure of the battery. Starting batteries use many thin lead plates as more surface area generates more amps. Deep cycle batteries use fewer thicker plates as thicker plates can hold more stored energy. Marine (aka: Combo) are generally starting batteries that have been relabeled starting batteries that have a wing nut attachment on the studs. It's almost impossible to find true deep cycle 12v batteries. Usually, people will get 6v golf cart batteries and wire them in series to generate 12 if they really want deep cycle.
They also charge more for a Marine/RV battery "just because".
As stated, the "best bang for the buck" is a pair of 6V golf cart batteries. GC2 golf cart batteries typically deliver about 225 Ah. They will tolerate more charge/discharge cycles than starting batteries.
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Bottom line, the OPs post makes no sense unless he’s not talking about the camper in his sig.
1 group 24 battery would barely put the 4 slides out and jacks down. If at all.
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Veebyes
Bermuda & Maryland Eastern Shore
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Cram as many amps of battery bank in the space provided as possible.
That means doing some measurement of battery case size & seeing what will fit.
Typical case sizes are group 24, group 27, group 31, 4D and 8D. Each is larger than the next. An 8D is what you would see for starting large machines, or the marine version deep cycle onboard boast as 'house' batteries.
As pointed out a single group 24 is basically a waste of time. Good enough for a very small 'teardrop' sized trailer maybe.
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valhalla360
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Veebyes wrote:Cram as many amps of battery bank in the space provided as possible.
That means doing some measurement of battery case size & seeing what will fit.
Typical case sizes are group 24, group 27, group 31, 4D and 8D. Each is larger than the next. An 8D is what you would see for starting large machines, or the marine version deep cycle onboard boast as 'house' batteries.
As pointed out a single group 24 is basically a waste of time. Good enough for a very small 'teardrop' sized trailer maybe.
Since the OP isn't boondocking, just get the cheapest battery. If it's $4 to upgrade to group 27,OK but don't spend a lot of money on something you won't utilize.
The truck umbilical cord will handle the fridge and other power draws while running down the road. The battery really only needs to run the trailer brakes in the event of an emergency where the trailer becomes disconnected from the truck or to run the jack to disconnect before plugging into shore power once at a campsite.
PS: 8D batteries are almost never used as house batteries in boats or RVs. They are simply too big and awkward for normal humans to move. If you want a big house bank and don't want to go with lithium, the standard is 6v golf cart batteries. But again, this is all massive overkill for the OP who isn't boondocking.
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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^Very informative response!
I’ll add, I don’t think a couple GC2s is overkill at all.
If you look up the OPs trailer, she’s a bigun!
Alternatively, 1 little group 24 battery (like in the kids 6 banger commuter car), it’s amazing it carries enough juice to even setup and break down the trailer. There is certainly no tangible reserve capacity there for virtually anything. It must come straight off the umbilical cord after it’s hooked to the truck and right back on the cord as soon as the truck gets shifted into park at the rv site.
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Veebyes
Bermuda & Maryland Eastern Shore
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valhalla360 wrote:Veebyes wrote:Cram as many amps of battery bank in the space provided as possible.
That means doing some measurement of battery case size & seeing what will fit.
Typical case sizes are group 24, group 27, group 31, 4D and 8D. Each is larger than the next. An 8D is what you would see for starting large machines, or the marine version deep cycle onboard boast as 'house' batteries.
As pointed out a single group 24 is basically a waste of time. Good enough for a very small 'teardrop' sized trailer maybe.
Since the OP isn't boondocking, just get the cheapest battery. If it's $4 to upgrade to group 27,OK but don't spend a lot of money on something you won't utilize.
The truck umbilical cord will handle the fridge and other power draws while running down the road. The battery really only needs to run the trailer brakes in the event of an emergency where the trailer becomes disconnected from the truck or to run the jack to disconnect before plugging into shore power once at a campsite.
PS: 8D batteries are almost never used as house batteries in boats or RVs. They are simply too big and awkward for normal humans to move. If you want a big house bank and don't want to go with lithium, the standard is 6v golf cart batteries. But again, this is all massive overkill for the OP who isn't boondocking.
If all the OP has is what is needed to be plugged in all the time, no, he will not be doing any dry camping if the need or desire is ever to do so.
As far as 4D and 8D batteries go, I currently use a 4D AGM in the 5er.
Used to have a boat, single diesel engine, that had a single 8D for starting and house use, though it was not an overnighting boat. A friend had a 65' motor yacht that had six 8D AGM battery bank.
The beauty of the 4D and 8D is that you don't have all of those connections, potential problems, to maintain.
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LouLawrence
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My last coach used 4 group 31 as the starting batteries (wired for 24V) and 4-8D as the hose batteries. My current coach has the same starting battery setup and 8-4D batteries. They certainly are used where the situation calls for it.
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