We are still a few months out from delivery on our already purchased first TT.The dealer emailed me they would swap out a black top battery for a deep cycle one for an upcharge fee. I assume a 'blacktop' is a standard default 'house battery' or marine battery?They said if we plan on doing a lot of dry camping we should get the DC. I can't really say that we will do *a lot* of dry camping but of the few campgrounds we have within an hour from us - some don't have any power and others are a mix of dry & electric sites.We plan on a couple of 5-7 day trips a season to further away campgrounds that will have power; but our plan is to do many local weekenders that - without reservations - may be on non-electric sites.So, if I were do guess I think if might be 60/40 or 70/30 with power.Still go for the DC? After doing a Google search on rv batteries my brain hurts.Deep cycle, marine, glass mat, gel, amp hours, dual 6v, converters, wiring patterns ....ahhhh:SWould one only go with 2x6v's if they constantly boondock?As of now we aren't really ever planning on doing full off grid boondocking.So is that setup overkill for what I need.Finally, I plan on getting a generator. I assume the easiest way to charge the battery is to make sure the genny has an identical 30a outlet that will receive my TT power cord?Unsure of what size genny to get also. Any advice would be appreciated.Thanks

brianosaur wrote:Would one only go with 2x6v's if they constantly boondock?I assume the easiest way to charge the battery is to make sure the gene has an identical 30a outlet that will receive my TT power cord?Unsure of what size gene to get also. Any advice would be appreciated.2x6v would be the minimum for boondocking. Most of us have inverters which can demand a lot from batteries.No, you don't need a 30a socket. Adapters are fine.For your light use I'd suggest a 1000w Honda. Very quiet, very dependable.

My suggestion is don't upgrade the battery with the dealer. Use the money that you would spend and buy better batteries yourself.I just bought my trailer and that's what I am doing. Going with 2 6V Trojan T-105s and 200W of solar.

I would simply ask them WHAT battery they will provide at what upcharge. Then go price it and compare amphours, etc.I normally dry camp. I have a blue top group 34 optima agm battery. I can go 5 days without any drop. I use a fluorescent light in the evening for cooking, preparing for bed, etc. My fridge doesn't use any 12v power. My water pump is on the entire time. I use propane for the water heater. I charge my cell phone and kindle as needed. I do not have a microwave, tv, dvd, hairdryer, toaster, etc. I cook with the propane stove and oven.

So would there ever be a reason NOT to get a DC battery and keep the house marine one?...other than cost?Or for that matter would there ever be a reason NOT to get 2x6v batteries?Even if I have shore power 90% of the time would having a high AH dual 6v setup ever be an issue? Would they last a shorter time if not regularly cycled?

How many nights at a time are you planning to dry camp? For 1, maybe 2 nights a single 12V standard battery would do. I'm running 2 Group 29 batteries, an upgraded converter, and a Honda 2000i generator.

Battery Advice Needed & Charging Questions | Good Sam Community

19 Replies

SoundGuy
Explorer
Oct 20, 2017
brianosaur wrote:
I can't really say that we will do *a lot* of dry camping but of the few campgrounds we have within an hour from us - some don't have any power and others are a mix of dry & electric sites.

We plan on a couple of 5-7 day trips a season to further away campgrounds that will have power; but our plan is to do many local weekenders that - without reservations - may be on non-electric sites.

What you're not mentioning are those times you are camping on an electric site but lose campsite shore power, for whatever reason, and end up dry camping whether you want to or not. Believe it, it happens, so the more prepared you are to run on battery for a day or so the better. It's the reason some of us also install an inverter so we still have some use of 120 vac appliances such as a toaster, coffee maker, fans, etc, even if campsite power is out.

Recognizing that you will at times be camping without shore power from time to time do yourself a favour and cut to the chase now - start with a pair of G31 12 volt batteries wired in parallel OR a pair of GC-2 6 volts wired in series, either combination worth ~ 220AH @ the 20HR rate, half of which is usable if you stick to 50% DOD (depth of discharge). Often the choice between 6s or 12s comes down to what will fit best on the trailer tongue - 6s have the same footprint as a G24 12 volt battery but are taller by about an inch, G31s are not as high but much longer.
allen8106
Explorer
Oct 20, 2017
Just buy two new Crown 6v batteries yourself and install them. Sell the original battery on craigslist or to your neighbor. Your RV dealer is just going to sell you **** because most of their batteries are duel purpose and not true deep cycle batteries.
brianosaur
Explorer II
Oct 13, 2017
time2roll wrote:
Slow down and just take the trailer as is. Better to take some time to plan.

Atlee wrote:
I wouldn't do a battery upgrade with the dealer. Any battery upgrade will be done by me.

Matt_Colie wrote:
Brian,
Don't upgrade with the dealer - ever.
You are new to this, and it sounds like you are not even sure how and when you will use the TT. Wait on everything until you are sure.
When you get the TT, find the converter and come back here for opinions. You will probably want to change it out for a better one.
Score as I see it:
Receive the TT.
Camp a night in the drive way.
Camp our some where and think what you might need.
Camp three more times and get what you know you need.
Come back here for advice on what you are thinking.

All sound advice. Including others not quoted above.
Will take house battery and wait a while before any upgrades.

Good Talk.:)

Thanks
time2roll
Nomad
Oct 13, 2017
'black top' might be a drycell battery for transport only.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Breakaway-Kit/Dexter-Axle/34-285.html
2oldman
Explorer II
Oct 13, 2017
brianosaur wrote:
I assume a 'blacktop' is a standard default 'house battery' or marine battery?
For all I know it's a term for when you're camped on blacktop.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Oct 13, 2017
I would ask him to specify what he's talking about by "Black Top" most batteries have black tops after all.

For house batteries you want a TRUE deep cycle battery.. Of all the batteries out there the best buy in DEEP CYCLE is the Six Volt GC-2 (you need two in series to make a 12 volt battery bank) Two of them in series is about the same as a 4D deep cycle but each of them is half the weight (Means easier to wrangle) and 1/4 the price (Due to the tremendous number of them built)

220 amp ours give or take a bit, at 12 volt.. That is a whole lot of Battery about 1KWH Usable power.
Matt_Colie
Explorer II
Oct 13, 2017
Brian,

Asking these questions is the smart thing to do....

About house batteries:
Don't upgrade with the dealer - ever.

You are new to this, and it sounds like you are not even sure how and when you will use the TT. Wait on everything until you are sure.

The TT will probably be delivered with a junk battery. Just enough so they can say it is included. Real Deep Cycle 12 jars (batteries) are rare and expensive.

When you get the TT, find the converter and come back here for opinions. You will probably want to change it out for a better one.

With generators, the price goes up much faster than the noise goes down. It will take hours to recover the house bank from a day's use, but until you have experience, you can not even guess how much that will be.

Score as I see it:
Receive the TT.
Camp a night in the drive way.
Camp our some where and think what you might need.
Camp three more times and get what you know you need.
Come back here for advice on what you are thinking.

The only thing better than learning from your own mistakes is learning from other people's mistakes. (We all have many to share.)

Matt
Atlee
Explorer II
Oct 13, 2017
I wouldn't do a battery upgrade with the dealer. Any battery upgrade will be done by me.
time2roll
Nomad
Oct 13, 2017
Slow down and just take the trailer as is. Go a few trips with plug-in power and see how it goes. You will have plenty of other stuff to sort out before you go off grid. Better to take some time to plan.
DownTheAvenue
Explorer
Oct 13, 2017
This sounds like a dealer rip off to me. Ask them exactly what is the "black top" battery. Get the make and model number of that battery. I bet it is a combination marine starting and deep cell battery. Ask them how much rebate can you expect if you do not want any battery. If they say zero, then just take what ever they supply. Use it. If it is not satisfactory, then upgrade to 2 Trojan T105 6 volt golf cart batteries.