Hi All- We'll be caravaning cross country in February with friends who have a new Forest River Heritage Glen with a residential fridge. We like to stay at Cracker Barrels en route, but I'm not sure there trailer will have adequate batteries for a night in February without hookups. I know it has 2 batteries, but have no clue what the amp rating would be on them, or whether they are 12 volt or 6 volt. Wondering if anyone knows what type of batteries Forest River is putting in their units with residential fridges? Thanks!

How are the batteries getting recharged during the day? A typical trailer seven-wire connection doesn't provide a lot of charging power, and very likely would not fully recharge them and keep up with the fridge while driving, which means you're probably looking at more than a single night's worth of usage.Anyhow, a typical residential fridge uses somewhere around 1 kWh per day, more or less, or 100 Ah per 24 hours. For an overnight stop, I would expect two batteries in good shape (regardless of whether they are 12V or 6V) to be able to keep up with it and run the furnace moderately for a single night, but probably not a vast amount more. That's a very rough estimate, of course, not at all a precise calculation.I think I saw here that often the batteries are installed by the dealer rather than the manufacturer; all they'd put in is something adequate to safely get the trailer to the dealer (i.e. sized to operate the breakaway brake system and not much more).

Don't know about their batteries but I run the generator for about 2 hrs when i stop to let it recharge.

I forgot to mention they won't have a generator, but they also will not be running their residential fridge. They were thinking they would either just wait till we reached our destination to buy food, OR they would store some food in their small outside kitchen fridge. Are those typically just 110, or are they 2-way and run on propane as well?

GaryS1953 wrote:We'll be caravaning cross country in February with friends who have a new Forest River Heritage Glen with a residential fridge. Wondering if anyone knows what type of batteries Forest River is putting in their units with residential fridges?I doubt Forest River installs any batteries as they're considered a dealer installed item. What you have is what your dealer installed - ask them.

DrewE wrote:How are the batteries getting recharged during the day? A typical trailer seven-wire connection doesn't provide a lot of charging power, and very likely would not fully recharge them and keep up with the fridge while driving, which means you're probably looking at more than a single night's worth of usage.Anyhow, a typical residential fridge uses somewhere around 1 kWh per day, more or less, or 100 Ah per 24 hours. For an overnight stop, I would expect two batteries in good shape (regardless of whether they are 12V or 6V) to be able to keep up with it and run the furnace moderately for a single night, but probably not a vast amount more. That's a very rough estimate, of course, not at all a precise calculation.I think I saw here that often the batteries are installed by the dealer rather than the manufacturer; all they'd put in is something adequate to safely get the trailer to the dealer (i.e. sized to operate the breakaway brake system and not much more).I forgot to mention they won't have a generator, but they also will not be running their residential fridge. They were thinking they would either just wait till we reached our destination to buy food, OR they would store some food in their small outside kitchen fridge. Are those typically just 110, or are they 2-way and run on propane as well?

Batteries in new Forest River Heritage Glen | Good Sam Community

47 Replies

2112
Explorer II
Dec 01, 2018
duplicate
2112
Explorer II
Dec 01, 2018
SoundGuy wrote:
No worries, it's clearly evident to everyone that this is just another one of 2112's feeble attempts to pick apart something I've posted.

Oh Please. And you posted this because?

2112 wrote:

Take jumper cables and use the truck to give the batteries a boost if needed.
SoundGuy wrote:
Horribly inefficient and hardly worth the effort. The only way to beat this is to install a DC > DC charger such as a CTEK 250S which is specifically designed to solve this issue.

Don't play the victim here
time2roll
Nomad
Nov 30, 2018
I would hope with a residential fridge at least two large batteries should be installed and should get them through one night with otherwise minimal use. The second night will be the trouble even if driving 10+ hours and have that DC-DC charge booster. Although the charge booster will help a lot and might be enough to get by. Probably lower cost vs adding two more batteries or a generator.

Stopping every other night at a campground might be an option.
Not using the fridge is OK for them but I would run it and see how it goes.

Best of luck... all part of the adventure. Keep it fun and flexible and you will do fine.
bikendan
Explorer
Nov 30, 2018
GaryS1953 wrote:
jplante4 wrote:
If you're doing this in Feb from Michigan, it's a fair bet you'll have to run the heat at least 1 night. I don't think 2 batteries will handle the furnace fan.

The 2000 watt Champion inverter genny is on sale now at HoD for $349. Just sayin'.
I don't use and have not needed a genny so far, and my friends don't want to either due to the noise. That IS a good deal though. Thanks!

Is your opinion of generators based on open-frame contractor-style generators or because even much quieter inverter generators are still too loud?
We dry camp 50% of the time(used to dry camp 100% of the time)and we don't go anywhere without our Honda 2000i.
We only run it for a couple of hours to recharge.
ES_FR
Explorer
Nov 30, 2018
GaryS1953,

We would be happy to assist you with this question regarding your batteries. Please contact Miranda Blackburn in our Customer service department through the following personalized and direct link: http://www.forestriverinc.com/DirectServiceContact.aspx?ID=636791863391452283.

This direct link is provided for your convenience in order that we may resolve your concerns as quickly as possible. We will strive to respond to you within 24 hours of receiving your correspondence.

Respectfully,
Forest River
SoundGuy
Explorer
Nov 30, 2018
2112 wrote:
Take jumper cables and use the truck to give the batteries a boost if needed.

SoundGuy wrote:
Horribly inefficient and hardly worth the effort. :( The only way to beat this is to install a DC > DC charger such as a CTEK 250S which is specifically designed to solve this issue. :B

2112 wrote:
$260? :E Hardly efficient :S

MrWizard wrote:
Actually very 'efficient' charging method

Just not 'cheap'

Efficient does not mean cheap

Although sometimes the cheap way , can be efficient

No worries, it's clearly evident to everyone that this is just another one of 2112's feeble attempts to pick apart something I've posted. :R The fact is that using a DC > DC charger, regardless of cost, is the most efficient way to recharge a deep cycle battery using the TV as the charging source. Aside from the CTEK 250S I mentioned earlier there are a host of DC > DC chargers also offered by Redarc that are equally capable of fully recharging a deep cycle battery.
MrWizard
Moderator
Nov 30, 2018
2112 wrote:
SoundGuy wrote:
2112 wrote:
Take jumper cables and use the truck to give the batteries a boost if needed.

Horribly inefficient and hardly worth the effort. :( The only way to beat this is to install a DC > DC charger such as a CTEK 250S which is specifically designed to solve this issue. :B
$260? :E Hardly efficient :S

Actually very 'efficient' charging method

Just not 'cheap'

Efficient does not mean cheap

Although sometimes the cheap way , can be efficient
GaryS1953
Explorer II
Nov 30, 2018
azrving wrote:
Expyinflight wrote:
GaryS1953......sometimes you just have to let friends make their own mistakes, even if that means they suffer a few negative consequences.
Newbies can be a challenge at times.

I have owned an RV of some type for over 25 years.
We also have friends that are relatively new to the RV world.
Our advice often is ignored because "they think they know better", or they just don't want to spend any money. They they are unhappy when things go wrong.

It can be difficult later not to say...."I tried to tell you".
We still just try to help as best we can.

Huge and somewhat pricey difference between flipping the switch on at home and trying to dry camp. Between our Honda 3000 and the panels on the roof it took $6000 +

On the other hand none of this stuff is one size fits all. Everyone does it differently
Yes - different for everyone. We have a small LED TV and all LED lights in a small camper with no microwave use. We spent 6 days last year at the Grand Canyon in partial shade, furnace and TV on every night, and never went below 12 volts with our setup, and no genny. Since then we've gone from 330 watts solar to 495.
MrWizard
Moderator
Nov 30, 2018
Your leaving Michigan and going where? Florida, Rio grand ? Gatlinburg ? Branson ?

This is their first trip ?

Do it right stop in campground, give them a chance to learn

The one night expense is a drop in the bucket , versus the cost of the trip
Inconsequential
GaryS1953
Explorer II
Nov 30, 2018
Expyinflight wrote:
GaryS1953......sometimes you just have to let friends make their own mistakes, even if that means they suffer a few negative consequences.
Newbies can be a challenge at times.

I have owned an RV of some type for over 25 years.
We also have friends that are relatively new to the RV world.
Our advice often is ignored because "they think they know better", or they just don't want to spend any money. They they are unhappy when things go wrong.

It can be difficult later not to say...."I tried to tell you".
We still just try to help as best we can.
Ahh, maybe the best advice I've gotten so far :D