Help a dumb country boy who knows nothing about batteries or electricity. :h We just bought a new travel trailer last year and should have added a second battery at the time but didn't. Anyway i'm getting ready to get a second battery next week. Do I need to go ahead and replace the original battery since it's 1 year old or just add the second. I know that's a dumb question but I want to hear it from the pro's on this column not the parts guy wanting to sell as much to me as possible. Thank You in advance for your advice.

its best to have two matched batteries, the same age helps ,if one is weak it will draw the other one down, so go buy two wal mart deep cycle marine batteries for normal camping use. clean all the cable ends and install. and remember your frig will run a battery ddown real quick ,so use the propane.

Hook the new to the old, not enough difference with only a one year old. If you don't like that, then monitor the voltage of only one battery, and then switch over to the second when the first gets down. That is a good way of knowing how long your batteries last, without losing battery power completely. When you are on battery 2 you will be very careful and still have some power.

I like Artum's line of thought. Add a blue seas battery switch and you will also be ready for storage. No more pulling cables off. Chose between battery 1 or 2 or both and have the ability to turn them off and have zero draw while stored.

What kind of camping do you do?I use 2 six volt batteries in series. 2 twelve volt batteries in parallel would work fine. If boondocking for longer periods a small generator or solar would greatly extend your time.A new battery will be brought down to the condition of the old battery its hooked to.As someone stated you want to use a battery disconnect or plug trailer in when storing.

Battery University, it may help you understand the use of batteries.

Dumb question about batteries | Good Sam Community

westend
Explorer
May 01, 2015
Battery University, it may help you understand the use of batteries.
colliehauler
Explorer III
May 01, 2015
What kind of camping do you do?

I use 2 six volt batteries in series. 2 twelve volt batteries in parallel would work fine.

If boondocking for longer periods a small generator or solar would greatly extend your time.

A new battery will be brought down to the condition of the old battery its hooked to.

As someone stated you want to use a battery disconnect or plug trailer in when storing.
azrving
Explorer
May 01, 2015
I like Artum's line of thought. Add a blue seas battery switch and you will also be ready for storage. No more pulling cables off. Chose between battery 1 or 2 or both and have the ability to turn them off and have zero draw while stored.
Artum_Snowbird
Explorer
May 01, 2015
Hook the new to the old, not enough difference with only a one year old. If you don't like that, then monitor the voltage of only one battery, and then switch over to the second when the first gets down.

That is a good way of knowing how long your batteries last, without losing battery power completely. When you are on battery 2 you will be very careful and still have some power.
midnightsadie
Explorer II
May 01, 2015
its best to have two matched batteries, the same age helps ,if one is weak it will draw the other one down, so go buy two wal mart deep cycle marine batteries for normal camping use. clean all the cable ends and install. and remember your frig will run a battery ddown real quick ,so use the propane.

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