I was gonna swap over to a 2 6 volt battery system being I was led to believe that's a better way to go.But now realize the will not fit in my campers battery compartment, so now I'm wondering what would be my best single 12 volt options?Thanks for your input.

The TROJAN T-1275 used to be a popular 12VDC Deep Cycle battery choice that gave you 150AHs capacity and would produce 12VDC@20AMPS DC CURRENT for a good 280 minutes(4.6Hrs). One of these is not far away from two of the 6VDC batteries in series giving you 12VDC @ 220Ahs capacity... The two each 6VDC Golf Cart Batteries in series however will give you 12VDC @ 20AMPs for around 447 minutes (7.45Hours)... Lots more power...Maybe this T-1275 will fit your battery box...I've always wanted to install a bank of two of these on my trailer tongue area and then an additional two in the back of my truck. Combined together I could get a 12VDC Battery setup with around 600AHs capacity...Roy Ken

Here is a link to TROJAN Product Specs Guide PDF.This list show battery weight and overall sizeTROJAN ProdSpecGuideRoy Ken

How big is the compartment? There are certainly 12v too big also.Picture might help also.

"Blanco1" - It might help to know what kind of camping you usually do?(or plan to do)Full hookups - 110V "shore power"?An occasional "overnight" without hookups?Lengthy "boondocking"? Do you have - or plan to have - a generator?~

smkettner wrote:How big is the compartment? There are certainly 12v too big also.Picture might help also.Looking at that link tells me maybe there's different size 6volts?The place I called only gave me one size?

What's the strongest single deep cell12 volt battery?

Blanco1
Explorer
Nov 05, 2014
Ok I tend to go over kill on things most of the time but Have been spending way too much money for our next big Camping trip we have planned so I'm on a tight budget.

So I paid a visit to the people at atbatt.com & finally came up with this one for my uses.

Like I've say in my original post my only issue has been keeping the furnace going all night & the used car deep cycle that worked everything else perfectly just couldn't keep up it seems.

So I came home with this super HEAVY battery. 67.30 lbs!

hope my bow can hold that weight.

http://www.atbatt.com/leoch-12v-100ah-deep-cycle-gel-cell-battery.asp

Thanks to all you guys for your helpful info.

Lots more to learn about batteries than I realized.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Nov 05, 2014
If you are looking for the maximum cranking amps in the smallest battery likely AGM is what you need.. I have held in my hand an AGM battery that was on the order of 30 amp hours (By comparison a common Group 24 is about 73 AH at the C/20 rate) This little battery was capable of 1,000 cranking amps. Just not for long.

So I'd say if it's cranking amps you want go AGM.

HOWEVER:

The problem with 12 volt batteries is they come in many shapes and sizes, From small ones that fit in the palm of my hand and run things like hand held spot lights or your kid's electric barbie car. (Remember when the kids had to pedal those little rides, now they are electric, LAZY).

to.. Well once I was Field Day chair for our ham radio club.. I made the decision to go battery op (Got 1st in the state we did, good decision). Next to the hospital where my wife worked used to be a battery rebuilder.. They moved from Redford to Novi, MI. I went out and borrowed one of their batteries.. They strapped it to a pallet and loaded it onto the U-Haul trailer I'd rented...... With a fork lift... Powered by a twin of the battery they loaded... I would guess that was close to a ton of lead (And that is NOT, in this case, a figure of speech)... And it is also NOT the largest battery in the plant.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Nov 05, 2014
Here is a simple flow chart.

Budget-->Energy Audit-->Battery bank size-->number of watts-->PWM or MPPT. What ever type of controller is chosen, make sure it has adjustable set points and a temperature probe that is on the battery.

One rule of thumb is between 60 and 150 watts of panels per 100 amp-hours of storage. The smaller the battery bank the higher the wattage needed (per 100 amp-hours). Here is a link to the rather special spreadsheet which includes an energy audit, that N8GS has created to help size solar battery charging systems!

Solar Spread Sheet N8GS

For a nice explanation of solar, try this link:

Golden rules of solar
time2roll
Nomad
Nov 05, 2014
100 watt panel $136

Good controller $50

50' MC4 cable connects panel to controller $45

Need some angle brackets to mount on roof and misc to get wire down to controller and you are good to go $250 - $300 self install. Pick this stuff up in Norco and save shipping.
Blanco1
Explorer
Nov 05, 2014
smkettner wrote:
Best to just use the on board converter or 100 watts of solar for maintenance.
But post the converter model.... some are way better than others.

i do plan to buy a solar panel & yet have not looked much into it?
What might the whole solar panel & charging system cost me?
time2roll
Nomad
Nov 05, 2014
Best to just use the on board converter or 100 watts of solar for maintenance.
But post the converter model.... some are way better than others.
Blanco1
Explorer
Nov 05, 2014
Blanco1 wrote:
RoyB wrote:
The TROJAN T-1275 used to be a popular 12VDC Deep Cycle battery choice that gave you 150AHs capacity and would produce 12VDC@20AMPS DC CURRENT for a good 280 minutes(4.6Hrs). One of these is not far away from two of the 6VDC batteries in series giving you 12VDC @ 220Ahs capacity... The two each 6VDC Golf Cart Batteries in series however will give you 12VDC @ 20AMPs for around 447 minutes (7.45Hours)... Lots more power...

Maybe this T-1275 will fit your battery box...

I've always wanted to install a bank of two of these on my trailer tongue area and then an additional two in the back of my truck. Combined together I could get a 12VDC Battery setup with around 600AHs capacity...

Roy Ken

Just realized today these people are close to where I live & so i will probably go buy direct.

But now I've had comments that have me questioning about proper charging maintenance while parked at my home & sitting for months?

I'm led to be leave by some people that a Battery Tender will not properly keep this battery at the ready?

If this is true?

What would be best?

Are these people just trying to ell me their stuff?
Blanco1
Explorer
Nov 05, 2014
RoyB wrote:
The TROJAN T-1275 used to be a popular 12VDC Deep Cycle battery choice that gave you 150AHs capacity and would produce 12VDC@20AMPS DC CURRENT for a good 280 minutes(4.6Hrs). One of these is not far away from two of the 6VDC batteries in series giving you 12VDC @ 220Ahs capacity... The two each 6VDC Golf Cart Batteries in series however will give you 12VDC @ 20AMPs for around 447 minutes (7.45Hours)... Lots more power...

Maybe this T-1275 will fit your battery box...

I've always wanted to install a bank of two of these on my trailer tongue area and then an additional two in the back of my truck. Combined together I could get a 12VDC Battery setup with around 600AHs capacity...

Roy Ken
tpi
Explorer
Oct 16, 2014
tatest wrote:
Optima batteries do not store the most energy for package size. What you gain from the spiral windings, compared to flat plate AGM types, is ruggedness, and in some models, additional surface area for lower internal resistance and thus higher peak current for starting loads.

Right on. He's looking to cram as much amp hours as he can in his battery box. Round batteries are not the way to do it.

And - tatest's posts are always a great addition to the forum.
Blanco1
Explorer
Oct 16, 2014
mileshuff wrote:
Anyone have experience with Optima batteries? Somewhat expensive ($270 for Group 27 deep cycle) but am told they are worth it.

From what I've always heard is Optimas do not hold up as well when you drain them too far.

That being said I've killed one I had many times & it kept coming back as long as any other I've had.