So many threads here about batteries and charging, I can't believe I'm starting another! Well, I've learned a ton, and actually if I was starting from scratch I know pretty much what I'd do to create a nice setup. But I'd kind of like to use some or all of what I already have. Part of it is that when I look back at our past 5 years of camping, 75-80% has been with electric hookups and when we do dry camp, it's usually only 3-4 nights. So to me it doesn't make sense to invest a bunch of money in really good batteries, solar and a top quality charger. If our camping was primarily off grid, I'd do it in a heartbeat, but since the opposite is true, I'd rather spend the money on other upgrades.So here's what I have - the TT is brand new and came with the typical WFCO 3 stage 55 amp converter/charger. I realize that there are far better converters available and someday I'll probably upgrade, but for right now I can't see ripping out a brand new component. The battery is an Interstate group 24 that says Deep Cycle on top, but when you read the fine print, it's just another marine battery. I also have a second group 24 marine battery that is about 2 years old and in very good condition. I realize that true deep cycle batteries would be far better - when these are ready to be replaced, I'm going to go with a pair of Trojan T105's. But for now, since I have the marine batteries, I'd like to use them. I guess though that since one is new and the other isn't, I shouldn't connect them in parallel. I'm going to get a Honda or Yamaha 2k inverter gen, so I'll have the ability to charge, but I'd rather try to conserve as much as possible to keep gen run times to a minimum. When dry camping, we will us mainly lights and the water pump, very little if any furnace time, no TV, no inverter. So in this situation, what would you do?

Leave one of the 24s at home on a maintenance charger except when you know you will be going off grid, then put the two in parallel for that, then leave one at home again till the next time off grid.

I would do?Parallel the existing 2x group 24Honda/Yamaha 1000 (assumes no microwave when off grid)(used if possible)LED lamps30 amp IOTA with IQ controller(replaces WFCO)100 watt solarNo particular order.

Get & install an inexpensive "volt meter". At least you'll know what the battery SOC is & don't let it get below 50% before recharging.

The new interstate is going to end up a fatherless-male-child no matter what happens. So add the old battery when camping. Hook up the tow vehicle, turn the key and drive off. You do need something when you return to fully recharge the batteries. The Wimpco by itself ain't gonna cut it. A 29-amp Megawatt, will. This is cutting things to the bone. Order the Megawatt and get ready to slap that 2nd battery in for the trip. Use the Megawatt as portable battery charger with plug cord and cable and clips

Connect them in parallel, When they die (Which can be anywhere from 1 to 10 years from now) replace them (If you have the headroom) with a pair of GC-2 Golf Car batteries wired in series,, These are TALLER than the Group 24 but should fit in the same tray otherwise.But since you now have the G-24's Use 'em. Paralling older and newer batteries.. Many will warn against that but I've been doing it for years, there is a very slight danger,, but any time you put two batteries even consecutive serial numbers in parallel that danger exists and it remains the same. So do not worry about it.(The danger,, one of 'em has a couple of cells short and "Explodes" spraying the battery compartment with acid... Strange thing is the odds of the new battery failing in this manner are almost exactly the same as the old one doing it, in fact I had a battery fail in this manner (it was not in parallel so it did NOT explode) in about 1 week from installation, (Thankfuly it had a lifetime warranty)... The "explosion" happens because if 2 cells short you now have a 12 volt and an 8 volt battery in parallel, the 12 tries to charge the 8, way faster than it should charge, so it goes POP.

Another battery question | Good Sam Community

42 Replies

RDMueller
Explorer
Mar 13, 2015
BillyW wrote:
so it only gets partial sun, and that's enough to maintain the batteries and even equalize them periodically (even over a snowy, overcast northwest winter). Almost all of my camping is in mountain valleys amongst tall evergreens, and I still get enough sun.

This is really good information to know! I kinda figured that on a cloudy day you didn't get any charging. Also, most of the "shady" campsites I can remember did get at least some sun. One option for me would be to keep my panel(s) portable allowing me to move them around in the site to wherever there is the most sun. Downside - they could grow legs!

Anyway, the more I think about it, the more I'm leaning toward solar. It may not be a total solution, but it might take care of most of my energy needs.
TurnThePage
Explorer
Mar 12, 2015
RDMueller wrote:
BillyW wrote:
Maybe I missed something, but talking about spending all this money here and there, why aren't you considering at least a small solar setup? They're pretty cheap now days. I have just 150 watts of panels that keeps my batteries topped off and maintained virtually ALL the time I'm not camping, and keeps up with my occasional weekends off grid easily. Aside from air conditioning or microwave use, it's rare that I use my generator at all. Even when my wasteful kids camped with us, and we didn't have LED lights, etc, we still had plenty of power for a movie every night, above and beyond the daily requirements. My 35 amp WFCO has been more than enough backup. My two 6 volt batteries have thrived this way, and I haven't had to think (or worry) about it very much.

Although not discussed in this thread, I'm definitely considering solar as well! In fact, if I could get away with no generator at all, I'd go that route. Problem is, the sun doesn't always shine and even if it's totally clear, we tend to favor campgrounds that are heavily wooded and shady - not exactly the ideal place for solar. Still, I'm sure I'd get at least some benefit and combined with conservation and an adequate battery bank, I could probably get by with very little if any generator run time on many trips.

But... I haven't come up with a way to avoid buying the generator. If I head out on a trip with no gen and due to shade/clouds get very little solar charging, the batteries will die and I'll have no way to charge them.

Part of the issue is that we don't really dry camp that often, maybe once or twice a year on average. It's hard to want to invest in batteries/solar/chargers/generator etc. that won't be used on 75% of our trips. But for that 25%, it really does matter!

A generator is great to have! All I'm saying is that if you're really considering buying a separate charger or new converter, I think it makes more sense to add some solar. By the way, my trailer lives in my back yard between my house and a row of tall trees, so it only gets partial sun, and that's enough to maintain the batteries and even equalize them periodically (even over a snowy, overcast northwest winter). Almost all of my camping is in mountain valleys amongst tall evergreens, and I still get enough sun. In my case, the solar has paid for itself several times over in just electrical savings.
Lspangler
Explorer
Mar 12, 2015
I went with a boondocker converter and 2 six v batteries. Charges much better than the WFCO ever did. The boondocker is also quieter when under high load

Linc
RDMueller
Explorer
Mar 12, 2015
BillyW wrote:
Maybe I missed something, but talking about spending all this money here and there, why aren't you considering at least a small solar setup? They're pretty cheap now days. I have just 150 watts of panels that keeps my batteries topped off and maintained virtually ALL the time I'm not camping, and keeps up with my occasional weekends off grid easily. Aside from air conditioning or microwave use, it's rare that I use my generator at all. Even when my wasteful kids camped with us, and we didn't have LED lights, etc, we still had plenty of power for a movie every night, above and beyond the daily requirements. My 35 amp WFCO has been more than enough backup. My two 6 volt batteries have thrived this way, and I haven't had to think (or worry) about it very much.

Although not discussed in this thread, I'm definitely considering solar as well! In fact, if I could get away with no generator at all, I'd go that route. Problem is, the sun doesn't always shine and even if it's totally clear, we tend to favor campgrounds that are heavily wooded and shady - not exactly the ideal place for solar. Still, I'm sure I'd get at least some benefit and combined with conservation and an adequate battery bank, I could probably get by with very little if any generator run time on many trips.

But... I haven't come up with a way to avoid buying the generator. If I head out on a trip with no gen and due to shade/clouds get very little solar charging, the batteries will die and I'll have no way to charge them.

Part of the issue is that we don't really dry camp that often, maybe once or twice a year on average. It's hard to want to invest in batteries/solar/chargers/generator etc. that won't be used on 75% of our trips. But for that 25%, it really does matter!
TurnThePage
Explorer
Mar 12, 2015
Maybe I missed something, but talking about spending all this money here and there, why aren't you considering at least a small solar setup? They're pretty cheap now days. I have just 150 watts of panels that keeps my batteries topped off and maintained virtually ALL the time I'm not camping, and keeps up with my occasional weekends off grid easily. Aside from air conditioning or microwave use, it's rare that I use my generator at all. Even when my wasteful kids camped with us, and we didn't have LED lights, etc, we still had plenty of power for a movie every night, above and beyond the daily requirements. My 35 amp WFCO has been more than enough backup. My two 6 volt batteries have thrived this way, and I haven't had to think (or worry) about it very much.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Mar 05, 2015
With a DC/DC booster lower voltages can be raised to 16.0 volts. 5-amps per 100-amp hour of battery.
RDMueller
Explorer
Mar 04, 2015
bikendan wrote:
We also dry camp most of the time.
we have had a pair of Costco RV 12v Group 24 batteries, along with a 6 gall water jug, a 15 gall blue tote tank and a Honda 2000.
After over 8 years of use, the Costco batteries are finally showing signs of their impending death.

We have had no problems with having two 12v, instead of two 6v. They have served us well.

Good to know! I'm going to guess that the Costco batteries are marine batteries as that's all I've seen at Costco. Does your camper still have the factory converter, probably a WFCO? Also, how long do you typically need to run the Honda daily? Thanks!
bikendan
Explorer
Mar 04, 2015
We also dry camp most of the time.
we have had a pair of Costco RV 12v Group 24 batteries, along with a 6 gall water jug, a 15 gall blue tote tank and a Honda 2000.
After over 8 years of use, the Costco batteries are finally showing signs of their impending death.

We have had no problems with having two 12v, instead of two 6v. They have served us well.
bikendan
Explorer
Mar 04, 2015
We also dry camp most of the time.
we have had a pair of Costco RV 12v Group 24 batteries, along with a 6 gall water jug, a 15 gall blue tote tank and a Honda 2000.
After over 8 years of use, the Costco batteries are finally showing signs of their impending death.

We have had no problems with having two 12v, instead of two 6v. They have served us well.
jrnymn7
Explorer
Mar 04, 2015
No, I do not think the megawatt's are pfc, but at no more than about 40a, they don't really need to be. It's my understanding the two smaller units will go to 15.5v, so perhaps a little low for EQ'ing. But with lots of regular top charging, you may not need to EQ. And quite often EQ'ing can be done with solar. I use a Gophert 1620 for EQ'ing individual 6v's. Then again, you could use the megawatt in conjunction with a relatively inexpensive cc/cv boost converter, to get the higher voltage needed.

And I doubt you'll get any arguments from anyone on this forum for swapping out that wfco for a PD.