Battery in cabin

Optima are the brand I see in custom cars as well as marine apps here on the Left Coast, and I'm quite happy with their quality for a house battery now in its 6th year of use (we have year 'round seasons with coast/mountains/desert out here). Last much longer, don't degas, charge at a faster rate, don't need a "battery box", etc. there are so many advantages...

acid/gel/agm battery info

rvredhead, you'll get a LOT more help if you start your own thread.

Yes, Lifeline AGM's are top of the line. Been using them for 15 years in sailboats and RV's.

But, not sure you want to carry the extra weight/expense of trying to go more than two days before recharging batteries.

Remember, for best battery life, don't discharge batteries below 50%-- about 12.2 VDC as measured with batteries at rest (no charger on and no heavy load).

Not sure how this works. I am a fairly new rver with a 2011 Winnebago View. The house batteries last less than two days when dry camping. I am looking at getting a Lifetime AMG marine battery. Does anyone know anything about this brand? I am planning a 7 day dry camping trip in a few weeks and need to be able to have the lights on, run a pc, kindle, etc. Any advice? ED

North0f60 wrote:


...Oh, the batteries were new and free.

Wow, great deal. I'm sure those are expensive batteries. I also get my Deka Gel batteries free. My son is a wheelchair mechanic and each chair uses a pair of 12v batteries. They swap them out every 18 months.

They can be used inside without the need for venting.

Hi North,

I suggest investigating maximum charging rate--even if they were free you don't want to kill them.

I have a Go-Power GP-RV-80 Panel with a GPR-25 regulator. The regulator has a jumper for flooded or sealed battery.

Oh, the batteries were new and free.

AC RIPPLE CHARGER 0.5% RMS or 1.5% of float charge voltage recommended for best results. Max. allowed = 4% pk to pk

the amount of ripple allowed in the charger voltage
no more 207 MV ripple recommended, 552 MV peak change, this is the 60hz ripple measured using the AC scale/setting on your digital meter

http://www.alpha.com/Products/Alphaiui/Cable-Broadband/Outside-Plant-Power/Batteries/AlphaCell-GXL/

what converter do you have ? in your RV, does it have a gel battery setting ?

gel batteries do NOT tolerate over voltage or over charging

the specs mention float voltage, they do NOT mention charging voltage or charge rates

I would not buy new gel batteries, i would buy AGM
i would buy gel Only IF i found them on the surplus market at a great price, my converter does have a Gel battery setting

Hi,

Be careful not to charge them fast. Gel cells can easily be destroyed by that.

AGM would be a better choice.

North0f60 wrote:
they are AlphaCell GXL GelCell Batteries 165 GXL. Are they ok?
http://www.alpha.com/Products/Alphaiui/Cable-Broadband/Outside-Plant-Power/Batteries/AlphaCell-GXL/

Like Tim mentioned, GEL batteries would work also.