After our last trip I hooked up the camper to power. After one month I was preparing the camper for a trip and found that I had failed to turn the breaker on and found that the battery was low Turned the breaker on and after a few days found the battery would not fully charge so now I will buy a replacement.RV Deep Cycles that I have found carry a 12 warranty and the battery is 2 years old. Under my uses the battery should never use the deep cycle mode. It is never discharged unless some dummy fails to turn the breaker on after hook up.I understand the need to have a battery for normal day to day use and especially the need for a fully charged battery if the camper should disconnect from my truck. My camper is always plugged into shore power as we never stay or stop at any place that does not have hookups. When traveling it receives power from the tuck.My question is: Does the camper require a Deep Cycle RV/marine battery? I have looked at Group 27 battery for vehicles and would like to try one if it would work under the details I have listed. A Group 27 battery has a warranty of full replacement for 3 years and prorated for 2 years. I am not interested in AGM batteries. What say you?

“we never stay or stop at any place that does not have hookups.” And you miss so much.

If you mainly camp full hook up then a regular 12 volt battery is fine. Its when you boondock and need a long run time off the battery is when the deep cycle comes in. The converter will provide 12 volt while plugged in to the things that need it, refrigerator, slides, awning..but you need the battery for brakes while towing.

Nope - for that use I'd find the cheapest 12V I could that would fit.....-Kyle

What breaker are you turning off and on? Perhaps you can eliminate the problem if you stop doing that.

twodownzero wrote:What breaker are you turning off and on? Perhaps you can eliminate the problem if you stop doing that.First time in 12 years. I have a breaker that I turn off before plugging in or before unplugging.

Battery | Good Sam Community

16 Replies

landyacht318
Explorer
Jan 07, 2019
A newish battery unintentionally drained super low once and not left there for too long or through freezing temperatures, should be able to recover much of its capacity/performance, but it will require bringing it upto 14.8v, holding it there for several hours, then perhaps bringing it upto 16 volts for 30 minutes.

No regular RV converter will do this and neither will 99% of so called smart chargers.

If you never camp without hookups then you certainly do not require a Rv/marine battery, and a cheaper lighter starter battery with a longer warranty will serve you just as well.

But Starter batteries have no threaded studs, only the automotive posts, and it might not simply be plug and play, and converting it to be plug an play with your system could cost more than the Marine version of the group 27.

Likewise your RV converter might never choose any voltage other than 13.6v, and this will never fully charge a battery drained to dead, slowly. more voltage for longer will be required, and a hydrometer dipped to verify when that voltage has been held for long enough, or if that higher voltage needs to be stepped up to Equalization levels(16v).

Depending on just how low you brought that battery, over how long of a period, and how new it was, you might be able to get it to respond and get your moneys worth from it, rather than simply replacing it.
Charlie_D_
Explorer
Jan 07, 2019
twodownzero wrote:
What breaker are you turning off and on? Perhaps you can eliminate the problem if you stop doing that.

First time in 12 years. I have a breaker that I turn off before plugging in or before unplugging.
twodownzero
Explorer
Jan 07, 2019
What breaker are you turning off and on? Perhaps you can eliminate the problem if you stop doing that.
Chakara
Explorer
Jan 07, 2019
Nope - for that use I'd find the cheapest 12V I could that would fit.....

-Kyle
ken56
Explorer
Jan 07, 2019
If you mainly camp full hook up then a regular 12 volt battery is fine. Its when you boondock and need a long run time off the battery is when the deep cycle comes in. The converter will provide 12 volt while plugged in to the things that need it, refrigerator, slides, awning..but you need the battery for brakes while towing.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Jan 07, 2019
“we never stay or stop at any place that does not have hookups.” And you miss so much.

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Battery

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