Forum Discussion

mojoroo's avatar
mojoroo
Explorer
May 12, 2014

Need a battery. Never boondock. Recommendations?

My battery is toast, leaving our TT plugged into shore power has ruined our battery. So I need a battery, nothing to boon dock with but something to give us power to open the slide when arriving on the site, getting lunch at rest areas and the occasional power outage.

So what should I get that is fairly inexpensive. I assume I don't need a true deep cycle.

Also what should I do to keep the rv charging system from over charging?
  • MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
    MEXICOWANDERER
    Explorer
    May 12, 2014
    For as little time as you claim you are going to use the battery, an el cheapo Costco engine starting battery will work fine. Get one with those fantastic warranties...96 months or whatever.
  • 2oldman's avatar
    2oldman
    Explorer II
    May 12, 2014
    MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
    . Get one with those fantastic warranties...96 months or whatever.
    Yah.. then overcharge it all you want!
  • MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
    MEXICOWANDERER
    Explorer
    May 12, 2014
    You know, I went back and went over the OP word for punctuation and I could not make out heads or tails of the year, type of rig, or anything else. So for the life of me try as I might I cannot asssssssssssssume whether the battery was overcharged, undercharged, inner charged or outer charged. He asked about a battery recommendation. That part I got straight.
  • chipper's avatar
    chipper
    Explorer
    May 12, 2014
    MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
    For as little time as you claim you are going to use the battery, an el cheapo Costco engine starting battery will work fine. Get one with those fantastic warranties...96 months or whatever.

    X2, I have been using one for 7 years now, still good.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    May 13, 2014
    I would likely got with a 29 for a few dollars more than a 24, But if you never boondock.. Then a single Maintenance Free Marine/Deep cycle is the battery of choice.

    IF you do boondock however.. you gonna want much more battery. I know I do when i'm off the grid. (And in one campground I stay at that can be 3 or 5 times a day )(@#*$)@#( 30 amp sites)
  • ol_Bombero-JC's avatar
    ol_Bombero-JC
    Explorer
    May 15, 2014
    MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
    You know, I went back and went over the OP word for punctuation and I could not make out heads or tails of the year, type of rig, or anything else. So for the life of me try as I might I cannot asssssssssssssume whether the battery was overcharged, undercharged, inner charged or outer charged. He asked about a battery recommendation. That part I got straight.


    "Right on" - on your first post - and the second one too!..:B

    ~
  • mojoroo's avatar
    mojoroo
    Explorer
    May 15, 2014
    Thanks all I went with a $75 dollar one from Walmart. I should have looked at getting a Costco card. Did I overcharge it? Maybe..not intentionally if I did, but I got a few years out of it and it was just the one that came with the TT.
  • MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
    MEXICOWANDERER
    Explorer
    May 15, 2014
    mojoroo,

    You positively -must- check the voltage at the battery to know whether or not the converter is working properly. If you -never- or almost never boondock keeping the battery at no higher than 13.5 volts is essential. You cannot tell without using a meter.
  • mojoroo's avatar
    mojoroo
    Explorer
    May 19, 2014
    Makes sense but how do I do that? Multimeter? Never used one.

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