re 12v vs 6v Batteries

In your instance, AGM's are probably the best way to go.

Thanks, I have emailed Full River for a quote. I also got a quote on Lifeline GPL-4CT 6v, 220 ah true deep cycle sealed AGM battery,at $295 each, shipped. Hoping the Full River comes in cheaper.

Yes, I am pretty much limited to the Group 24 or equivalent size, to fit 2 batteries in my battery well.

My battery well is accessed via a trap door in the coach, which when the cover is on, is pretty much not allowing gases, etc. in, and there are openings underneath the coach for fumes. But I'm thinking I'd like to stay with AGM's, if I can find a fairly reasonable price.

But I am open to flooded cell if there are other reasons they would be better.

QuiGonJohn wrote:
Hi,
I am in the process of replacing my batteries.

Currently my RV (26' Winne Aspect Class C), has (2) Deka SeaMate batteries Part #: 8A24M for the coach/house batteries.

Have read a lot and am thinking of switching to (2) 6v's.

If I do, should I go with flooded cell or AGM? Why?

What are the dimensions of your existing battery bay? If you are limited to Group 24 size batteries, consider the Fullriver DC224-6 AGM batteries. They are golf cart size (GC2) batteries producing 224 Ah with two in series. http://www.fullriverdcbattery.com/battery/DC224-6 They have a first 24 month free replacement, next 36 month prorated warranty. Otherwise, with your actual battery bay dimensions there may be other possibilities.

AGMs can be stood on end and may fit the existing tray/box.

Look at the dimensions of the AGM and switch L and H.

E.g,

Deka 31M 329 x 171 x 238mm
T-105 264 x 181 x 276mm

Stand 31M on end:
Deka 238 x 171 x 329mm

The Deka has a smaller footprint.

HTH;
John

Floooded cheapest, takes the most care and feeding and watering.

AGM most expensive, take very little care, can not water.

IF access for maintenance is not a problem, I'd go with Flooded wet cells.

Oh, personal experience report

Purchased motor home 2005, came with a pair of GC-2 (Interstate U-2200) Six volt flooded wet cell batteries.

Added a pair of Group 31 AGM (on a seperate properly set up circuit) in 2006,

Also added some Maintenance free's that pre-dated the motor home

Replaced AGM's in 2011

Repaced the Maintenance free's in 2012 (not really helpful since I do nto know how old they are)

Still using the U-2200's that came with the motor home.

2 days ago while I was cooking (With electricity) Dinner, I had the TV's and computers on and their support systems, the small electric (Aroma brand) Oven and the steamer (Proctor Silex) colking dinner along with the Air Conditioerns and a few other systems when CLICK the 50 amp park breaker tripped (Evidence of an issue with the park pedestal)

I can not tell you off hand how much power I was pulling through the inverter but when shore power was lost it switched in like any good UPS and took over.. Other than the Air conditioners and two lights in the bedroom that run on 120 nothing lost power.

I had to put my shoes on, go out and reset, They batteries held. The inverter held, The kitchen had to be drawing right close to 1600 watts.

Hi,
I am in the process of replacing my batteries.

Currently my RV (26' Winne Aspect Class C), has (2) Deka SeaMate batteries Part #: 8A24M for the coach/house batteries.

Have read a lot and am thinking of switching to (2) 6v's.

If I do, should I go with flooded cell or AGM? Why?

pnichols wrote:
My dealer didn't give me the warranty replacement AGM batteries. They cost me extra over free warranty replacement with the stock (Group 24 wet cell) batteries ... about $49 each over the no-cost of straight warranty replacement with the stock wet cells.

I'd had enough of wet cell battery issues in all of my vehicles for decades and wanted as maintenance-free an RV as possible. A lot of research on AGM batteries, and having already owned some Optimas AGMs before, lead me to have the dealer install a couple of 100 AH each AGM 12V deep cycle batteries designed for powered wheel chairs.

With respect to what I mentioned in my other post above - and not considering any dry cell versus wet cycle wet battery differences - my RV's two 100 amp hour 12V deep cycle batteries "probably" are performing as well as a couple of 200 amp hour 6V deep cycle golf cart batteries would be performing, IMHO.

Thanks for the clarification.
That was still a pretty good deal....And if everyone could get them at a price like that....There would be a LOT more being used in the RV world.

There is still the size issue though. It would not be a deal breaker for me as I have welders and can work with metal..But for those that would have to pay someone to do the necessary mods....It just adds to the cost of an already exspensive swap.

My dealer didn't give me the warranty replacement AGM batteries. They cost me extra over free warranty replacement with the stock (Group 24 wet cell) batteries ... about $49 each over the no-cost of straight warranty replacement with the stock wet cells.

I'd had enough of wet cell battery issues in all of my vehicles for decades and wanted as maintenance-free an RV as possible. A lot of research on AGM batteries, and having already owned some Optimas AGMs before, lead me to have the dealer install a couple of 100 AH each AGM 12V deep cycle batteries designed for powered wheel chairs.

With respect to what I mentioned in my other post above - and not considering any dry cell versus wet cycle wet battery differences - my RV's two 100 amp hour 12V deep cycle batteries "probably" are performing as well as a couple of 200 amp hour 6V deep cycle golf cart batteries would be performing, IMHO.

pnichols wrote:
Troll or not, the scenario the OP talked about is similar to my situation.

When our RV was only about eight months old it's two wet cell Group 24 12V marine/starting batteries failed - probably from sitting on the dealer's lot too much in a discharged condition.

The dealer offered to replace them on warranty with two wet cell 6V golf cart batteries. I requested that instead he replace them with two dry cell (AGM) Group 29 12V deep cycle batteries.

This has been a great RV battery set for us that has never let us down so far and they're still going strong after more than six years of use. They'll power the furnace all night - in addition to a CPAP machine - for at least two nights plus power the RV for the two days, before I recharge them from about a 50% state of discharge.

The "6V versus 12V" battery issue should be constrained to a "6V deep cylce versus 12V deep cycle" battery comparison. Most RV discussions on this are comparing 6V deep cycle ("golf cart") battery performance to the commonly available 12V marine/starting battery performance. Comparing 6V deep cycle batteries to 12V marine/starting batteries is not an apples-to-apples comparison, even if the comparison is between these two differing battery technologies each with about the same overall amp hour capacities.

Well I am glad that your dealer GAVE you a couple of large AGM (group 29)batteries.. Not so sure that your assumption on the early demise of your Group 24 hybrids.
I usually only got a year out of them when I used them. So 8 months is not out of the range that I would expect depending on use/care etc.

You do realize that the reason for the 6 volt vs 12 volt marine starting batteries comes up so often, right?

In is because that is the most widely available and dealer installed type...Most always in a group 24 size as that is what fits in the trays of MOST TTs....And the 6 volt batteries also FIT in the same space.
AND the COST is not that much more.

True 12 volt DEEP CYCLE batteries are exspensive and rare.

While your AGMs do have some advantages over any flooded wet cell,
COST is NOT one of them. (If you have to buy them)

And of course group 31 AGMs won't fit in the trays of most TTs.

Guess it depends on whether you comparing apples,oranges, or watermelons.:)

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Number of cycles rendered and survivability denote a "Deep Cycle" accumulator.

Should be regulated..and expressed on a label as a number (# of cycles)

Number of discharge cycles expected to 50% state of charge while rendering 60% of total amp hour capacity.

Not a guarantee. Merely a test.

yup, would be nice. A few do show number of expected cycles vs. depth of discharge, but AFAIK none define what "end of life" capacity they used in the test.

Interestingly Trojan indicates that the deep discharge batteries need 50-100 cycles to reach max capacity. But again, they don't define how far to cycle them down each time. Nor do they say how much capacity is increased during the intial cycles.