Replacement batteries

What is the advantage of replacing 2 12v batteries with 2 6v batteries?

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:


. . . . . . . You don't want to get stuck with a pair of Paisley red and blue slacks do you? . . . . .

Mex, you made me laugh out loud with that comment, recalling my (relatively short lived) career working in a bank in the mid 60s. My Manager wasn't terribly impressed when I showed up for work wearing a Blue Paisley sport jacket! The slacks were charcoal grey though, and the shirt was white. I seem to remember the tie was bright fire engine red.

PamfromVA wrote:
He wanted the AGM's because he thought they would be less maintenance. We have a honda generator that we can run when allowed and the batteries would just be used for the normal stuff in the camper when the generator is off at night. Small use of a light, water pump, nothing big.

Sounds like light use campers. I wouldn't spend money on AGMs in this situation. I'll be honest and say that without proper care these could last just as long as your present batteries. If it was me, I would just get the same as you have now and replace in three years or whenever they die. BUT if are dead set against maintenance then buy the AGMs. I personally don't think they're worth the money with you guys camping style.

He wanted the AGM's because he thought they would be less maintenance. We have a honda generator that we can run when allowed and the batteries would just be used for the normal stuff in the camper when the generator is off at night. Small use of a light, water pump, nothing big.

PamfromVA, you need to list what you want to see in a selection for a battery. Your request may be quite similar to "I need clothes. What do you recommend?"

You and yours have a lifestyle that is unique. And it determines what battery type may be best for you. You don't want to get stuck with a pair of Paisley red and blue slacks do you?

Two days of what kind of camping? I can live with an AA battery and candle. Others need part of the output of Hoover Dam to enjoy wilderness camping. It would be a great help to provide added detail.

Why does your husband like absorbed glass mat batteries? That'd be a good clue for instance.

Our TT stays plugged in all the time. Also, even though it is a 2011, we actually have owned it since Sept 2010 so the batteries have had a good three years. Since we are going to be staying at a non-hookup site I want to go ahead and replace them. Nothing would make my night more than getting up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and finding out the water pump won't work! We will go out shopping this weekend and try to find the replacement batteries locally.

And Roy...I love your write ups. I'm sure you have forgotten more than I know in this area!

Hi Pam,

How long was the TT unplugged?

Do check the water levels in the cells.

Do do a "saturation" charge where the TT is plugged in for one week.

Then test again, after letting the TT sit unplugged for 24 hours, with the battery disconnect set to the "off" position.

PamfromVA wrote:
We were in the TT last night when it was unplugged and noticed the lights were dimming after a short period of time. We are heading out west in September and will be dry camping for a couple of days at a time. I want to replace the two batteries we have mounted on the front of the camper. Do you have any brand recommendations for what we should buy? My husband is leaning toward AGM batteries...

Thanks,

Pam,

We have done quite well with our 255AHs battery bank. This lets us do almost all the things we want to do camping off the power grid except using the Air Conditioner and high wattage things like the microwave. I will run down my batteries to around 50% charge by 8AM the next morning and then have to re-charge back up to the 90% charge state using my 2KW generator setup...

It does take planning on what you can do. It took us some time to make our trailer ready for camping off the power grids. Smart mode charging technology, LED lights, more batteries with bigger charging cables, use of 2KW generator with RV30A-15A long "dogbone" adapter, etc... Adding SOLAR panels is the next I want to do to able to re-charge my batteries during the times when the sun is high... AS you are probably aware we are not allowed to run our generators anytime we want to here on the East side of the US so this means we have to build-up things that will let us use the generator to re-charge the batteries in the quickest time we can to fit into the camp ground generator restriction times. Three-five hours a day of generator time is best you can do alot of camp grounds here on the East side. We have never found a place where we we could run our generator in a public camp ground after 8PM let alone all night long...

The simplist thing you can to do to help big time is change out all of the high wattage incandescent automotive type lights on your trailer to LEDs. This is actually a 80% power saving for your batteries. Each bulb in the incandescent light fixures draws one amp each on average. You can run 12AMPS of battery drain real quick just by using your trailer interior lights.

I have this DC Monitor Panel Installed inside the trailer to monitor DC Voltages of my two battery banks and how much current is being drawn when being used and put back into the batteries when being charged. After time you can see what to expect from the batteries.


Taking care of the batteries is not to be taken lightly... I monitor mine all the time, check the fluids, and general upkeep with corrosion on the connectors etc... I cycle my batteries from 50% and 90% charge states when camping off the power grid and know i can only do these charge cycles for a limited amount of time before doing damage to the batteries. I know when I should re-charge my batteries to a full 100% charge state.

My batteries are just now starting to show less performance after around five years of pretty hard use camping off the power grid like we do. These are the cheap standard issue 85AH 12VDC Interstate batteries that came with the trailer.

My next upgrade I think is going to get around 300AHs of batteries with one bank in the back of my tuck and the other bank on the tongue of my trailer. My other hobbys has me running the back roads in my truck only with high wattage radio equipment for my duties in Weather tracking from SKYWARN, RACES, and Navy MARS program. Then when I connect up with my OFF-ROAD trailer I will have a good 600AHs of battery capacity available to use.

Just keep thinking how to stay successful when camping off the power grids...

It does take some planning and some PLAN Bs to use to be successful...

Roy Ken

If your batteries were new in 2011 (age of trailer), you may have more problems than just the batteries. The converter/charger may have problems, or your DH's method of caring for the batteries.

If you're buying AGMs, just make sure your battery specs match your charger specs. Most will but there are some that won't.