Have a dilemma. It is time to upgrade my battery bank. Currently 3 group 24s. I was looking to go wih 2 cr-235 ($129ea) with the thought I can add 2 more down the road, but while getting prices I was informed crown has a cr-430 which is also a 6v in a group 903 size an 113lbs each ($249ea). So now I wonder if anyone has used the 430's? An which way should I go? Either setup will be charged with 280w of solar throught a morningstar ts45. Hoping to add another 140-280w to that this year as well. Thanks in advance for any in put.chris

Keep in mind that when you up the battery bank capacity you also have to update your converter/charger unit. The rule of thumb is to have enough battery charge capacity to provide around 20AMPS of DC current for each battery installed. This is very important if you wish to have your battery bank re-charged in a three hour time frame using your on-board SMART MODE Converter/charger unit. Having less than the 20AMPS DC charging current will require much more time to re-charge the deep cycle batteries.The same will hold true when using your on-board SOLAR systems. The SOLAR CONTROLLERs use the same smart mode charging techniques just like your on-board smart mode converter/charger unit. A typical 120WATT SOLAR PANEL will only produce around 5-6AMPS DC during high SUN periods. This a long way from the battery needing around 20AMPS of DC Charging current to fulfill a three hour re-charge time period.Just something to think about...Was never able to afford the high dollar CROWN DEEP CYCLE BATTERIES so have no on-hand experience for you there...I am NO EXPERT here on charging batteries just on-hand experience over the past six years with my three each GP24 Standard issue 12VDC Interstate batteries running in parallel on my OFF-RoAD POPUP setup when camping off the power grid.Roy Ken

Crown specshttps://www.crownbattery.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/DeepCycle-PowerLine1.pdfBetter to have all batts about the same age, so if planning to get more later, get them all now.However, it is no fun handling big heavy batteries. Better to have more lighter ones.The 280w solar lying flat will get you (total WAG) 120AH/day one day and the 364 other days will be different from that, often a lot less. So that would support the two 6s at 235AH getting down to 50% with some chance of getting back to near full some days. But how many AH a day do you use? The three 24s have about the same AH as the two 6s at 235 would have, but you want an "upgrade." To what? More AH? What is the actual scenario here?How much battery footprint and height do you have anyway? Lots of questions to answer before a useful plan can be suggested. Love to spend your money thinking up good set-ups though! :)

Hi Roy,Better to think of charger capacity needing to be c/5. I.E. for 430 amp-hours the OP needs 86 amp-hours of (possible) current.That said four of my batteries are 8 years old and the other four at 4 years old, and I have but 40 amps to shore power charge them with.

Thicker the plates the more kWh the batteries will transact before ending up in the sediment chambers. Penalty is space and weight. And $$$

Hi Ceno,280 watts should take good care of the 430 amp-hour battery bank between trips. Ocam's razor suggests having the minimum number of cells.

which crowns | Good Sam Community

12 Replies

BFL13
Explorer II
Mar 08, 2014
Crown specs
https://www.crownbattery.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/DeepCycle-PowerLine1.pdf

Better to have all batts about the same age, so if planning to get more later, get them all now.

However, it is no fun handling big heavy batteries. Better to have more lighter ones.

The 280w solar lying flat will get you (total WAG) 120AH/day one day and the 364 other days will be different from that, often a lot less. So that would support the two 6s at 235AH getting down to 50% with some chance of getting back to near full some days.

But how many AH a day do you use? The three 24s have about the same AH as the two 6s at 235 would have, but you want an "upgrade." To what? More AH? What is the actual scenario here?

How much battery footprint and height do you have anyway? Lots of questions to answer before a useful plan can be suggested. Love to spend your money thinking up good set-ups though! :)
RoyB
Explorer II
Mar 08, 2014
Keep in mind that when you up the battery bank capacity you also have to update your converter/charger unit. The rule of thumb is to have enough battery charge capacity to provide around 20AMPS of DC current for each battery installed. This is very important if you wish to have your battery bank re-charged in a three hour time frame using your on-board SMART MODE Converter/charger unit. Having less than the 20AMPS DC charging current will require much more time to re-charge the deep cycle batteries.

The same will hold true when using your on-board SOLAR systems. The SOLAR CONTROLLERs use the same smart mode charging techniques just like your on-board smart mode converter/charger unit. A typical 120WATT SOLAR PANEL will only produce around 5-6AMPS DC during high SUN periods. This a long way from the battery needing around 20AMPS of DC Charging current to fulfill a three hour re-charge time period.

Just something to think about...

Was never able to afford the high dollar CROWN DEEP CYCLE BATTERIES so have no on-hand experience for you there...

I am NO EXPERT here on charging batteries just on-hand experience over the past six years with my three each GP24 Standard issue 12VDC Interstate batteries running in parallel on my OFF-RoAD POPUP setup when camping off the power grid.

Roy Ken

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which crowns

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