It looks like I made need to replace my batteries as well. I have a pair of Interstate series 29 batteries and they are discharging faster and not fully charging (voltage) anymore. They are 5.5 years old and I would estimate something over 650 cycles so maybe they have run their course.Questions: - I thought I remember posts (couldn't find them) from people who have squeezed bigger batteries into the Arctic Fox battery compartment. Anybody have experience with this? It looks like it would be really tight. We dry camp a lot and batteries are important. - Costco batteries: Are they really deep cycle? - Torklift's Hidden Power. I was also thinking about the idea of adding their Hidden Power to the truck (would force me to get AGM batteries I guess) to create a three battery system. What I can't figure out from their site is how it wires up with their harness. It almost seems to be an added truck battery. Does anybody have any experience?Thanks

I would measure compartment and see if Costco 6 volters will fit. They are deep cycle!

I think 5.5 years is pretty good. One thing I noticed is that battery dimensions of groups are a "range". Be sure to measure the actual batteries.Hopefully, you've already switched to LEDs. That helped my batteries a lot.If you are thinking about adding a couple or one battery, I think the idea of putting them into the bed would be good idea with Anderson connections with heavy gauge wire. I think that's what you would need to do with the Hidden Power kit.

Costco Marine are a hybrid battery. Designed to start boat motors, and to provide for electric motor drain too. Golf cart batteries are designed to drain slowly and are a true deep cycle. I just put two golf cart batteries in my rig. They are taller than the 12 volt units, but should provide many years of service.

Our last camper was a 2006 Arctic Fox 1150 and the battery compartment was not big enough for 6v GC type flooded batteries. I have seen people mount 6v AGMs in there sideways after removing the sliding tray though.

The AF811 battery compartment is big enough for dual group 29's with the tray and even bigger without. The AF990 uses a smaller compartment and 29's barely fit without the tray. I don't know about the bigger models.

Another Battery Thread :-) | Good Sam Community

enblethen
Nomad
Mar 21, 2018
I would measure compartment and see if Costco 6 volters will fit. They are deep cycle!
jimh406
Explorer III
Mar 21, 2018
I think 5.5 years is pretty good. One thing I noticed is that battery dimensions of groups are a "range". Be sure to measure the actual batteries.

Hopefully, you've already switched to LEDs. That helped my batteries a lot.

If you are thinking about adding a couple or one battery, I think the idea of putting them into the bed would be good idea with Anderson connections with heavy gauge wire. I think that's what you would need to do with the Hidden Power kit.
Artum_Snowbird
Explorer
Mar 21, 2018
Costco Marine are a hybrid battery. Designed to start boat motors, and to provide for electric motor drain too. Golf cart batteries are designed to drain slowly and are a true deep cycle.

I just put two golf cart batteries in my rig. They are taller than the 12 volt units, but should provide many years of service.
work2much
Explorer
Mar 21, 2018
Our last camper was a 2006 Arctic Fox 1150 and the battery compartment was not big enough for 6v GC type flooded batteries. I have seen people mount 6v AGMs in there sideways after removing the sliding tray though.
Bedlam
Moderator
Mar 21, 2018
The AF811 battery compartment is big enough for dual group 29's with the tray and even bigger without. The AF990 uses a smaller compartment and 29's barely fit without the tray. I don't know about the bigger models.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Mar 21, 2018
5 1/2 years I understand but 650 cycles is low. What are the compartment measurements?
theoldwizard1
Explorer II
Mar 22, 2018
brholt wrote:

- Costco batteries: Are they really deep cycle?

The Interstate "golf cart" (size GC2) batteries sold at Costco are TRUE deep cycle batteries. "Marine" dual purpose bateries are not.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Mar 22, 2018
Another battery and battery compartment question and OP is...asleep.
MORSNOW
Navigator II
Mar 22, 2018
If you remove the battery tray, 2 6 volts should fit. I have a Wolf Creek 850 (even smaller Northwood battery box), and fit 2 6 volt batteries from Batteries Plus. I measured batteries and found that size varies between brands. I pre-mounted the cables where I could and slid them in one at a time and then completed the wiring. I dry camp almost exclusively and have never ran out of battery power with my furnace running most nights.
deltabravo
Nomad
Mar 22, 2018
I fit two group 31s in my AF811 by removing the useless tray.

I went Deka AGMs

My battery upgrade