Batteries: Marine/RV or Marine?

TECMike wrote:
OK folks, getting time to get another battery to replace my nearly four year old Interstate group 24. Got it at Sams and it has been a good one. But Sams does not sell Interstate any more. But they do sell Energizer which is distributed by Johnson Control. But it is time for a new one to be safe.

Should I get a Marine/RV or a Marine battery? I know we need a good battery for trailer brakes, slides, furnace, lights and other goodies.

Not sure I know the difference between Marine/RV, Marine Battery or Deep cycle. Been reading up on batteries, but it has become confusing to this old Boomer! Thanks in advance

Mike

Marine/RV or Marine Battery are the same animal........unless it is a marine starting battery. Marine/RV are deep cycle batteries but are still something of a compromise between a starting battery and a deep cycle. When you're looking for a replacement, compare the amp hour ratings of the batteries you are considering. The Marine/RV battery will also have a cold cranking amp rating (cca) but that is irrelevant to your use of the battery; amp hours is what matters for use as a "house" battery.

I have two group 27 Interstate Marine/RV batteries on our WhiteHawk. Did a 3 day weekend dry camping with them a couple months back and they were still about 60% capacity when I brought them home and put them on the charger.

TECMike wrote:
OK folks, getting time to get another battery to replace my nearly four year old Interstate group 24. Got it at Sams and it has been a good one. But Sams does not sell Interstate any more. But they do sell Energizer which is distributed by Johnson Control. But it is time for a new one to be safe.

Should I get a Marine/RV or a Marine battery? I know we need a good battery for trailer brakes, slides, furnace, lights and other goodies.

Not sure I know the difference between Marine/RV, Marine Battery or Deep cycle. Been reading up on batteries, but it has become confusing to this old Boomer! Thanks in advance

Mike

That battery may last another two or three years, if it is still holding a charge now. I would not replace till it goes bad. When I did replace I would get a deep cycle only battery. Maybe the agm type. Those marine/rv batteries only have about 75 amp hours usually and you could get a deep cycle only battery that will have up to 110 amp hours. JMHO

You may also want to look into getting an deepcycle Marine AGM battery. Many many benefits of AGM over wetcell batteries.

AGM vs WetCell

AGM Battery

WoodGlue

Guess I did not know which type has enough strong enough power for good operation of the slide.

Any opinions about the Walmart Everstart Maxx or Sams Energizer? The Walmart has a two year free replacement and appears to be their top of the line battery. The Sams Energizer has a tag on it which says it is distributed by Johnson Controls, which I believe also own Interstate. But it is a one year free replacement.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and opinions on these two batteries.

If you dry camp you might want to consider going to a G27 battery over a G24.
Or go off the deep end for 2 - 6 volt batteries.

Hi,

I would encourage you to increase the amp-hours of capacity and to use a deep cycle battery.

It all depends on how you use your rig. If you always use it where there is shore power available any battery will do. If you do any dry camping you should get at least a group 27 deep cycle or even better a pair of 6v "golf cart" batteries. The amp hour rating is what you want to look at - the more the better.

I have a Walmart 110 amp hour battery in my TC right now. I like the 2 year warranty. I think there great. If it fails there is always a walmart around.

Depends on your needs, and avaliable redundentcies.I like wally World group 29 since I dry camp for long periods and just run my geny a few hrs a day.If your TV can power the TT and charge the battery and you do not really depend on it get a smaller cheaper battery.

Based on your past camping needs it looks like you don't do much camping off the power grid. This being the case I would go for the best warranty but since you are already over the warranty period now with your interstate I guess this is sort of mute as well haha...

The standard issue GP24 Interstate batteries is only a 85AH battery. I added three more of those on my OFF ROAD POPUP setup and have been using them for the past 5-years. I lost one of the of the batteries earlier on by boiling out the battery fluids so after getting a smart-mode converter/charger installed on-board I have had great luck with the remaining three. I mostly camp off the power grid so the three batteries together gave 255AHs of capacity which handled my off-road camping needs just fine.


Last season I did have another interstate failure with a shorted cell so this season I am starting off with just two interstate batteries in my bank. I too need to start getting some replacements. In my case I would love to have around 400AHs capacity battery bank. I would love to have two groups of 12VDC Trojan batteries but they are probably out of my budget. Four of the COSTCO/SAMs CLUB GC2 6V batteries is most likely what I will end up getting.

Its really what your camping needs are going to be on how much battery capacity you will need.

COSTCO/SAMs CLUB seems to have the most AHs available for the bucks spent. Each 6V Golf Cart battery cost around $80 each... Two connected in series will give you 12VDC with around 200AHs capacity.

Roy ken