Battery Question
Hi, I have a bunch of questions about batteries, invertors, charging, solar panels, etc. So I'll start off with batteries... My TC came equipped with 2 Interstate Marine/RV Deep Cycle SRM-27 b...
Forum Discussion
Lets talk batteries for a moment shall we?
So I've been camping for years with a single #27 100AH deep cycle battery I got from Costco. As everybody knows, flooded lead acid (FLA) batteries don't last forever and a few years ago it needed replacing.
So why on earth would I spend nearly $1000 for a 100AH Battleborne when I can get a 100AH Costco deep cycle for ~$100??
Are the not pretty much the same thing?
Not in the least.
Lets take two things into consideration: usable AH and rated cycles.
For FLA batteries your recommended to only discharge them to %50! Thus making a 100AH battery really only a 50AH of usable battery storage. (advantage Battleborne)
While I was unable to find a charge/discharge cycle rating for the Costco batteries, inexpensive AGM batteries have ratings in the few 100 cycles and top of the line AGM batteries are rated ~800 cycles. Battleborne's are rated for 3000 cycles. (advantage Battleborne)
So lets do the math, to get 100AH of usable storage and maximum rated cycles I'd need to purchase two high end AGM batteries @ ~$300-350ea = $600-700 and would need to keep a close eye on both the discharge and water levels of the batteries. These batteries are HEAVY and while I have room to carry two, ~100AH is all I'd be able to carry unless I wire up other locations for batteries. Lastly they are only rated for ~800 cycles.
However for only a few 100 more I bought a Battleborne. It takes up only one of the two battery spots in my camper, is rated for 100AH and 3000 cycles, is a fraction of the weight, requires no 'watering' and as a added bonus can be charged at a higher rate then FLA batteries.
The higher charge rate equates into ether harvesting more power from the sun or shorter generator run times.
In my mind, the Battleborne LifePo4 was the long term economic solution.
YMMV.
- Mark0.
PS: Ok fine, so you don't like the expensive off the shelf Battleborne solution? If your into DIY it is fairly trivial to get LiFePo4 cells from China a battery management solution from Amazon and wire up a 260AH LiFePo4 DIY battery for ~$600. (I have all the parts in the garage) It just takes ether some electrical knowhow and/or reading/utube research to do.
So I've been camping for years with a single #27 100AH deep cycle battery I got from Costco. As everybody knows, flooded lead acid (FLA) batteries don't last forever and a few years ago it needed replacing.
So why on earth would I spend nearly $1000 for a 100AH Battleborne when I can get a 100AH Costco deep cycle for ~$100??
Are the not pretty much the same thing?
Not in the least.
Lets take two things into consideration: usable AH and rated cycles.
For FLA batteries your recommended to only discharge them to %50! Thus making a 100AH battery really only a 50AH of usable battery storage. (advantage Battleborne)
While I was unable to find a charge/discharge cycle rating for the Costco batteries, inexpensive AGM batteries have ratings in the few 100 cycles and top of the line AGM batteries are rated ~800 cycles. Battleborne's are rated for 3000 cycles. (advantage Battleborne)
So lets do the math, to get 100AH of usable storage and maximum rated cycles I'd need to purchase two high end AGM batteries @ ~$300-350ea = $600-700 and would need to keep a close eye on both the discharge and water levels of the batteries. These batteries are HEAVY and while I have room to carry two, ~100AH is all I'd be able to carry unless I wire up other locations for batteries. Lastly they are only rated for ~800 cycles.
However for only a few 100 more I bought a Battleborne. It takes up only one of the two battery spots in my camper, is rated for 100AH and 3000 cycles, is a fraction of the weight, requires no 'watering' and as a added bonus can be charged at a higher rate then FLA batteries.
The higher charge rate equates into ether harvesting more power from the sun or shorter generator run times.
In my mind, the Battleborne LifePo4 was the long term economic solution.
YMMV.
- Mark0.
PS: Ok fine, so you don't like the expensive off the shelf Battleborne solution? If your into DIY it is fairly trivial to get LiFePo4 cells from China a battery management solution from Amazon and wire up a 260AH LiFePo4 DIY battery for ~$600. (I have all the parts in the garage) It just takes ether some electrical knowhow and/or reading/utube research to do.
