battery replacement time

kerry4951 wrote:
(2) Deka series 31 AGM's since 2010 with no issues. Still going strong

I have the same batteries, purchased earlier this year.
I went with AGM because it's extremely difficult to check water level in the batteries on my Arctic Fox camper.

ended up ordering an interstate 31 AGM 7 of course its a special order :( and going to mess up my trip. buts its my fault dragging my heels on this.

thanks for the info. I had an interstate before and was happy with it. The Trojan has been pretty much a head ache since day 1.

I went looking around online for the DEKA series 31 AGM but didn't see it. Whats the model # or have a link?

kerry4951 wrote:
(2) Deka series 31 AGM's since 2010 with no issues. Still going strong

x2.

I'm with JMC here. I must have a slightly larger Lance batt box than he does as a grp. 27 fits in with enough head room to pull cables off the terminals.
After recently upgrading to a new PD converter and adding 200W solar I replaced my 6 yr. old, grp. 27 Kirkland batt from Costco with a group 27 from Costco now called Interstate. The clerk told me the Kirkland brand was always an Interstate just rebadged.
I use the same size 3 batteries for the TC; two under the hood of the truck and one in the TC. They're all hooked together with a heavy cable. I do have a knife switch cutoff which I've never used in the open position. Now if i could only keep the fridge going on propane on the highway I would and eschew the 12v. running while on the highway. Only once when I left the 12v. on by mistake all night did I take all 3 batteries down enough that the truck would not start in the AM.
It looks like not in my lifetime will I get to enjoy the rush of having 2-6v. batts to brightly and warmly wile away the evenings in winter.
jefe

My experience with the Lance campers that I have owned (835, 981 & now 880) has been that the battery compartment is just barely able to accommodate the size that it was designed for. I remember specifically with the 981 wanting to switch to 6v when I replaced a couple of Interstate Marine group 27's. Unfortunately the 6v were taller than the 12s and they would not fit in the compartment.

My current 880 has one group 27 which needs to be inserted at an angle to get it in. I went with a maintenance geptreeted because I knew that checking fluid level would be a giant pain.

I usually buy batteries at Costco or Sam's as they are the best deal.
Costco offers on some batteries 100 months warranty.
Also I think those who had lot of hassle with flooded batteries are having cheap chargers.
My golf-cart batteries are 12 years old and I remember adding water once, maybe twice. Paid $46 a piece.

Frank,

You can 'mix' but it is not best practise. It is best to have all identical jars purchased at the same time and place. Wire them in a balanced manner.

cewillis wrote:
I use 4 of the earlier model of these. 12v 135ah AGM, 540 ah total. Same batteries since 2007, and still work fine. 110w solar and heavy duty alternator charge system.

Along this line, can you intermix the 12v and the 6v..???

Camper, AF 990 has 2 grp 29 12v and I was thinking of adding 2 more Torklift under truck batteries and since the 6v gives deeper charges, thought that might work too.

Would it work
or do they have to stay the same, 12v to 12v or 6v to 6v only?

(not trying to hi-jack OP's thread, but thought it might help in general to confirm, it'll work or not work - delete if this is not appropriate here, thanks and sorry)

I use 4 of the earlier model of these. 12v 135ah AGM, 540 ah total. Same batteries since 2007, and still work fine. 110w solar and heavy duty alternator charge system.