Deep Cycle Battery???

SoundGuy wrote:

richardtc17 wrote:
Looks like our choices are:

• Another battery in parallel
• All new battery setup - a few choices here
• Adequate solar
• Generator

Just keep in mind that with any battery selection how you're going to properly maintain that battery bank is also critically important, keeping in mind that often that converter / charger as installed by the trailer manufacturer is inadequate for the task at hand. :( One example would be those Duracell AGMs suggested by another poster which require temperature compensated charging which almost no stock trailer converter will do. Some batteries require bulk charging at 14.4 volts, others at 14.8 volts which many converter chargers won't do. Some manufacturers warn against equalizing their AGM batteries, others say you can and should. In other words it's critically important you match the batteries you intend to invest in with a charging system that meets the charging requirements for those batteries. For a single flooded battery which may have been supplied by the dealer and on which you only rely from time to time this isn't much of an issue as it can easily be replaced when the time comes at moderate cost but once you decide to put substantial investment into a bank of batteries, particularly more costly AGMs, plus a genset, and/or solar, you really only want to do that once you have a more complete understanding of the issues involved in properly drawing down and recharging those batteries. Unfortunately some, perhaps even many, regard solar as getting something for nothing but the reality is solar can only produce maximum results when the panels are fully exposed to the sun, so unless you're out in the desert somewhere all the time there will be plenty of times when it's going to do you little to no good at all. A genset can solve this issue for you BUT the reality is there are often restricted times at which you may be allowed to run it, and if those times don't match your schedule you may well still be left with a depleted battery bank. The point? - there really is no simple "one size fits all" solution to running days or weeks on battery power alone ... jump in too soon without understanding all that is involved and you're sure to regret it. ;)