Recommendation for replacement battery
First, anyone traveling this weekend I wish you a safe and fun trip. My battery is going on 3 years old and doesn't seem to maintain a charge for very long so I'm going to replace it. Any advice on w...
Forum Discussion
I've said before and I'll say it again, no matter what you buy battery wise, always make an informed decision.
*Never buy any flooded cell battery from a low volume retailer...
*Always look at the battery and see if the top is dusty. If it is, don't buy it because it's been sitting there wasting away, waiting for you to 'adopt' it.
*Pay no attention to the punch out date codes on the top, they mean nothing. *Most batteries will last longer than the warranty anyway so long as they aren't repeatedly discharged below 50% of their capacity.
Any flooded cell (conventional, AGM or any acid filled battery begins it's lifespan when the electrolyte is added. The longer it sits, the dhorter the total life is.
That battery, sitting on a retailers shelf, waiting for you to purchase it is ticking it's life away waiting.
Why I prefer to buy a dry charged battery and add the electrolyte myself. The life begins when I out the acid in and the chemical reaction begins.
*Never top up any conventional battery with anything but distilled water. Tap water contains minerals and can shorten the lifespan, especialy if that water contains conductive minerals.
Finally, even if a flooded cell battery has no caps, you can still check the electrolyte level by removing the diffuser plate which is nothing more than a system of baffles designed to return the condensed water to the cells. Just because it's marked 'maintenance free' don't mean it will not produce acid fumes because it will and needs to be vented to the atmosphere in an RV.
Concerning a dry charged battery, handle the electrolyte carefully and avoid getting it on your skin. Sulfuric acid don't actually burn you like a flame. It deprives your tissue of oxygen and causes a painful 'burn'. I know too well, I have a scar on the back of my right hand that I got when I was a kid in Chemistry class from sulfuric acid. Was making a 'beaker battery' and got some on my hand. Only takes a minute and the damage is done and no amount of flushing with water will reverse the impact. Wear acid resistant gloves and eye protection as well. Battery acid in your eyes will blind you, instantly.
*Never buy any flooded cell battery from a low volume retailer...
*Always look at the battery and see if the top is dusty. If it is, don't buy it because it's been sitting there wasting away, waiting for you to 'adopt' it.
*Pay no attention to the punch out date codes on the top, they mean nothing. *Most batteries will last longer than the warranty anyway so long as they aren't repeatedly discharged below 50% of their capacity.
Any flooded cell (conventional, AGM or any acid filled battery begins it's lifespan when the electrolyte is added. The longer it sits, the dhorter the total life is.
That battery, sitting on a retailers shelf, waiting for you to purchase it is ticking it's life away waiting.
Why I prefer to buy a dry charged battery and add the electrolyte myself. The life begins when I out the acid in and the chemical reaction begins.
*Never top up any conventional battery with anything but distilled water. Tap water contains minerals and can shorten the lifespan, especialy if that water contains conductive minerals.
Finally, even if a flooded cell battery has no caps, you can still check the electrolyte level by removing the diffuser plate which is nothing more than a system of baffles designed to return the condensed water to the cells. Just because it's marked 'maintenance free' don't mean it will not produce acid fumes because it will and needs to be vented to the atmosphere in an RV.
Concerning a dry charged battery, handle the electrolyte carefully and avoid getting it on your skin. Sulfuric acid don't actually burn you like a flame. It deprives your tissue of oxygen and causes a painful 'burn'. I know too well, I have a scar on the back of my right hand that I got when I was a kid in Chemistry class from sulfuric acid. Was making a 'beaker battery' and got some on my hand. Only takes a minute and the damage is done and no amount of flushing with water will reverse the impact. Wear acid resistant gloves and eye protection as well. Battery acid in your eyes will blind you, instantly.
