Beaver Patriot house batteries

[RAINEYTXX]

Need some help here. Our 2008 Beaver Patriot Thunder has out lived it's 4-6v Lifeline batteries. Time for a replacement. The Lifelines are a huge capacity (400 a/h) each.

We boondock 6 to 8 hrs overnight or drive 8 hours without generator. Overnight we use aqua hot for heat and water heating, residential refer, TV and sound system. What would you reccomend for a lower cost alternative given the application provided above?

I appreciate your thoughts on this and if possible an approximate cost estimation.

Thank you

[jplante4]

pianotuna wrote:
It is SUCH fun to top up the battery bank while laying in the snow. NOT!

2oldman wrote:
Lower cost usually gets you into wet batteries, which require watering.

Or for $50 you could get THIS.

Squeeze bulb sold separately. How stupid is that?

[wa8yxm]

Most 6 VOlt batteries are only around 220 amp horus.. Which lifeline size do you haver (They do make 'em bigger but you did not post the model number)

[Tom_Barb]

2oldman wrote:
Lower cost usually gets you into wet batteries, which require watering.

Not a problem,, once per quarter slide the battery tray out, flip the caps up and add water as needed.

10 minutes at most.

[Lwiddis]

82 in northern Los Angeles today, tuna.

[pianotuna]

It is SUCH fun to top up the battery bank while laying in the snow. NOT!

2oldman wrote:
Lower cost usually gets you into wet batteries, which require watering.

[Lwiddis]

I like my T125s, Tom

[2oldman]

Lower cost usually gets you into wet batteries, which require watering.

[Tom_Barb]

We went with THESE

[RLS7201]

I have friend with about the same energy usage as you. He continually discharges his batteries below 50 percent and has to replace his GC1 batteries every two years. Replace your 400 amp hour batteries with the same and avoid headaches down the road. Beaver originally installed the necessary batteries.

Richard

[pianotuna]

Hi,

Go to the lifeline page and search for advice on how to recondition the batteries. You may need to "dance on the needles" because you do not wish the VRLA valve to vent.

RAINEYTXX wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
L-16 format?

Have you tried reconditioning?

What is the l-16 battery? By reconditioning do you mean equalizing?
Sorry, my last fifth wheel had 4-6v batteries to run my residential refer off the inverter. Quite a bit less expensive the Lifeline AGM batteries at 400/ah.

Please advise

[jorbill2or]

Are the lifelines really 400ah ea .... as in x L 16 ( big) 400 amp hours is more than a GC battery can do ... or are they the same size as the golf carts you had in your prior rig 230 ah ea ? If they are the large L16 then dropping down to the GC2 size is certainly cheaper and possible with only overnight use. You could also drop the agm but I wouldn’t as you would have to check water levels frequently. Probably not something you want to do or read up on.
I also think dropping to 2 L 16’s might be what I’d do .. limited boondocing but ....

[RAINEYTXX]

pianotuna wrote:
L-16 format?

Have you tried reconditioning?

What is the l-16 battery? By reconditioning do you mean equalizing?
Sorry, my last fifth wheel had 4-6v batteries to run my residential refer off the inverter. Quite a bit less expensive the Lifeline AGM batteries at 400/ah.

Please advise

[pianotuna]

L-16 format?

Have you tried reconditioning?

[jplante4]

RAINEYTXX wrote:

jplante4 wrote:
I would stay with the 4-6 volt jars. Interstates run around $150 each. I've seen Trojan T-105s for less than $100 but I was suspicious.

Mmmm, the 6v Interstate battery price I was quoted an approx $350.00/we. What capacity are the $150.00 batteries?

225aH each, so 2 in series gets you 225aH at 12 volts and 4 gets you 450. We sell them all day at $150. Check around. These guys are quoting $149 but then you have to ship them.

Another good source is golf car retailers. They usually deal exclusively in Trojans, but you may be able to find an overstock or going out of business sale.

[RAINEYTXX]

jplante4 wrote:
I would stay with the 4-6 volt jars. Interstates run around $150 each. I've seen Trojan T-105s for less than $100 but I was suspicious.

Mmmm, the 6v Interstate battery price I was quoted an approx $350.00/we. What capacity are the $150.00 batteries?