maintance free battery

[bgant4]

Will a maintaince free battery work in my rv? I do not have an inverter only a battery charger.
Thanks

[arizal]

The Cedar Creek Silverback 29 RE 2012 that you list in your profile would have a 3 stage converter that will recharge your new AGM batteries whenever you have it plugged into shore power. I have had 2 large Interstate AGMs on my trailer since it was new 2009 and they still work perfectly. They require no maintenance as there is no venting what so ever and the battery terminals never corrode.
The Absorbed Glass Mat batteries are more expensive to begin with but if you live in a high heat area like I do, it is the only battery that I would consider.
ArizAl

[Duck]

It all depends on the type of camping you do. In my type of camping, part timer and full hook ups, the combination starter/deep cell will serve you well. If you like to dry camp then I would not recommend them.
Don

[wa8yxm]

Short answer: YES.. Many RV's in fact use one or another type of Maintenance free.

NOTE: I am not a fan of AGM (Which is a sub set of Maintenance free) as I feel you are paying more and getting less with them,, But I use a mix of traditional (Liquid filled) Maintenance free and flooded wet here.

I will give you the advantages:
Flooded wet, specifilly GC-2 Golf car batteries (you need two)
Low cost, and large capacity, Fairly long life if maintained, Mine were abused and made it nine years. The typical GC-2 pair is 220-230 amp horus but you can get them larger (250). It is also typically a TRUE DEEP CYCLE Battery.. More on that later.

Maintenance free.
Not that much more cost wise, You do not need to add Distilled water.. Typical capaicty depends on the battery size, Most common sizes are: Group 24, 75 amp horus, group 27-95, group 29-105 group 31-130 So by using 2 you can easily match the capacity of the GC-2 pairs. HOWEVER these are also typically MARINE/DEEP CYCLE, this is a starting battery.

AGM: Sub set of Maintenance free, Easier to find a DEEP CYCLE AGM however, AGM batteries can be mounted on end, on their side, upside down, at a weird angle, any way you can shove them in.

OPTIMA: Sub set of AGM, higher cost, NO advantage for RV house batteries, Capacity (and weight) around 60% of the figures above.

Now, the clases

Stareting batteries: Are designed to deliver a lot of current (Amps) but only for a short period of time.. They like to be well fed (like 75 or 80 percent state of charge or better.

Marine/Deep cycle.. Are primarly starting batteries.. They too like to be fairly well fed (Say 75)

Discharge them beyond that and life time sufferes, Take 'em down too low (Say 25 percent) and it's new battery time.

NOTE: Some folks claim you can take AGM's lower.. I disagree.


DEEP CYCLE are designed to routinely go to 50% state of charge without serious damage.. And Mine recovered from the occasional discharge down into truly scary (Would not light a 1156 lamp) range a few times.

For a 12 volt DEEP CYCLE, Check golf car suppliers.

[Veebyes]

X3 on the AGM however they are not cheap & to get best performance they need a multi stage programmable charger.

Most are not prepared to spend that kind of money.

[Roadpilot]

I'll second, buy an AGM not a Gel Cell.

[Tom_M1]

an AGM battery will work. Do not buy a "maintenance free" car battery. You need a deep cycle battery which an AGM is.