Battery

[Charlie_D_]

After our last trip I hooked up the camper to power. After one month I was preparing the camper for a trip and found that I had failed to turn the breaker on and found that the battery was low Turned the breaker on and after a few days found the battery would not fully charge so now I will buy a replacement.

RV Deep Cycles that I have found carry a 12 warranty and the battery is 2 years old. Under my uses the battery should never use the deep cycle mode. It is never discharged unless some dummy fails to turn the breaker on after hook up.

I understand the need to have a battery for normal day to day use and especially the need for a fully charged battery if the camper should disconnect from my truck. My camper is always plugged into shore power as we never stay or stop at any place that does not have hookups. When traveling it receives power from the tuck.

My question is: Does the camper require a Deep Cycle RV/marine battery? I have looked at Group 27 battery for vehicles and would like to try one if it would work under the details I have listed. A Group 27 battery has a warranty of full replacement for 3 years and prorated for 2 years. I am not interested in AGM batteries. What say you?

[drsteve]

In regards to the original question, I would use a marine/RV battery, just because they are better able to withstand the occasional inadvertent discharge.

On the second, I do check the water level in my batteries frequently, because I leave the camper plugged in between trips, and I know the WFCO converter in my TT does a poor job of not boiling off the water when it's supposed to be maintaining.

[Charlie_D_]

RJsfishin wrote:
Quit being so cheap and do what Lynnmor says. You just THINK you will never run on battery, but there will be those times. And the terminals are more trouble than its worth. BUY THE DAM DC,....kinda like, BUILD THE DAM WALL

You should troll someone else's post. I KNOW that since 2005 that I have not needed to use a battery without shore power. I know that starting batteries will discharge faster than a Deep Cycle if all things are equal. BUT, any battery will age and lose the ability to provide the same voltage as they age so there is not a guarantee of better performance.

Question for everyone. How many of you have removed their batteries and check the voltage OR checked the water on a regular basis? Many people do not do that but I suspect most RV'ers do.

[wa8yxm]

Ok batteries come in assorted types. For this

Starting: These are batterie which generally are not all that "Big" Capacity wise (IE: 70-80 Amp Hour) but capable of very high (hundred of amp) current. These betteries need to be kept fairly full 80-90% SOC. run 'em down to 50% and its time for a new battery.. As you found out.

MARINE/deep cycle... Very much a starting battery but you can go a bit lower on charge say 70-80% again run 'em down.. well you found out.

DEEP CYCLE.. The most popular DEEP CYCLE is the GC-2 this is a six volt GOLF CAR (GC) battery you use two of them in series to make a 12 volt battery They don't mind 50 percent. They also hold over 200 amp hours... But they do not like "HIgh" current (Defined as a percentage of the 200 amp hours) so for a Group 27 (about 100 amp hours) 200 amps is HIGH current. for a pair of GC-2 it is not.

BUT THe GC2 stands a much better chance of recovery from an OH S!!! level discharge (below 50%)

THey also make a GC-12 12 volts. about 150 AH as I recall.

[Charlie_D_]

Harvey51 wrote:
It seems to me that good starting batteries and deep cycle ones are the same price at Costco. If an extra $20, it’s low cost protection from power failures.

Don't have a Costco within a 100 miles. No, Deep Cycle and starting batteries are not within $20:00, and price is not the issue. Starting batteries have 5 year warranty, 3 full replacement years and 2 prorated. Deep cycles have lasted longer that that.

[Harvey51]

It seems to me that good starting batteries and deep cycle ones are the same price at Costco. If an extra $20, it’s low cost protection from power failures.

[RJsfishin]

Quit being so cheap and do what Lynnmor says. You just THINK you will never run on battery, but there will be those times. And the terminals are more trouble than its worth. BUY THE DAM DC,....kinda like, BUILD THE DAM WALL

[2oldman]

Pedestals have breakers too, why not use that?

[drsteve]

If you are always hooked to shore power then any cheap 12v battery will do just fine.

[Lynnmor]

I would put in the marine group 27. I have been subjected to low voltages and power outages too many times and want to have some degree of self sufficiency.

[Charlie_D_]

landyacht318-Thanks for the comments but I have no equipment to do so-just a standard charger and I will need a battery as I am headed to the Rockport/Fulton area Wednesday and do not have the time to do as you suggest.

[landyacht318]

A newish battery unintentionally drained super low once and not left there for too long or through freezing temperatures, should be able to recover much of its capacity/performance, but it will require bringing it upto 14.8v, holding it there for several hours, then perhaps bringing it upto 16 volts for 30 minutes.

No regular RV converter will do this and neither will 99% of so called smart chargers.

If you never camp without hookups then you certainly do not require a Rv/marine battery, and a cheaper lighter starter battery with a longer warranty will serve you just as well.

But Starter batteries have no threaded studs, only the automotive posts, and it might not simply be plug and play, and converting it to be plug an play with your system could cost more than the Marine version of the group 27.

Likewise your RV converter might never choose any voltage other than 13.6v, and this will never fully charge a battery drained to dead, slowly. more voltage for longer will be required, and a hydrometer dipped to verify when that voltage has been held for long enough, or if that higher voltage needs to be stepped up to Equalization levels(16v).

Depending on just how low you brought that battery, over how long of a period, and how new it was, you might be able to get it to respond and get your moneys worth from it, rather than simply replacing it.

[Charlie_D_]

twodownzero wrote:
What breaker are you turning off and on? Perhaps you can eliminate the problem if you stop doing that.

First time in 12 years. I have a breaker that I turn off before plugging in or before unplugging.

[twodownzero]

What breaker are you turning off and on? Perhaps you can eliminate the problem if you stop doing that.

[Chakara]

Nope - for that use I'd find the cheapest 12V I could that would fit.....

-Kyle