Looking for some help deciding on which batteries.....

[KATOOM]

I am replacing my current two RV/Marine batteries since they're about 5-6 years old and arent holding much of a charge anymore.

I have a couple local choices for batteries and I was looking for opinions on the few options I have.

I can pick up a couple 6 volt Trojan T-105's for about $180 each.
Specs are 225 amp hr @ 20 hr / 185 amp hr @ 5 hr

Or I can get a couple 12 volt Exide deep cycle for around $100 each.
Spec are 105 amp hr @ 20 hr / no other data

Or the AGM batteries around here are very expensive at $190+ each.
Specs are 95 amp hr @ 20 hr / 78 amp hr @ 5 hr

So..... I'm going to throw a guess out there that the Trojan's are the best bet but I just wanted to be sure what you all think before I make any rash decisions. Unless someone has some better ideas. :B

[Don_McL]

update on trojans in quartzsite

i bought 6 t105's in quartzsite today @ $125.00 plus their 3% solar tax

[tplife]

BoonHauler wrote:

tplife wrote:

BoonHauler wrote:

KATOOM wrote:
What I'm replacing are two older group 27 Kirkland batteries. The only info they have, besides cranking amps, is 115 min reserve. Nothing pertaining to amps hr.

KATOON:

Those batteries were not a deep cycling battery. CCA (Cold Cranking Amp) are listed on 'Starting' batteries like you have under the hood in a vehicle and most likely the reason they've failed on you.

Whether you go with a 6 or 12 volt battery make sure it's a true 'Deep Cycle' battery sometimes refered to as 'golf cart' batteries.

I myself chose Crown, here's a link Golf & Electric Vehicle

BH, is it really a good idea to mount non-AGM batteries in a compartment that is below (what appears to be) a living area? Explosive gas and corrosive liquids are why I went with AGMs that can be mounted upside down under a dinette, safely.

TPlife:

We're a little off topic here I'd say but if you went through my build thread (a page or two prior to the page in the link) you'd see that the battery compartment is well ventilated.

As for it's location, that's the garage. The compartment access panels will be sealed with foam tape and the floor will be covered with a one-piece vinyl mat.

Again, sorry guys for getting off topic ....:o

BTW guys, Trojan batteries are now made in China and personally I'd stay with a US manufacturer.

No worries Boonhauler, it's your rig...I just wouldn't want that light explosive H2 coming up through any seals into my vehicles- maybe that's just my prejudice of being an organic chemist. 😉

[Sam_Spade]

bucky wrote:
Sam Spade being on here 3 months must make him an expert on many things. I always like a quick learner.

That's ridiculous "logic".

Fact is that I am a trained and experienced Electronics Engineering Technician and have been for close to 50 years.

The second fact is: Any healthy automotive battery that is near to fully charged can survive just fine for 3 week with no external charging ......if disconnected.

A reasonable supposition is: That it would survive just fine for 3 weeks if NOT disconnected. If that were not the case, millions of cars would have their batteries go bad every day, many of them on dealers lots, where they sit unused for 3 weeks or more. There are a lot of vehicles around that don't get used every day.

[bucky]

Sam Spade being on here 3 months must make him an expert on many things. I always like a quick learner.
Katoom is on other forums as he states, and he has always been helpful to many others. Hard to forget a handle like Katoom 🙂

[pnichols]

KATOOM wrote:
....I'd have to say that anytime I see a hecho en China I think "garbage".

I tend to think that way too, but it's not valid to think that way about all things from China, i.e.:

A few months ago I replaced our RV's ~eight year old Interstate AGM batteries. I went searching for "the best" AGM batteries, but had to reject Lifeline because of one of their specifications ... which they refused to budge on when I called them.

I turned to another supplier way up there on the world quality scale right along with Crown ... Rolls-Surette. I picked the Rolls-Surette battery model I wanted and called a distributor in Florida. They said that the model I wanted was made and labeled for them by Fullriver. I found a Fullriver distributor right here at home and picked up a couple of their AGM batteries that were an exact match to the different-colored and of course different labeled model that Rolls-Surette was offereing.

It turns out that Fullriver batteries have quite the reputation and are used all over the world - including the marine part of the world. They are made in a Chinese manufacturing plant.

[KATOOM]

Hey, dont let me be the end all to your theory..... I was just pointing out the one's I saw. As far as I know they've been on that shelf for years.

Maybe Trojan also has plants in China. Its not terribly uncommon for manufactures to have plants located in various countries. Although.....I'd have to say that anytime I see a hecho en China I think "garbage".

[BoonHauler]

Well, it looks like I stand corrected.

When I was doing the research for my battery purchase there was talk Trojan had moved their manufacturing to China.

Personally, I still believe Crown is a better battery than Trojan.....that's my two cents.

Here's a pic against Interstate...

[KATOOM]

Took this picture the other day. Says "Made in USA" right on the top.

[landyacht318]

Where can one read more on these chinese made Trojan batteries?

[BoonHauler]

tplife wrote:

BoonHauler wrote:


BTW guys, Trojan batteries are now made in China and personally I'd stay with a US manufacturer.

Thanks BH,I suspecteded that was a "toy hauler" setup, but the forum rules don't prohibit you from telling me that, LOL. Don't worry about apologizing for going off topic, if you start doing that, you'll be spending all your time 24/7 apologizing to every other person who objects to anything outside their own narrow personal interest. BTW, I just put 6 Trojan T-105s in my Club Car, I can afford to avoid our previous experience with the Crown brand this time around.

TPlife:

Your post is a little too cryptic for me, are you saying that you had problems with the Crowns batteries you had in your Club Car?

Is this your first go around with Trojans?

[tplife]

BoonHauler wrote:

tplife wrote:

BoonHauler wrote:

KATOOM wrote:
What I'm replacing are two older group 27 Kirkland batteries. The only info they have, besides cranking amps, is 115 min reserve. Nothing pertaining to amps hr.

KATOON:

Those batteries were not a deep cycling battery. CCA (Cold Cranking Amp) are listed on 'Starting' batteries like you have under the hood in a vehicle and most likely the reason they've failed on you.

Whether you go with a 6 or 12 volt battery make sure it's a true 'Deep Cycle' battery sometimes refered to as 'golf cart' batteries.

I myself chose Crown, here's a link Golf & Electric Vehicle

BH, is it really a good idea to mount non-AGM batteries in a compartment that is below (what appears to be) a living area? Explosive gas and corrosive liquids are why I went with AGMs that can be mounted upside down under a dinette, safely.

TPlife:

We're a little off topic here I'd say but if you went through my build thread (a page or two prior to the page in the link) you'd see that the battery compartment is well ventilated.

As for it's location, that's the garage. The compartment access panels will be sealed with foam tape and the floor will be covered with a one-piece vinyl mat.

Again, sorry guys for getting off topic ....:o

BTW guys, Trojan batteries are now made in China and personally I'd stay with a US manufacturer.

Thanks BH,I suspecteded that was a "toy hauler" setup, but the forum rules don't prohibit you from telling me that, LOL. Don't worry about apologizing for going off topic, if you start doing that, you'll be spending all your time 24/7 apologizing to every other person who objects to anything outside their own narrow personal interest. BTW, I just put 6 Trojan T-105s in my Club Car, I can afford to avoid our previous experience with the Crown brand this time around.

[KATOOM]

Im picking up a couple US 2200's tomorrow for $115 each. Id be happy to report back on how they work out if any ones interested.....

[BoonHauler]

tplife wrote:

BoonHauler wrote:

KATOOM wrote:
What I'm replacing are two older group 27 Kirkland batteries. The only info they have, besides cranking amps, is 115 min reserve. Nothing pertaining to amps hr.

KATOON:

Those batteries were not a deep cycling battery. CCA (Cold Cranking Amp) are listed on 'Starting' batteries like you have under the hood in a vehicle and most likely the reason they've failed on you.

Whether you go with a 6 or 12 volt battery make sure it's a true 'Deep Cycle' battery sometimes refered to as 'golf cart' batteries.

I myself chose Crown, here's a link Golf & Electric Vehicle

BH, is it really a good idea to mount non-AGM batteries in a compartment that is below (what appears to be) a living area? Explosive gas and corrosive liquids are why I went with AGMs that can be mounted upside down under a dinette, safely.

TPlife:

We're a little off topic here I'd say but if you went through my build thread (a page or two prior to the page in the link) you'd see that the battery compartment is well ventilated.

As for it's location, that's the garage. The compartment access panels will be sealed with foam tape and the floor will be covered with a one-piece vinyl mat.

Again, sorry guys for getting off topic ....:o

BTW guys, Trojan batteries are now made in China and personally I'd stay with a US manufacturer.

[NinerBikes]

There's a lot of golf courses around Phoenix, AZ and around Palm Springs, CA. Probably a lot of golf cart shops with batteries for sale around too.