Adding a 2nd 'Similar' but not Identical Battery?

[Thai]

I'd like to add a 2nd battery to our new TT.

Currently it is (came with trailer):
Group 24
550 CCA
675 CA
140 RC

The 2nd battery I can get from a local Canadian Tire is:
Group 24
65 Amp Hours (?)
675 CA
120 RC
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/motomaster-nautilus-group-24-starting-deep-cycle-battery-0102499p.html#srp

Is it okay to add that one from Canadian Tire in parallel?

[Bumpyroad]

I think if it was me in this situation I would just use a similar battery, run them both for 5 years and then replace with either 2 6s or 2 12 DCycle ones. don't remember if you were into serious boondocking without hook ups or not.
bumpy

[westend]

Thai wrote:

westend wrote:

kerrlakeRoo wrote:
The battery you are looking at is a 65 amp hr battery, as a pair 130 total. Of which, as marine/rv batteries you can only use about 65 amps without over using them.
If you change to GC-2 batteries you would be able to use up to 75% of the 220 amps available.
I don't know what gc batteries will cost you up there but the difference in cost, and that you have to buy at least one no matter which way you go makes the upgrade to 6 volt batteries seem sensible.

X2
I'd suggest to call a golf cart distributor and see what a pair of 6V's will cost. The GC2 6V from most brands has the same footprint as BCI GRP24.

Thanks for that info. I'm going to ask if I can return the current one for a pair of Group 31's. I assume a pair of Group 31's will fit side by side in the front part of the trailer?

I dunno' what you have for a battery holder on the front of the trailer. Here's a BCI Group size Chart. As you will find, the footprint of a Grp 31 is bigger than the Grp 24.

[Thai]

westend wrote:

kerrlakeRoo wrote:
The battery you are looking at is a 65 amp hr battery, as a pair 130 total. Of which, as marine/rv batteries you can only use about 65 amps without over using them.
If you change to GC-2 batteries you would be able to use up to 75% of the 220 amps available.
I don't know what gc batteries will cost you up there but the difference in cost, and that you have to buy at least one no matter which way you go makes the upgrade to 6 volt batteries seem sensible.

X2
I'd suggest to call a golf cart distributor and see what a pair of 6V's will cost. The GC2 6V from most brands has the same footprint as BCI GRP24.

Thanks for that info. I'm going to ask if I can return the current one for a pair of Group 31's. I assume a pair of Group 31's will fit side by side in the front part of the trailer?

[westend]

kerrlakeRoo wrote:
The battery you are looking at is a 65 amp hr battery, as a pair 130 total. Of which, as marine/rv batteries you can only use about 65 amps without over using them.
If you change to GC-2 batteries you would be able to use up to 75% of the 220 amps available.
I don't know what gc batteries will cost you up there but the difference in cost, and that you have to buy at least one no matter which way you go makes the upgrade to 6 volt batteries seem sensible.

X2
I'd suggest to call a golf cart distributor and see what a pair of 6V's will cost. The GC2 6V from most brands has the same footprint as BCI GRP24.

[SoundGuy]

Thai wrote:
I'd like to add a 2nd battery to our new TT.

Currently it is (came with trailer):
Group 24
550 CCA
675 CA
140 RC

Since you're in Canada, Ontario specifically, I'm going to guess that what you have is a Deka DP24 Marine Master flooded battery as these specs you've quoted match exactly. These batteries are manufactured by East Penn and here in Canada are marketed by RV Care dealers as a Traveler's Choice battery. It's unfortunate at the time you purchased this trailer that you didn't specify a DC24 which is 20 HR rated @ 75 amps rather than 65 amps. Further you could have specified a DC27 for hardly any more $$ or better still a DC31 which is 20 HR rated @ 105 amps. Adding a second DC31 would then have given you a 20 HR rating of 210 amps which is in the same territory as a pair of flooded GC-2 6 volt batts in series. Since your trailer is new it would be worth asking your dealer if he would take back the DP24 knowing it's not yet been used (I assume) if he could sell you a pair of Group 31s.

[theoldwizard1]

time2roll wrote:
Yes those are fine together. Next time you spend money replace both.
Usage, care and maintenance will be a far bigger factor on how long they live.

Just a note, those are NOT true deep discharge batteries ! Depending on your short term NEED for extra capacity, you might want to wait a bit and get two 6V golf cart batteries. These would actually give you more capacity.

Golf cart batteries (size GC2) are sold at both Sams Club and Costco in the US for about $90.

[kerrlakeRoo]

The battery you are looking at is a 65 amp hr battery, as a pair 130 total. Of which, as marine/rv batteries you can only use about 65 amps without over using them.
If you change to GC-2 batteries you would be able to use up to 75% of the 220 amps available.
I don't know what gc batteries will cost you up there but the difference in cost, and that you have to buy at least one no matter which way you go makes the upgrade to 6 volt batteries seem sensible.

[time2roll]

Yes those are fine together. Next time you spend money replace both.
Usage, care and maintenance will be a far bigger factor on how long they live.

[Thai]

SoundGuy wrote:

SoundGuy wrote:
Since your new trailer came with a new G24 why would you not just get a second of the same and be done with it? :h

Thai wrote:
The dealer is 45 mins away and I'm afraid of 'dealer' pricing. ie. double. But with that said I did email them asking for price. Just haven't heard back yet.

You just paid what?, $25K Cdn, $30K, $35K, ?? for your new trailer and now you're worried over a few more $$ for a second battery of exactly the same type you already have in your first one? Ummmmm, OK. :S

Convenience is primary. And since it's already inconvenient, the added cost isn't too appealing.

But they did get back to me and it's the same price as the Canadian Tire one. So gonna venture out again this weekend to get it. All good. 🙂

[SoundGuy]

SoundGuy wrote:
Since your new trailer came with a new G24 why would you not just get a second of the same and be done with it? :h

Thai wrote:
The dealer is 45 mins away and I'm afraid of 'dealer' pricing. ie. double. But with that said I did email them asking for price. Just haven't heard back yet.

You just paid what?, $25K Cdn, $30K, $35K, ?? for your new trailer and now you're worried over a few more $$ for a second battery of exactly the same type you already have in your first one? Ummmmm, OK. :S

[FLY_4_FUN]

If your trying to double up your capacity then by all means go grab another new group 24 batt and parallel them. Personally I have given up on "dealer" batteries and get them to leave them out of the deal. Going up in size to a group 27 or 31 or better yet pair of golf cart batts from Cosco is the best way to get longer life when dry camping. Before you spend good money on a second one...maybe decide if adding a second small battery is better than buying two of the largest deep cycles you can afford. You could probably sell off the new group 24 locally to fund a more robust system. Just some ideas.

Daryll

[azrving]

Is there a Sam's club over there? $80

[Thai]

SoundGuy wrote:
Since your new trailer came with a new G24 why would you not just get a second of the same and be done with it? :h

The dealer is 45 mins away and I'm afraid of 'dealer' pricing. ie. double. But with that said I did email them asking for price. Just haven't heard back yet.

[Bumpyroad]

seems to me that you should be using deep cycle type batteries. one in your post shows amp hours, the other doesn't
bumpy