Recommendation for replacement battery

[TxTiger]

First, anyone traveling this weekend I wish you a safe and fun trip.
My battery is going on 3 years old and doesn't seem to maintain a charge for very long so I'm going to replace it. Any advice on what type of battery to get (deep cycle, big cranking amps, etc) and brands that have worked well for you would be greatly appreciated. I see batteries listed as rv/marine, but some seem to be deep cycle, others with large cranking amps. I would think deep cycle would be better than something with a lot of cranking amps, or something with both. But looking for advice since I don't know.
Thanks

[SidecarFlip]

Not on thread but I'd rather own a Yugo than a Tesla. What a waste vehicle. A 'feel good' vehicle at an expensive price point. Only plus side I see with an electric vehicle is instant heat in the winter.

[covered_wagon]

2oldman wrote:
LiFePo4. Fe= Iron. I've not heard them called Lithium Iron, but technically, since Fe is in there, I guess that's ok. So I guess it'd be lithium iron phosphate. But most in the industry say 'Lithium ion.'

I don't see where the OP stated his intended use. For dry camping, something deep cycle. If not, almost any battery will do.

I see what you are saying. Only the link states just topic sentences, nothing really technical describing the batteries internals. It's weird because there isn't anything on my google search that indicates any differentiation from Lithium Ion to Lithium Iron. I think both may have somewhat hazards, if any differences, may be minor.

When the day comes we need fire proof battery boxes in an Rv like the Tesla automobile I think it time to step away from technology and rethink simple. As everyone knows there is no such thing as a free lunch, so any so called advance has to come with a trade off. Cannot see buying 800 dollar batteries and then spend the same for a good charger to keep from having fire or explosion.

[2oldman]

LiFePo4. Fe= Iron. I've not heard them called Lithium Iron, but technically, since Fe is in there, I guess that's ok. So I guess it'd be lithium iron phosphate. But most in the industry say 'Lithium ion.'

I don't see where the OP stated his intended use. For dry camping, something deep cycle. If not, almost any battery will do.

[covered_wagon]

SidecarFlip wrote:

covered wagon wrote:
There is no such thing as Lithium Iron batteries. It has to be Lithium Ion as my google search kept referring back to Lihtium Ion and not 'iron' as you say.

There is a larger problem with disposal too. I'll stick to an old winner, the wet cells.

I posted the link once already on Page 2 (if you read back posts, you'll find it but if you don't....

https://battlebornbatteries.com

Maybe you need to go look before making unsubstantiated statements...

I went to this link/ website and there is no description of the actual guts to this battery. Nothing stated about Lithiun 'IRON' as you say. It does have the companies (often overrated) capacities to help sales but nothing about what the battery type is. For all it's description, it just an AGM battery Boss :B

[SidecarFlip]

I've said before and I'll say it again, no matter what you buy battery wise, always make an informed decision.

*Never buy any flooded cell battery from a low volume retailer...
*Always look at the battery and see if the top is dusty. If it is, don't buy it because it's been sitting there wasting away, waiting for you to 'adopt' it.
*Pay no attention to the punch out date codes on the top, they mean nothing. *Most batteries will last longer than the warranty anyway so long as they aren't repeatedly discharged below 50% of their capacity.

Any flooded cell (conventional, AGM or any acid filled battery begins it's lifespan when the electrolyte is added. The longer it sits, the dhorter the total life is.

That battery, sitting on a retailers shelf, waiting for you to purchase it is ticking it's life away waiting.

Why I prefer to buy a dry charged battery and add the electrolyte myself. The life begins when I out the acid in and the chemical reaction begins.

*Never top up any conventional battery with anything but distilled water. Tap water contains minerals and can shorten the lifespan, especialy if that water contains conductive minerals.

Finally, even if a flooded cell battery has no caps, you can still check the electrolyte level by removing the diffuser plate which is nothing more than a system of baffles designed to return the condensed water to the cells. Just because it's marked 'maintenance free' don't mean it will not produce acid fumes because it will and needs to be vented to the atmosphere in an RV.

Concerning a dry charged battery, handle the electrolyte carefully and avoid getting it on your skin. Sulfuric acid don't actually burn you like a flame. It deprives your tissue of oxygen and causes a painful 'burn'. I know too well, I have a scar on the back of my right hand that I got when I was a kid in Chemistry class from sulfuric acid. Was making a 'beaker battery' and got some on my hand. Only takes a minute and the damage is done and no amount of flushing with water will reverse the impact. Wear acid resistant gloves and eye protection as well. Battery acid in your eyes will blind you, instantly.

[DWeikert]

SidecarFlip wrote:
East Penn produces a ton of batteries sold under many names like Interstate, Exide, Dura Cell and many others. I believe they also make batteries for Auto-Zone and O'Riely too.

Add Deka to the list.

[SidecarFlip]

East Penn produces a ton of batteries sold under many names like Interstate, Exide, Dura Cell and many others. I believe they also make batteries for Auto-Zone and O'Riely too.

[DWeikert]

FWIW I just installed a pair of Duracell AGM Grp31 Deep Cycle batteries from Batteries Plus. They're made by East Penn Manufacturing. So far so good. 🙂

PS: The CCA rating isn't really relevant when used in a deep cycle application.

[2112]

My $80 100ah Walmart 27-DC served me well for over 6 years before it went tits up so I'm going to try them again when the time comes. We don't dry camp so I can't justify a $250 battery just to keep things working.

[covered_wagon]

SidecarFlip wrote:

covered wagon wrote:
There is no such thing as Lithium Iron batteries. It has to be Lithium Ion as my google search kept referring back to Lihtium Ion and not 'iron' as you say.

There is a larger problem with disposal too. I'll stick to an old winner, the wet cells.

I posted the link once already on Page 2 (if you read back posts, you'll find it but if you don't....

https://battlebornbatteries.com

Maybe you need to go look before making unsubstantiated statements...

Thank you for the link. My memory is bad about what I read before is all. I obviously need to read up on them.

[SidecarFlip]

Kayteg1 wrote:
Wet cells :C
Lately AGM batteries are "hot promotion" item and lot of people fall for it.
AGM were developed for certain (military) uses and are good for them, but RV is not the best use for them.
Reading on Mercedes forum, all MB cars of last few years are fitted with AGM batteries and dealer sell them for $300. Funny part they usually fail in less than 5 years, when lot of MB wet batteries on older models run for up to 15 years.
My MB runs on $92 battery with 96 months warranty. You could guess >>> wet cell.

Marsaydees are for old farts anyway.

[SidecarFlip]

covered wagon wrote:
There is no such thing as Lithium Iron batteries. It has to be Lithium Ion as my google search kept referring back to Lihtium Ion and not 'iron' as you say.

There is a larger problem with disposal too. I'll stick to an old winner, the wet cells.

I posted the link once already on Page 2 (if you read back posts, you'll find it but if you don't....

https://battlebornbatteries.com

Maybe you need to go look before making unsubstantiated statements...

[Kayteg1]

Wet cells :C
Lately AGM batteries are "hot promotion" item and lot of people fall for it.
AGM were developed for certain (military) uses and are good for them, but RV is not the best use for them.
Reading on Mercedes forum, all MB cars of last few years are fitted with AGM batteries and dealer sell them for $300. Funny part they usually fail in less than 5 years, when lot of MB wet batteries on older models run for up to 15 years.
My MB runs on $92 battery with 96 months warranty. You could guess >>> wet cell.

[covered_wagon]

There is no such thing as Lithium Iron batteries. It has to be Lithium Ion as my google search kept referring back to Lihtium Ion and not 'iron' as you say.

There is a larger problem with disposal too. I'll stick to an old winner, the wet cells.

[SidecarFlip]

covered wagon wrote:
It's not just the price of Lith Ion batteries, its that their energy storage is limited and then you have the problem of heat if charged/ discharged improperly, the thin membrane separating the plates presents a danger as does the impact of mining the lithium. They are not a panacea as the talk goes around the tech world.

Tesla has to have each battery in a separate fireproof container in their cars due to the danger of fire.

There you go, mixing apples and oranges again. I agree with what you say about Lithium Ion batteries. Don't apply to LITHIUM-IRON batteries. Different animal entirely.

The lithium part does but candidly, I'm not concerned about the mining. Like Brush-Wellman has been reducing Berylium ore to make high tech aircraft parts for years and workers in their plant get Berylosis regularly. They still do it every day.

Everything has it's risks. Walking across the street has it's risks. Myself, I weight the risk versus the benefit and decide.