My wife and I have a FR Palonini 132FD. 16' LOA.We use it for two three-week trips every fall and spring - and occasional camping in between.We tow it with a Toyota Tacoma, and have a 100W solar panel on the roof, plus a spare 80W 'briefcase' solar panelI always have problems keeping batteries charged and kill them. So this time I purchased a AmpereTime solid-state 200Ah Nickel/cadmium battery.It's an awesome battery that is good for 2000cycles and will last many years - but the issue is that it needs 14.6V for charging and neither the tow vehicle, the camper converter on shore power (13.63V) or my solar panels will deliver that kind of oomph. So I'm faced with spending a bundle on any of the solutions and that just seems like overkill. So I think I should return it and start over again - regrettably.My question is - what's the best deep-cycle battery for this small camper, considering the type of use. We are VERY careful with power usage - just the fridge control panel; heater fan when in use; and occasional LED lights. Thank you

FYI This info may be of benefit to others if not the OPI have for many years used regular 12 volt wet cell or AGM batteries plus deep cycle that I bought from Sams or Auto supply stores on my 28 foot TT. Just one and on road trips the truck kept the battery charged up quite well. I always used shore power when available and with no shore power I used only minimum appliances very sparingly and got along with propane stove and lanterns. Since I had room I carried a spare battery and later small inverter 2000W firman generator with an exide battery charger if needed to charge the bat including deep cycle. I use to use the red top (starting), yellow or blue deep cycle bats from Sam but I heard they changed manufactures with quality deterioration. For a while i had a Champion 3500W but it was much more than I needed and too heavy. My firman gets 8 to 9 hours on one gallon in econ quite mode and I have been told these 2000W gennys will power one roof top AC. Most RV parks and public campgrounds have quite hours when one cannot run the genny. I have no experience with solar but many others have. I now only boondock for short periods of time.

Scottishman wrote:My question is - what's the best deep-cycle battery for this small camper, Most TTs have a group 24 sized battery box. I'd get a group 24 AGM battery, or upgrade to TWO.The factory installed converter / chargers in RVs are not much more than a power supply. You'd benefit greatly from installing a nice 2 stage charger, or even an inverter/charger combo unit.I recently installed a Victron DC to DC Charger to upgrade my truck to RV charging capabilities.

Scottishman wrote:I always have problems keeping batteries charged and kill them. So this time I purchased a AmpereTime solid-state 200Ah Nickel/cadmium battery.It's an awesome battery that is good for 2000cycles and will last many years - but the issue is that it needs 14.6V for charging and neither the tow vehicle, the camper converter on shore power (13.63V) or my solar panels will deliver that kind of oomph. First, I believe that is a LiFePO4 battery. Yes it needs higher voltage to properly charge.Invest in a new converter and solar charge controller.

LiFe?? Nicad are not ideal for camping...You can get solar charge controllers that have adjustable output. That 100w solar panel puts out 18.x volts and your charge controller drops that down to 13.x. I have one I can program any voltage I want to go to the battery.ORGet a DC to DC charger where you can either program or get your 14.6 volts. This will help coming from the vehicle alternator.You might need another 100 watt panel if you go off-grid for days at a time. All depends on how much power you use.OR both because you need control from the panel and control from the vehicle.

mr_andyj wrote:LiFe?? Nicad are not ideal for camping...Ampere time does not sell NiCad batteries.

Which battery for small travel trailer | Good Sam Community

Grit_dog
Navigator
Aug 18, 2021
^Yes I agree.
And the wfco converters claim to be 3 stage and then include some language about how you may not “see” 14.xx volts at the battery….
Goes against whatnliitle I remember from electrical engineering courses, lol.
That said, I’m not saavy with solar like many of the gentlemen here but you should be able to produce those higher voltages out of your solar (at a much smaller amperage of course compared to a large charger.)
Good you’re keeping the battery. I think you’ll enjoy the performance of it once you can keep it charged fully.
Best of luck!
Scottishman
Explorer
Aug 18, 2021
Yes that's good to know and the general suckiness of RV converters is also mentioned by the author of The 12volt Side of Life. (Why does the RV industry continue to put these converters in campers?) Anyway - I got myself a decent smart charger as recommended by you and others - so when we do have power I'll hook the charger and battery to that separately from the converter.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Aug 18, 2021
Scottishman wrote:
I just checked - the converter is manufactured by WFCO. Model No. WF-8735-P. The label says that the output rating (includes charging and load) = 13.6V - which concurs with my own test as above. I suppose, therefore, that this should be enough to charge the battery? It says nothing about two-stage.

Yes the converter is marginal for charging. Even Old fashioned lead acid batteries.
I didn’t believe it after a bunch of years with a better converter that charged batteries quickly and fully.
But our new camper has a wfco same as yours but 55amp. And it s Ucks at charging.
Huntindog
Explorer
Aug 18, 2021
toedtoes wrote:
If you don't change your converter to a smart one, I would get a good quality trickle charger and make sure you have a battery cutoff switch. That way when it's home, you can isolate the battery and keep it on trickle charge.It is a LiFePO4 battery.That is considered by many to be the best type available A trickle charger is not needed or recommended

Did your prior batteries last the 3-day weekends on one charge? If not, how far short did they fall on your highest and lowest energy output trips?

I would aim for a battery(s) that can handle at least your lowest output weekend without recharging - so no furnace use. If you can get more, great, but set that as your minimum if at all possible.

I personally like the AGMs - it's just one thing I don't have to think about. I had good luck with the Optima Blue Top battery. It lasted in my clipper until the thieves stole it and f'd up everything. The battery was about 7 years old.

This time, because I needed new batteries in the trailer also, I went with the vtechs. Less expensive and same size. We will see how they last in comparison.

Lifeline agm are the most recommended AGM by folks here.

Flooded batteries are cheaper, but you need to remember to check them regularly. Sam's club and Costco batteries seem to get the most reference here.

A lifeline GPL-31T battery will run you about $400. That gives you 105ah. With the other $400, you could get a good trickle charger and pump up your solar a bit.
Scottishman
Explorer
Aug 17, 2021
I just checked - the converter is manufactured by WFCO. Model No. WF-8735-P. The label says that the output rating (includes charging and load) = 13.6V - which concurs with my own test as above. I suppose, therefore, that this should be enough to charge the battery? It says nothing about two-stage.
Scottishman
Explorer
Aug 17, 2021
Skibane,

Thanks for that. Well, the only way I've found to rest the voltage delivered by the converter is to put a voltage meter across the two terminals that go to the battery from the converter (having disconnected the battery). It reads 13.62V. So I presume that's the charging voltage (?)
I also don't have enough faith in this (2016) converter to believe that it has two-stage charging as you suggest. I'll find the converter specs and look it up.
Thank you
Skibane
Explorer II
Aug 17, 2021
1. Are you sure that your DC power converter doesn't deliver 14+ volts while it's recharging the battery?

Nowadays, most converters are at least "2 Stage", with a higher initial charge voltage until the converter determines that the battery is charged.

2. Most solar panels will deliver well in excess of 17 volts. All you need is a solar panel charge controller that can be adjusted to the higher charging voltage your Lithium battery requires.
Scottishman
Explorer
Aug 17, 2021
Thank you so much - all very helpful. As my Mom would say - if it was easy everybody would be doing it.
wny_pat1
Explorer
Aug 16, 2021
Oh, should have mentioned that you need to run a 6 gauge service connection from your pick-up's battery to the rear of your pickup bed. Here you will need a Anderson connecter to be able to disconnect from your trailer's cconnector going to the charger. Any place that specializes in Pickup trucks should be able to install one for you. Stay far away RV dealers for this installation! Places that do off road installations would be far better.
wny_pat1
Explorer
Aug 16, 2021
No, they are not waterproof!!! They are water resistant to a point. They have to be mounted vertically on a non-flammable surface, with the power terminals facing downwards. I'm mounting mine in a "ventlated" box. Something to keep direct water spray from saturated the unit. They are rated to IP43 protection When installed with the screw terminals oriented downwards. IP43 is Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical. I am installing mine in a waterproof junction box rated at IP65 - Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction. Found it at www.amazon.com/dp/B07PDV2F2N?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details.

I have a Scamp 19, similar to a small fifth wheel. I am mounting mine on the front outside fiberglass wall. I would like to mount mine upside down on the loft over the pick up bed and am awaiting comments from their dealer. Your charger should be mounted as close to the trailer batteries as possible.

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