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redeldo · 04-09-2008, 09:33 AM

I was cleaning the battery tray and terminals and decided to check the battery condition. Water level is ok in all cells but one battery showed .5 the other 3 showed nothing.

Time to replace!!! I have 4 6volt NAPA Specialty batteries #8144. Their website shows these are for golf cart with no mention of deep cycle. Why the original owner used these I have not idea.

What should they be replaced with?

redeldo · 04-09-2008, 09:33 AM

I was cleaning the battery tray and terminals and decided to check the battery condition. Water level is ok in all cells but one battery showed .5 the other 3 showed nothing.

Time to replace!!! I have 4 6volt NAPA Specialty batteries #8144. Their website shows these are for golf cart with no mention of deep cycle. Why the original owner used these I have not idea.

What should they be replaced with?

texanken · 04-09-2008, 09:41 AM

imho, go to sears and ask them there (size). If possible take the RV with you and they will change them out for free. Hopefully, you have a sears service center close. I have been buying Die-hards for 20 years and they have been worth the price.

justlou · 04-09-2008, 11:00 AM

The 6 volt batteries used in RV's were originally designed for use in golf carts. They will withstand discharge and recharge cycles for several years.

Sixpack98 · 04-09-2008, 11:33 AM

If the NAPA batteries are for golf carts then they are probably deep cycle. Which brand to replace them with? It depends on the intended use of the batteries. If you do a lot of dry camping consider Trojan, either flooded or AGM. AGM has a different charging requirement so make sure your onboard charger can handle AGM. Big advantage with AGM is virtually no out gassing which cuts down on battery cleaning or watering of batteries. For sure Trojan will be more expensive than most brands and AGM style batteries are much more expensive. If you are on a budget and/or don't do a lot of dry camping consider Interstate flooded batteries. I read about a lot of folks purchasing Interstate golf cart batteries from Sam's and they swear by them. Certainly much cheaper than Trojan but with some disadvantages.

mark

BryanL · 04-09-2008, 12:42 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">golf cart with no mention of deep cycle </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
these terms are meaningless advertising slogans.

What you want to do is to replace your batteries with new ones that are the same voltage and size and intended for RV service. I'd suggest buying from a retailer who sells a lot of them to folks like you and will stand behind what he sells.

As for the slogans, the Az WindSun FAQ notes that 'golf cart' has more to do with the physical size than anything else. Another chart notes that 'deep cycle' is usually for batteries that only handle small currents.

I have seen no data that brand name makes any difference.

see Basic battery guidelines and Understanding batteries, start with these links for more information

redeldo · 04-10-2008, 03:22 AM

Thanks for the help. We do not do a lot of boondocking so the batteries will be for normal use.

I checked the Sears, Advance Auto web sites and they had no 6 volt listed so a trip is planned for today. The NAPA dealer does not stock them but can order for $114 each. Sams website did not show Interstate so I will include a visit today. Nearest Trojan dealer is about 160 miles RT. BryanL - good information links, lots of info!

AKBrick · 04-10-2008, 06:05 AM

When we bought our MH last October, Guaranty RV's service center in Colburg OR, put in four new 6 volt "Interstate Batteries", "WORKLHOLIC" brand with "speed caps" on them. The number on the batteries is U2200.

I check the water monthly to keep them topped off and lately because we are plugged in I guess, we don't use a whole lot of water.

A quick tip: I use a turkey baster squeeze bulb tube to suck up the distilled water from the gallon jug and squirt it into the battery cells. It saves a lot of time cleaning up the messes on top of the batteries when your done. Also, with the "Speed Caps", this job goes really fast. You also don't get any gunk on your fingers. I still use rubber gloves though for safety. Safety glasses or a face shield might be a good idea too. See what I learned at my old job? When you've got your head inside of the battery compartment, (unless yours slides out), there isn't a whole lot of room and your face is fairly close to the batteries to see the levels in the cells. Oh yeah, another big tip is to use a headlamp, VERY handy.

Good luck getting new batteries,

AKBrick

Corkey · 04-10-2008, 06:21 AM

AKBrick, .... Like you I used to use a turkey baster and dress up for the occasion. No more.

I installed the Pro-Fill system, with a squeeze bulb. There are no caps to remove, just drop the hose in a water jug and squeeze the bulb. It will fill low cells, and leave the full ones alone. And its all done without protective gear.

I've had it on three coaches now, and will never be without it again. It makes checking and filling the batteries too easy to "not do it"

AKBrick · 04-10-2008, 06:54 AM

WO!!! Thanks Corkey! Gee, now I feel like old farmer Jones. That Pro-Fill system looks great! I never even heard of it till now. I guess I'll have to make another trip and bow down to the Camping World gods.

AKBrick

jdrelgel · 04-10-2008, 07:33 AM

I installed a bank of solar panels and 4 additional 6vs on my Dip so watering was a concern of mine. The solution for me was the Water Miser cap. they are a bit pricey at $3.90/each, but I only have to service the cells twice a year and I do a lot of dry camping. see attached lead for a source, you can check the web for cheaper sources:http://store.solar-electric.com/batwatmiscap.html

Jim Legler
06 Dip

MARANATHA · 04-14-2009, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redeldo

Thanks for the help. We do not do a lot of boondocking so the batteries will be for normal use.

I checked the Sears, Advance Auto web sites and they had no 6 volt listed so a trip is planned for today. The NAPA dealer does not stock them but can order for $114 each. Sams website did not show Interstate so I will include a visit today. Nearest Trojan dealer is about 160 miles RT. BryanL - good information links, lots of info!

Hi there,
A lot of articles/posts are available nowadays about batteries. The question is, which one is the best. In my experience for the last 15 years, the best batteries are those ones that will meet your needs. I'll depend on your budget too. For me, I'm willing to buy new batteries every five years than buying expensive one every ten years. Very affordable are interstate for 6V batteries and if you can go back to two-12V batteries, its much cheaper co'z walmart is around the corner. Remember, if you are plugged most of the time, the cheapest battery will do because everytime your converter/inverter is at work or plugged from the shore, your batteries will function only as a filtering device of the AC/DC circuit of the MH. Adding distilled water is a part of maintenance of course and easy to do anyway especially for retiries. Hope this help.