Batteries

[ray/wendy]

hi,
1. What type and qty of battery are you excelers using?
2. Do you use charger/maintainer or converter?
Thx, Ray

[LarryGodby]

I have two 6 volt golf cart batteries and just use the on-board charger with the charge wizard. I don't pull them in the winter because we usually go out a couple of times in the winter.

[Tom SKP]

I'm a boondocker, so I have 6- 6v AGM batteries, a Magnum inverter/charger, 370 watts of solar and a solar controller.
Both the Magnum and the Trace solar controllers can and do charge the batteries, and they both are set for the correct voltage for my batteries.

[Workshop]

I use 3, #27 batteries. Two are in the unit's battery compartment. The other is in the forward compartment and used as a spare and what if. They are selected by a Perko battery switch also in the forward compartment.

The converter with the Charge Wizard is used to maintain the batteries. I also carry a Black and Decker charger for various reasons. Smarter and light weight compared to my prior portable charger.

[rockintom]

We just use 2 group 27 batts. We don't boondock, so use it to run my little 800W inverter to run the computer, TV (and digital TV converter box) and air card router. Works for our occassional overnight without electricity. rockin'

[Jim & Bona]

We carry four Lifeline AGMs, Group 27 (12 v) charged by the rigs converter with the Charge Wizard.

[davydee]

Well, sort of, anyway. Our trailer came with a strap to hold the batteries down. There's not a lot of play in that strap, and the strap is narrower than the ones carried at the local Batteries Plus. Where might I find a longer one? David

[wa8yxm]

Though in theory 200 amp hours of battery is 200 amp hours of battery I believe the six volt golf car (And now days the 12 volt golf car) batteries give you the best bang for your buck where they can be used.. The big advantages of these batteries is that they are designed to be recharged fairly quickly, and discharged over a period of time.. Just the way we use them. they are designed to be maintained by "Hired help" so they can take some neglect and abuse that other batteries do not like well. and.. They are low cost. Very low cost.

If maintenance is an issue, due to the placement of the battieres or for any other reason then quality AGM deep cycles, which are much more expensive, are the battery of choice.

A fact: For most battery types Xantrex recommends a 30% Capacity re-charge rate (That is for 200 amp hours of battery, at the 20 hour rate, you charge at 60 amps tops) for some types it's less

Trojan recommends a max re-charge on their flooded wet cells of 10 % (may be why they last so long)

Lifelien, on it's agm's recommends 30% as the MINIMUM. and a max of 300%.. Those suckers recharge FAST if you have enough charger

How much difference does this make in recharge time?

Well to recharge my Interstate U-2200's (30% max rate) takes me about 6-7 hours

To do the lifelines with a max charge of 300% would take about 4.5

Both are assuming a zero percent state of charge

If you start at 50 percent it's 6 hours tops for the interstate, 4:10 on the lifelines.

[LindaH]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ray/wendy hi, 1. What type and qty of battery are you excelers using?

We have 4 12-volt AGM batteries.

Quote:

2. Do you use charger/maintainer or converter?

Perhaps you mean an inverter/charger (every RV we've ever had came with a converter)? If so, yes, we have a 2000-watt true sine wave inverter/charger.