Battery Question

[phyllisNchri]

I have a 2012 Voltage 3200. for the second time in three years the battery has failed. Does the battery have to be a special type or can I replace it with a Duralast battery the same as I have put in my vehicles. I think the batteries CW uses are junk. At least with a Duralast if it fails they replace no questions asked.

[MnTom]

The first thing I would check is your converter. It may be over charging your battery and boiling the water out. How often have you checked the battery water? How often did you need to ad water?
For replacement, I would recommend putting two six volt golf cart batteries in place of one twelve volt battery. If you just replace the one battery just make sure it is a deep cycle battery.

[Timay]

You really want a deep discharge battery rather than an automotive 'starting' battery. You can get those at the same places that have auto batteries, just look for deep discharge (maybe marine - ask the clerk)...I bought mine at Walmart. The are built to discharge deeper than auto batteries without a problem.

Tim

[Kamper Dave]

Our INTERSTATE deep cycle battery came with a 12 month warranty and lasted almost 5 years. In 5 years I needed to add very little water. I replaced it with another INTERSTATE deep cycle only because the acid in one of the cells was grey, indicating a possible failing cell.
Do you have a heavy draw on the battery? With the converter turned off how long will the battery charge last with just the parasitic devices online?

[SkiSmuggs]

Our fiver came with a Group 24 Marine Deep Cycle. That is barely adequate. We updated to a Grp 27 Deep Cycle from Costco for possible dry camping, and a year later to a pair of Trojan T-105 6-volt golf cart batteries to more than double the capacity of the single 12 volt. Battery water levels must be maintained and a battery minder for winter storage will extend your battery life. Automobile batteries are not designed to be RV house batteries and will have a short life.

[okcnewbie]

Are you talking about the chassis or house batteries?

At least one of the problems with our MH batteries (chassis and house) is keeping them properly charged. The alternator in our vehicles do a great job if driven regularly. Many have found that even a small solar system with a good charge controller is the way to go for house batteries.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by SkiSmuggs

Our fiver came with a Group 24 Marine Deep Cycle. That is barely adequate. We updated to a Grp 27 Deep Cycle from Costco for possible dry camping, and a year later to a pair of Trojan T-105 6-volt golf cart batteries to more than double the capacity of the single 12 volt. Battery water levels must be maintained and a battery minder for winter storage will extend your battery life. Automobile batteries are not designed to be RV house batteries and will have a short life.

Exactly!!.
The original four Interstate U-2200's lasted one month short of 10 years in our motorhome. We have four GC-2 Interstate batteries now which are the replacement for the U-2200's.

[phyllisNchri]

Thank you all for the info, Very helpful.

[wa8yxm]

There are a lot of ways to slice and dice batteries, Example

Flooded wet cell, Maintenance Free, AGM (optima) and Gel

Gel batteries in the size we use, Real hard to find (NO Optima is not gel, it's AGM)

Save for Gel, most all those are close enough to not worry about it.

next slice,, Emphasis added for a reason

DEEP CYCLE, Marine/deep cycle, Marine and Starting

Again the last two here, Starting is rated in Cold Cranking amps (Zero degrees F) Marine only in Cranking amps (Water is liquid).

Marine/deep cycle are like 80% Starting, if not more..

DEEP CYCLE: is what you want.

Why:

Deep cycle batteries are designed to go to 1/2 full, and if you run lower stand a good chance of recovery if recharged swiftly (not a fast charge but do get around to it swiftly) .. Other types like to be fuller, and are less likely to recover,,, True Starting batteries, if you accidently run them down to say 11 volts.. Replace them Marine/deep cycle.. You MIGHT get away with it.. DEEP CYCLE,, I did it more times than I care to admit over 9 years they lasted.

The next slice is size, Small, medium large, extra large, super large GIGANTIC.. The bigger the burgers the better the burgers the burgers are bigger at ... Opps. sorry, got confused there.

Seriously a Group 24 is an extra small, 75 amp hours and if it's a Marine/Deep cycle I would not want to use much over 20-25 of those before re-charging.

Group 27 and 29 are both about 100 amp hours (27 just under 29 just over) Group 31 is 130

That is each

A 4D is 230 (Each)

A pair of GC-2 (You need two of these six volt golf car (GC) Batteries to make one 12 volt battery) 215-230.. My OEM's were interstate U-2200's (220 amp hours) my new ones DEKA G-20's (230).

You might note they are the same capacity as a 4D.. Less than half the price however and way easier to carry being half the weight as well.

(That last paragraph by the way is why six volt are so popular in RVs)

You basically want the biggest battery (Most amp hours) you can hold/afford.

Oh, and if you parallel two batteries.. Add the amp hours.

And again remember a pair of GC-2 Battereies properly wired in series is eqaual to ONE 12 volt (Size 4D) and should be treated as such.

Finally converters... Some are not very good, Usually if your RV comes with just a single 12 volt Marine/Deep cycle odds are good you have a low end converter feeding it.

A Progressive Dynamics upgrade is good

For integrated power-center/converter 4600 line can often replace the "Electronics" in that unit directly

For stand alone Convrters (Remote from power center) 9200 line.

I did a bunch of research when I got my coach, it came with a 9280 with the optional charge wizard (Basically the same as a 9200 with optional dongle) For most the optional dongle on the 9200 will never be used so it is truly an option.,, The charge wizard is built into the 9200.

I was (And still am) unable to find a better converter.

[FiverBob]

Here is a very good article, easy to read and understand, about batteries and some basics about converters. Read it and I think you will have a much better feeling about the right battery for a fiver. As said by another poster, 6v deep cycles batteries (many times referred to as "golf cart" batteries) coupled with a good multi-phase converter will last many times over the RV/Marine batteries. Here ya go.

http://manmrk.net/tutorials/RV/phred/battery.html

Bob

[Bigd3]

Originally Posted by FiverBob

Here is a very good article, easy to read and understand, about batteries and some basics about converters. Read it and I think you will have a much better feeling about the right battery for a fiver. As said by another poster, 6v deep cycles batteries (many times referred to as "golf cart" batteries) coupled with a good multi-phase converter will last many times over the RV/Marine batteries. Here ya go.

Batteries -- and Other Electric Stuff by phred

Bob

Outstanding article. Anyone with that much knowledge about batteries must be against the law.

[Bumps]

I just read phred's article (above) ... it is teriffic! I never knew the definition of a Marine/RV Battery is "...any battery with a rope tied to it [for a handle]...." Makes perfect sense to me! LOL! \ken