Walmart Batteries

[Superslif]

OK since this is all new to me what you are saying is once a day plug the trailer back into the truck and let the truck run for a bit?

We only camp at non-electric national parks such as Shenandoah VI. , Mammoth Caves KY. Smoky's TN or VT. State Parks about once every season, I don't see it as a need to add the weight and $$ for a second battery. I just keep an eye on voltage and if need be do the RV-Tow vehicle plug in thing to give the battery a little charge. The most I will do is a 5 night stay at a non electric park. After a stay at a non-electric park I might reserve a 3 day stay at a electrified park to re-charge and then onto another non-electric park. Been there done it..In a national park I will not stay in the generator section.

We could buy a generator and camp in the "generator section" of a national park, but most of my favorite camp sites are in the quiet "non-generator" sections, And besides, I would hate to be in nature and hear all the noise from a generator. Yes, the Honda's are very quiet, but there always seems to be a person with a monster 4000 watt old / cheap construction generator blasting away.

A solar panel I'm looking into, but the problem with that is when I reserve a site at a non-electric place, I get a site in a fully shaded site to keep the RV cooler in the summer.

We are planning a Alaska trip in 16' or 17' at that time may get a genny or portable solar panel or both for that trip.

[vt skier]

Originally Posted by Superslif

We only camp at non-electric national parks such as Shenandoah VI. , Mammoth Caves KY. Smoky's TN or VT. State Parks about once every season, I don't see it as a need to add the weight and $$ for a second battery. I just keep an eye on voltage and if need be do the RV-Tow vehicle plug in thing to give the battery a little charge. The most I will do is a 5 night stay at a non electric park. After a stay at a non-electric park I might reserve a 3 day stay at a electrified park to re-charge and then onto another non-electric park. Been there done it..In a national park I will not stay in the generator section.

We could buy a generator and camp in the "generator section" of a national park, but most of my favorite camp sites are in the quiet "non-generator" sections, And besides, I would hate to be in nature and hear all the noise from a generator. Yes, the Honda's are very quiet, but there always seems to be a person with a monster 4000 watt old / cheap construction generator blasting away.

A solar panel I'm looking into, but the problem with that is when I reserve a site at a non-electric place, I get a site in a fully shaded site to keep the RV cooler in the summer.

We are planning a Alaska trip in 16' or 17' at that time may get a genny or portable solar panel or both for that trip.

So you use one battery, what size? I was going to use two 27's connected.

[BFlinn181]

Originally Posted by vt skier

So you use one battery, what size? I was going to use two 27's connected.

You might investigate putting in two 6 v batteries in series. You'll find more capacity by using deep cycle 6 v instead of two 12 v. In addition, adding a new battery to the old 12 v will cause issues, especially if the old one has been deep discharged often.

[vt skier]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

You might investigate putting in two 6 v batteries in series. You'll find more capacity by using deep cycle 6 v instead of two 12 v. In addition, adding a new battery to the old 12 v will cause issues, especially if the old one has been deep discharged often.

I appearently negotiated such a good deal the dealer will sell me a battery but wont include that or fill my propane tanks so I need to buy either one or two batteries on my own, don't cherish buying two then store them all winter.

[raiderray]

I have Walmart batteries and have had good luck - seems most of them all last about the same- 4 years and then I don't trust them .

[TexasTom]

Purchased 5 batteries from Walmart for various uses over the past year or so, none for MH, and had 3 die in first year. Walmart replaced them for free, but only because I still had my receipts.

[wa8yxm]

Only one problem with Wal*mart batteries.,.. The Label.. (I'm serious about this)

Wal*mart will tell you their Group 24 batteries are like 110 Amp hours (At the 1 amp rate). And they are telling the truth.

But if you go to Interstate, or US-Battery or most any other company you will find that a Group 24 is aroudn 73 amp hours.. At teh 20 hour rate, Wal*mart uses a different standard so they can make their batteries LOOK better than the competition, even if they are identical.

Just do not believe the amp hour ratings on the label and you will be just fine with Wal-mart batteries.. (All Group 24 save Optima are nearly identical in capacity, Optima has about 60% of the capacity of other styles.

[Tony Lee]

will be running the fridge

If you are running the fridge on propane, that is OK, but running an absorption fridge on 12V is not going to work for boondocking

[427ford]

I'm using Walmart batteries in my F250 diesel. Not many applications are harder on a battery than starting a diesel in the winter. We've had no problems.
I've found that 2-12v deep cycle batteries, wired in parrallel, works well. Honda makes a line of inverter series generators that are very quiet. They are designated with "EU" before the model number. They change RPM based on load, so for charging batteries it'd probably just putt along above idle.
Some parks have non gen areas that allow generator operation, for a few designated hours...to allow battery charging.

[Superslif]

While on our 23 day Vermont trip this past Aug (2015) ended up buying a new group 29 deep cycle battery at Walmart. Yes, their labeling is confusing. Ended up calling Ever Start (Johnson controls) to find out what group 29 battery was best. I got the Maxx 29DC It says amp hours at 1amp is 114. Most battery labels will say amp hours at 5amps. When I called, the rep said the Maxx 29DC was better for a RV in the group 29 category.

I also have the Renogy 100 watt suitcase solar setup now. Worked good at two 4 night stays at two VT. state parks.