Battery recommendation

[Riverdog]

Last fall I purchased a used TT (my first). It had one 12v battery which has now died, however it does have placeholders for two. I'm looking for recommendations as to what to use for a replacement.

Most of our trips are to full hook-up campgrounds, however I do still need a battery for the break-away brake and for the slide. I will do a couple trips a year at primitive campgrounds but also have a Honda EU2000 I can bring along.

I know there is a lot of merit to running 2 6v's, but am thinking I really only need one 12v based on my camping habits. The battery I'm replacing had all the labels removed so I'm not sure of what type battery to use – deep cycle, etc. Any advice is appreciated.

[Riverdog]

Last fall I purchased a used TT (my first). It had one 12v battery which has now died, however it does have placeholders for two. I'm looking for recommendations as to what to use for a replacement.

Most of our trips are to full hook-up campgrounds, however I do still need a battery for the break-away brake and for the slide. I will do a couple trips a year at primitive campgrounds but also have a Honda EU2000 I can bring along.

I know there is a lot of merit to running 2 6v's, but am thinking I really only need one 12v based on my camping habits. The battery I'm replacing had all the labels removed so I'm not sure of what type battery to use – deep cycle, etc. Any advice is appreciated.

[LVJ58]

Riverdog, my recommendation would be to install 2 Trojan T-105 6v golf cart batteries. However if you're set on having just one battery, then get a true deep cycle battery. Some folks use marine deep cycle batteries, but they're not true deep cycle. A true deep cycle will not list "cranking amps" on the label. Here's a site for a Trojan 12v J150 Plus deep cycle battery:
http://www.trojan-battery.com/Produc...me=J150%20Plus

good luck, Jim

[GaryKD]

Hi Riverdog,
Batteries and I have never gotten along. Knowing this you can understand why I recommend you consider a maintenance free battery. Flooded (where one must check the water level) batteries in a lightly used environment, for me, would be a PITA to maintain. It is either something you keep on your list of things to do (flooded cells) or get maintenance free and take the maintenance task off your list.

Let us know what you decide.

[Riverdog]

I posted this on another RV Forum in addition to this one and someone gave me this link:

http://www.ccis.com/home/mnemeth/12volt/12volt.htm

After reading it I think I will go with the 2 - 6 volt system.

Thanks for your inputs.

[RVRONINPA]

also try Interstate Battery....
http://www.interstatebatteries.com/estore/default.asp

[RV Wizard]

Here are some additional links of information about batteries that for those serious about them will find useful. http://www.usbattery.com/care.htm
http://www.dcbattery.com/faq.html#1
http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Bat...ery%20Charging
http://www.rvsolarelectric.com/sources.htm

[Jeff_in_The_Dalles]

That windsun link is one of my fav. battery pages.

For someone who takes the time to read the whole thing, it gives you a good base of information in all aspects of storage batteries in an easy to understand way.

Anyway, if your trips to primitive campgrounds are only a day or two and not in the winter when the furnace is running, your demands are pretty low. You could probably go with one decent sized 12v. If quality is equal, one big 12v is just as good as two 6v's of the same amp/hour, it's just that most of the boxmart 12v deep cycles are a compromise to share components with more popular 12v starting batteries. 2 6v's do have an advantage over 2 12v's in parallel, though, IMHO.

I'm kind of partial to Trojan. They make a variety of 6v and 12v deep cycle batteries suitable for your needs.

If you don't mind checking the water a couple times a year, flooded cell would be the best value. If you want something that doesn't require periodic service, go AGM in either 6v or 12v. They also last longer, but are much more expensive.

Trojan RV products

[Bob/Becky D - VA]

You might want to consider AGM batteries. This is a link that offers a good discussion of battery types.

http://www.amsolar.com/batteries.html

After a lot of research, I decided they were with the additional cost.

Just my opinion.

Bob

[j2detoit]

Our camper came with an Interstate installed on it from the dealership were we bought it and it has held up quite well All I do is fully charge it duing winterization and give it a trickle during the first couple of hours during onpening up in the spring