One Bad Battery Bank

[offthewall]

I just got my four Lifeline AGM group 31 batteries in today. $1100.00 worth of batteries. As soon as the snow melts they are going in the brand new RV. Should be plenty of power for boondocking!

[Big Bear Local]

Are you running solor or just using as a bank not to run the generator as much? $1100 is a lot of gas for my genset.

[offthewall]

Originally Posted by Campingman

Are you running solor or just using as a bank not to run the generator as much? $1100 is a lot of gas for my genset.

No solar, just like to not have to run the genset when boondocking. I had two of these Lifelines in my last Class C. Loved them. No maintenance at all. With the battery switch off, they will hold a full charge for up to two years! Of course you can get power cheaper, it's a guy thing I went a little nuts and got four for the new RV since I could fit them. When the chassis batteries quit, I'm replacing those with Lifeline starting batteries.

[jquinlan]

Very nice !!!

[Big Bear Local]

(( I went a little nuts and got four for the new RV since I could fit them. ))

I don't have room for more so I'll do with what I have for now. But I hear ya!!
I like to camp in the middle of nowhere.

[RVThere]

You won't be disappointed. Last year I went with 4 of the Lifeline 6CT. We boondocked twice in Yosemite and only needed the genset to run the AC during our July trip.

Good batteries are essential in National Parks as they have very limited windows when you can actually run your generator. At Shenandoah, they drive around right after 10am and tell you to shut your genset down.

[Tha_Rooster]

Did you have agm batteries before is your charger set up for them?

[Bob/Becky D - VA]

I replaced my two coach batteries with the same AGM Group 31s and also love the difference and convenience.

[offthewall]

Originally Posted by Tha_Rooster

Did you have agm batteries before is your charger set up for them?

No, yes.

I have a Xantrex XADC-80 Converter Charger that is capable of charging the four battery bank with a three stage charger.

You guys are all buzz kills You're supposed to look at the picture and say "AWESOME, why didn't you put six in there!"

[DAN L]

Originally Posted by Campingman

(( I went a little nuts and got four for the new RV since I could fit them. ))

I don't have room for more so I'll do with what I have for now. But I hear ya!!
I like to camp in the middle of nowhere.

camping man,
you can lay the lifeline agm's on their sides so you can fit larger batteries in the same space. my 6ct's are 13 1/4'' tall. that's what i did.
there are pictures of my installation in the archives of this forum. my 6ct's weigh 90# each. make sure your battery compartment can hold them.
actually, you could install the agm's upside down but that would not save any space.
my original 45 amp demented converter/charger is putting out 13.5-13.6 volts in float mode and this is working ok for me. for long term parking i either jumper my sears agm starting battery to the lifeline bank or use my separate schumacher sc-6500a to keep my starting battery charged.

[offthewall]

Originally Posted by Bob/Becky D - VA

I replaced my two coach batteries with the same AGM Group 31s and also love the difference and convenience.

It really is nice not to have to worry about water levels and if the batteries are going to be dead after sitting for a couple of weeks between trips, etc. We are still working and like to just jump in the RV and get away whenever we've got a free weekend. With the AGM's in the last RV, the batteries were always ready to go with a flick of the disconnect switch back on. NEVER a dead or depleted battery. Until I replaced the chassis battery with an AGM, I would often have to start the engine with the battery boost switch from the Lifelines after sitting for more than a week.

If you're retired and have got the time and inclination to fiddle with battery maintenance, flooded wet cells are the biggest bang for the buck. If you want the best performance with no maintenance, AGM all the way.

[Tha_Rooster]

I looked at a blue bird a few years ago which had a sliding battery tray that would make things easy to install all that weight easier on the back.

[Bob/Becky D - VA]

Originally Posted by offthewall

It really is nice not to have to worry about water levels and if the batteries are going to be dead after sitting for a couple of weeks between trips, etc. We are still working and like to just jump in the RV and get away whenever we've got a free weekend. With the AGM's in the last RV, the batteries were always ready to go with a flick of the disconnect switch back on. NEVER a dead or depleted battery. Until I replaced the chassis battery with an AGM, I would often have to start the engine with the battery boost switch from the Lifelines after sitting for more than a week.

If you're retired and have got the time and inclination to fiddle with battery maintenance, flooded wet cells are the biggest bang for the buck. If you want the best performance with no maintenance, AGM all the way.

On another forum, I was chastised by another motorhome owner for being lazy in spending so much money to buy AGMs over wet cell batteries. To which I replied: "I could also "camp" in a tent, but like you, spent a few more dollars for a motorhome."

To each his own, but I will never buy another battery other than AGM.

Bob

[Triker56]

Are 4 of those 12V 105 AH each better then 4 of the 6V ones with 220 AH each?
At the same price. And the 6V 9 lb. less each.