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bounder-andy · 10-10-2010, 04:53 PM

Today I was checking the water in the motor home batteries. I had the power cord plugged into our house electrical. I was just about to finish the last battery when I noticed one of the vehicle batteries was smoking. So it must have shorted out internally only read 10 volts . Now after my short story. What is a good brand battery to buy and should I change them both. The four coach batteries are OK for now. Note: Again just starting to learn about RV's. THANK YOU.

RickO · 10-10-2010, 04:59 PM

Hey Andy, welcome to the forum! Smoking batteries isn't a good thing. I went through that a few months back.

Partially because I was out in the boonies, I went with WalMart's top of the line MAX marine/RV batteries... yes, you should replace both... and have been pretty happy with them so far. They're supposed to be a combination cranking and deep cycle. I've also got three of them as coach batteries but the jury's still out on how good they are for deep cycle but at $85 and free replacement for 18 months I didn't think I could go very far wrong.

Good Luck,

Rick

Gary RVRoamer · 10-10-2010, 08:29 PM

He is asking about the engine battery, so a marine/dep cycle is not the optimal battery.

The main thing is to buy plenty of CCA - Cold Cranking Amps - to turn that engine over well. For a diesel, I would suggest a Group 29 or 31 size and 900 CCA or better. I'm guessing you have a 5.9L engine, so that ought to turn it over ok.

Look at your existing batteries and see what the CCA rating is and buy at least that much.

RickO · 10-10-2010, 08:33 PM

Hi Gary... I understand he's looking for starting batteries. Those I mentioned are marketed as a combination cranking/deep cycle battery. It may well be that this is not possible but they're marketed that way. I believe they are 875 CCA. An optimal battery would probably be a different choice however.

Rick

Elkhartjim · 10-11-2010, 06:36 AM

I replaced "cranking batteries" with Interstate purchased at an Interstate distributor. The manager did not recommend deep cycle for starting...his opinion, not mine. He also did not recommend adding mineral oil to batteries. Hope that doesn't open a "can of worms".

Gary RVRoamer · 10-11-2010, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Hope that doesn't open a "can of worms".

Or a "can of oil".

Gary RVRoamer · 10-11-2010, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Those I mentioned are marketed as a combination cranking/deep cycle battery.

I can't think of any reason to use a combination deep cycle & starting battery when the application is starting a diesel engine, which take more starting power than a gas engine anyway. The characteristics that make a battery a good deep cycle are the opposite of those that make it a good engine starter, so why compromise? Especially since those batteries tend to be higher priced than plain old engine cranking batteries.