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12-31-2012, 12:11 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Thor Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Louisville area
Posts: 253
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House Battery replacements - 6V? 12V? AGM? FLooded? Where to buy?
I have at least 2 of my 4 6V house batteries leaking. Need to replace them.
I know there's a ton of info in these pages about the choices for replacements, BUT can anyone give me the Reader's Digest version?
Why do I never see MH owners using Optima Blue TOp 12V AGM batteries?
Lastly, besides Costco or Sam's, is there a cheapest place that carries the batteries? (I don't belong to Cost/Sams).
Thanks for any quick advice.
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12-31-2012, 12:51 PM
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#2
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Moderator Emeritus
Damon Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Lone Star State
Posts: 19,203
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Since you are asking, I will guess that you are happy with batteries that work, but don't really care if they are "Super-Dooper-Brand RBP."
So, try Walmart. Most Walmart's with an automotive section has 6VDC RV batteries similar to Sam's and CostCo at a good price.
These will NOT be the bigger batteries seen in some luxury RV's or those used in commercial Golf Carts...but they will fit the standard battery trays of most all RV's.
It is recommended that you change these batteries in pairs or the new battery will only perform as well as the older one.
12V batteries (including AGM's) do not have the same capacity for deep draw (cycle) that comes with 2-6Volt batteries, so most RV's use the pairs of 6Volt batteries. But, the Optima Blue Top is the next best thing.
Best of luck and safe travels
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12-31-2012, 01:20 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Thor Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Louisville area
Posts: 253
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Very nice. Thanks for giving me precisely what I needed.
One more question: Do they make 6V AGM batteries? It's the maintenance that bothers me, since we are not full timers, and the MoHo is still an occasional sideline in the midst of a myriad of other competing priorities (too many other projects).
Maybe my question should be more appropriately: Do they make maintenance-free 6V batteries?
Thanks for all info.
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12-31-2012, 02:29 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 151
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What ever batteries you chose to use you need to replace all 4 unless the other two are relatively new.
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12-31-2012, 02:39 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Small Town USA , California
Posts: 1,349
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The Battery Watering Systems they sell are one of the best things I ever added to Motorhome . I have four 6 volts and can add water to them in about 1 minute without getting dirty or the threat of getting acid on my clothes. Keeping Batteries clean, full of water and charged will make your Batteries last the longest. I got 9 years out my last set from SAMs Club and they still weren't dead when I replaced them. Maintainance free only applies to water not keeping them clean and charged.
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12-31-2012, 02:45 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Pensacola, FL
Posts: 2,457
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If you can find the Trojan brand at a decent price (it varies by dealer), I would go for them. A friend who had a solar/off grid business for 25 years considers them to be the best.
__________________
2008 Itasca 37H
2011 & 2012 Len & Pat's "One lap of America"
27K miles & 41 states in 13 months
Yellowstone Lake 6-1-2012
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12-31-2012, 03:04 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Thor Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Louisville area
Posts: 253
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Thanks. I presently have Trojans, and I'm wondering if they were the originals from 2003. I'll check if the terminals are stamped.
I have heard about the battery watering systems, and I'll check that out.
TDogKing - is there any brand you are using?
FINALLY, are any of you using the "2-4oz of mineral oil" added to each cell (dependent on 6V vs 12V)?
Thanks.
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12-31-2012, 06:43 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: On the road fulltime
Posts: 777
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There certainly are lots of options for batteries. I for one never was good at maintaining our batteries because we don't have the battery slide and well,,, it just wasn't easy for me so I didn't.
That being said after much research I went with 4 of the Lifeline 6ct AGM batteries. It gave us 600 amp hours and we boon dock a fair amont so it made sense. Not cheap and they certainly are heavy.
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12-31-2012, 09:53 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Tasmania now, USA/Canada/Alaska in April
Posts: 2,473
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FINALLY, are any of you using the "2-4oz of mineral oil" added to each cell (dependent on 6V vs 12V)?
You will still find a few using it but you will also find many who regard it as another snake oil scheme. May have been good in very large float-service stationary batteries, but probably not a good idea in small batteries getting shaken around on the road.
__________________
Tony Lee - International Grey Nomad. Picasa Album - Travel Map
RVs. USA - Airstream Cutter; in Australia - MC8 40' DIY Coach conversion & OKA 4x4 MH; in Germany - Hobby Class C; in S America - F350 with 2500 10.6 Bigfoot camper
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12-31-2012, 10:03 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club Solo Rvers Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 37,725
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TdogKing
The Battery Watering Systems they sell are one of the best things I ever added to Motorhome . I have four 6 volts and can add water to them in about 1 minute without getting dirty or the threat of getting acid on my clothes. Keeping Batteries clean, full of water and charged will make your Batteries last the longest. I got 9 years out my last set from SAMs Club and they still weren't dead when I replaced them. Maintainance free only applies to water not keeping them clean and charged.
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I put 4 oz of mineral oil in each cell around 2004, much cheaper than any watering system. I got one month under 10 years out of our Interstate U-2200's and they were still doing OK. I just didn't want trouble with them on an upcoming trip.
Put the mineral oil in the new ones too.
__________________
2009 45' Magna 630 w/Cummins ISX 650 HP/1950 Lbs Ft, HWH Active Air
Charter Good Sam Lifetime Member, FMCA,
RV'ing since 1957, NRA Benefactor Life, towing '21 Jeep JLU Rubicon Ecodiesel
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12-31-2012, 10:40 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 967
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr_D
I put 4 oz of mineral oil in each cell around 2004, much cheaper than any watering system. I got one month under 10 years out of our Interstate U-2200's and they were still doing OK. I just didn't want trouble with them on an upcoming trip.
Put the mineral oil in the new ones too.
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I've used the mineral oil thing....water miser caps....but neither replace the need to regularly check your water levels. As a result, I think the pro-fill systems are the best answer to a low maintenance, hassle free living with wet cell batteries. Easy to use, no need to remove caps, access to difficult spots, takes no more than a couple of squeezes to insure your battery fluids are OK....expensive, but a great investment in your sanity & your batteries..... The poor man's AGM's!
__________________
Jack & Maggie
04-Rexhall Roseair (37)
Cummins ISC / Spartan
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01-01-2013, 09:34 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: somewhere in the west
Posts: 1,168
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In the RV'ing world, there are no 6 volt battery's in reality, there ARE 12 volt battery's that come in two half's, and test electrically, at 6+ volts.
Ed
Who is some times easily amused.
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01-01-2013, 09:47 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,391
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I have oil in my four 6 volt batts. No corrosion in compartment and have not added water in 3 years. We live in MH for 6 months out of the year and keep it plugged all the time. Oil works.
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01-01-2013, 10:05 AM
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#14
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Member
Winnebago Owners Club Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ingleside, TX
Posts: 40
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OK, I am a rookie when it comes to Class A's. Don't be hard with your comments or flames.
If my coach came with two house batteries and one cranking battery, and all three are 12v, how would I change to enough 6v's to do me any good?
Would it be a good or bad idea?
__________________
2005 Winnebago Sightseer SE, 29r
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