Community Forums

mytime · 08-28-2013, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LA-HODAG

Mytime, you paid $450 for Lifeline 8-D's? Can I hire you to negotiate my divorce settlement? That is a fantastic price.

I guess divorces are kinda like batteries,it pays to shop around before jumping in..
l also sold the old one. 2 of them still checked good.
Good luck,, lifeline has a couple of distribution points, one in NC,not sure of others..

jasright · 08-30-2013, 12:42 AM

Iwas just looking a Evo2 lithouum batteries with cca 500 for $279. They weigh all of 3.8lbs and are 12×12×12"
For motorcycles and boats etc.

jackfish · 08-30-2013, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasright

Iwas just looking a Evo2 lithouum batteries with cca 500 for $279. They weigh all of 3.8lbs and are 12×12×12"
For motorcycles and boats etc.

Yes, but are they appropriate for deep cycle duty?

clyon51 · 08-30-2013, 12:53 PM

Rated in CCA, it wouldn't be a deep cycle battery and certainly no good for RV use.

Now here is a nice one with 300 AHs for RV use. Not a bad price at $3,500. I'd like to have 4 of these puppies, but that's getting close to what I paid for the MH

http://www.lithiumion-batteries.com/...on-battery.php

jasright · 08-30-2013, 07:13 PM

Just saw a 12volt 20ah lfp battery for about $200. It's only about 8×6×2 which is only 48cu. Inches. Figure a 8×4×2' storage bau gives me 96x58×24 inches or 110,592 cu inches or room for 2, 304 batteries. Way more than needed. I expect to buy maybe two a month till I have at less twenty that should give me 400 ah of power and if I can get enough batteries I'll try hooking up those 300+hp electric motors for a hybrid drive.aquarium

Murf2u · 09-02-2013, 08:26 AM

Seems to be easier (and a bunch cheaper) to merely reduce consumption than to spend a bunch of cash on super-size batteries to me.

DW and I have no problem going 4 days with 2 'standard' marine deep cycle / starting batteries from Wally World that cost ~$125 / each.

We do have a 4kw Onan and a little Honda that can be used if we need extra power or a recharge.

clyon51 · 09-02-2013, 09:04 AM

I'm in your camp Murf. Rather than adding batteries, I tossed the old CRTs and inverter, replaced with 12v LEDs. Replaced all incondesents and floresents with LEDs. We reduced 12v consumption by 80%. We go about 3 days on 2 GC2s, but our fantastic vent runs 6-8 hrs a day and the wife used a CPAP 8 hrs a night.

It's whatever floats your boat out here in RV Land

mtbdemon · 09-25-2013, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murf2u

Seems to be easier (and a bunch cheaper) to merely reduce consumption than to spend a bunch of cash on super-size batteries to me. DW and I have no problem going 4 days with 2 'standard' marine deep cycle / starting batteries from Wally World that cost ~$125 / each. We do have a 4kw Onan and a little Honda that can be used if we need extra power or a recharge.

That's works, to a point unless you are camping in extremely cold weather where the furnace runs for long periods. I refuse to go without water in the tanks so the furnace need to run to keep the tanks from freezing. Thus, larger batteries are needed. Winter time camping is the best!!

elkhornsun · 10-01-2013, 03:29 PM

With two group 31 Exide AGM we never drop below 78% DOD regardless of the weather and the 200 Watts of solar panel bring the bank back to 100% in a couple hours time.

I looked at the warranties provided and Exide was the only company that provided full replacement and not a pro-rated warranty. I chose AGM to be able to mount one on its side. AGM are better than flooded lead acid in cold weather but that was not a consideration.

The last thing I would want to handle is a 8-D battery that weighs in at 162 lbs.
If I had space for such a battery I would go instead with a couple of 6v batteries instead.

jackfish · 10-02-2013, 08:24 AM

The Exide warranty appears to have a 30 month (two and a half years) free replacement period. It also appears that the pro-rata warranty that used to be available for 54 months (an additional four and a half years) is not available on Exide batteries shipped after 10-1-2012.

Fullriver AGM batteries have a two year free replacement warranty, followed by an additional three year pro-rata. One of the best AGM batteries, Rolls-Surrette AGM batteries have a similar warranty.

If your Exide AGM battery fails after two and a half years you get nothing to replace it. If a Fullriver battery fails after two and a half years you get a pro-rated refund, which is at least something toward a new battery.

I'm surprised that another one of the best AGM batteries for RVs, Lifelines, only have a one year free replacement, followed by four years pro-rata, warranty.

Reed Cundiff · 11-24-2013, 10:06 AM

We have 9.7 kW hours of LFP batteries and 1400 W of solar. Temps are in 20s and low 30s with several inches of snow on panels and fourth day of heavy overcast and snow. We are dry camping and batteries are holding up well but may need to pull out 1 kW generator on another day or two since the forced air heating does use up the power. We had neglected to have propane outlet installed for propane catalytic heater on this rig; otherwise we would be set for a few more weeks. Sun is supposed to come out tomorrow here at Bosque del Apache NWR as the Festival of the Cranes winds down
Reed Cundiff

mtbdemon · 11-24-2013, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reed Cundiff

We have 9.7 kW hours of LFP batteries and 1400 W of solar. Temps are in 20s and low 30s with several inches of snow on panels and fourth day of heavy overcast and snow. We are dry camping and batteries are holding up well but may need to pull out 1 kW generator on another day or two since the forced air heating does use up the power. We had neglected to have propane outlet installed for propane catalytic heater on this rig; otherwise we would be set for a few more weeks. Sun is supposed to come out tomorrow here at Bosque del Apache NWR as the Festival of the Cranes winds down Reed Cundiff

WOW!! that sounds like quite the rig!! I would love to see pictures if your set up. We rarely stay in a rv place with hookups so 90% of the time we are dry camping. Just recently we have had a decent size solar array and it's only 200 watts, but i really love it!!!
What batteries are you using and where do you have them? Thanks

Ken

87Rockwood · 11-24-2013, 10:53 AM

We have standard pair of group 27 deep cycle but we added 4 deka gc15 6 volt two years ago.

camaraderie · 11-24-2013, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LA-HODAG

Those lithiums look sweet but the prices are out of my league. Is anyone using Deka AGM batteries? I need 6 size 8D and Dekas are a lot less than Lifelines. l installed Lifelines in my last rig and they were great.

I used four of them for several years with zero problems. Of course, like ALL agm's they want a 100% charge after each cycle...so I don't recommend agm's unless you plan to always get to 100% when recharging and have a charger that can meet the particular bulk/absorb & float voltages required by your brand. Deka makes a good battery. Also I would look at the FullRivers as they seem well regarded by those who've tried them and offer some excellent prices.
At 1500 amp hours you're gonna need a helluva charger!