Battery Load and Longevity?

[porthole]

timed daily desulphation mode

Why are you doing that?

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Unfortunately, the factory location for the battery is in the side compartment just big enough for one group 27 battery and the hydraulic pump for the slides. I can't go any larger battery in that location. If I add a second battery, it would have to go in the front generator compartment and run to the first battery over in the side compartment.
Maybe one single battery would be sufficient for our usage. Maybe, the original battery was old or just exceeded its lifespan. Not sure what I'm going to do yet.

Since most RV batteries installed by dealer seem to have less then dubious quality - I'd say you are ahead of the game.

Next, make sure you buy a deep cycle, not a starting battery

Either one new one to replace what you have or two new batteries IN THE SAME COMPARTMENT.

You can't just run wires to the other battery over a distance. You need to keep voltage drop to a minimum. The weaker of the 2 will draw down the stronger.

And if you go to one of the newer technologies, AGM, Gel or TPPL, you need to make sure your charger is matched to it (probably not).

I replaced my batteries April 2011, two 6 volt Gel's. I have been thinking about changing them out for the past year or so as the truck doesn't charge enough and they are starting to get a little weak.

So 5+ years with those. I do leave the trailer plugged in most of the time, so they are kept charged.

Cyclone batteries

 

[travelin2]

I replaced the 2 dealer added batteries within the first 10 months when one totally failed while boondocking. Transferred those same replacement batteries to this rig. Almost 3 yrs old. Regular maintenance. Never removed. Haven't boondocked on this trip but prior to leaving I disconnected shore power to test longevity while running the fridge and furnace intermittently. I was satisfied with their operation.
If you're routinely connected to shore power, 1 battery is adequate to power your hydraulics and breakaway switch


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[wdk450]

Why are you doing that?

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Porthole:
I'm not doing that - The Progressive Dynamics 9200 series converter/charger goes into this mode every 21 hours AUTOMATICALLY. I full time, and spend my time in RV parks connected to shore power (except when I am travelling between parks). If you have the controller/indicator pendant, you can see when the indicator LED comes on solid for 15 minutes every 21 hours when the converter/charger goes into desulphation mode.

See:http://www.progressivedyn.com/prod_details/charge_wizard.html

 

[TravelTiger]

Unfortunately, the factory location for the battery is in the side compartment just big enough for one group 27 battery and the hydraulic pump for the slides. I can't go any larger battery in that location. If I add a second battery, it would have to go in the front generator compartment and run to the first battery over in the side compartment.
Maybe one single battery would be sufficient for our usage. Maybe, the original battery was old or just exceeded its lifespan. Not sure what I'm going to do yet.

Jamie, we went from a group 27 to a group 29 in our ElkRidge, that had the battery in the side compartment. We had to get a larger battery box, but they had them at WalMart. Just had to rig the vent to the top.


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[Jim.Allison]

Original battery will no longer hold charge. Drops below 12 V quickly.
Factory set up
-2015 ElkRidge
-4 hydraulic slides
-Standard RV refrigerator (not a residential)

Question- about two years ago, we had Lippert install the six point Level Up. It has a separate hydraulic pump running the Level Up system. I have been running the original single battery. But I'm wondering if I should be running two batteries to use both heavy draw systems. Could this have caused the one single battery to go bad prematurely? Or is 2 1/2 years the common life span of a RV battery?

Thanks

Considering the battery has no manufacturing flaws, and is maintained properly at a full charge, the life of a battery is dependant on a finite number of charge cycles.

Deeper discharges "exponentially" shorten battery life. For example a battery may only have 500 50% discharge/charge cycles, however it may have 5000 10% charge discharge cycles. These are extreme numbers but illustrate the point. Discharges beyond 50% are detrimental to battery life. Just one 90% discharge can ruin a battery.

Deep cycle battery manufacturers have selected 50% as a % discharge that will give reasonable life and reasonable service to most applications.

500 discharge/charge cycles does not seem like much but when you spread that out over years that would come out to nearly 2 years of heavy daily service. I will not get 500 charge discharge cycles in the 5 to 8 years that I expect the batts to last.

When you select and buy a house battery see if you can find an owners manual for the battery online.

 

[JWalker]

Jamie, we went from a group 27 to a group 29 in our ElkRidge, that had the battery in the side compartment. We had to get a larger battery box, but they had them at WalMart. Just had to rig the vent to the top.


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How much is gained going from a group 27 to group 29?

 

[TravelTiger]

How much is gained going from a group 27 to group 29?

I can't tell you exactly, but I know the battery would last longer in a power outage.

We bought the battery and box at WalMart.


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[szewczyk_john]

Groups are not based on capacity nor charging ability. Groups are based upon physical size and terminal placement. Starting batteries are judged by the CCA cold cranking amps. The higher the CCA the more power the battery will have for starting that motor. RVer's need to be more concerned about amp hours. The higher the number the better off you will be.

 

[JWalker]

Groups are not based on capacity nor charging ability. Groups are based upon physical size and terminal placement. Starting batteries are judged by the CCA cold cranking amps. The higher the CCA the more power the battery will have for starting that motor. RVer's need to be more concerned about amp hours. The higher the number the better off you will be.

Thanks. Makes sense. I stopped by AutoZone yesterday and they had a combo marine deep cycle/starting battery and they had just a regular deep cycle battery. I would imagine just a deep cycle is the way I would go??

 

[szewczyk_john]

Deep cycle Marine Batteries is what most use. the are made to have a longer steadier discharge. they are also made to be deeply discharged and recharged. If you are a member of Costco, they used to have the best deal on deep cycle marine batteries. At that time they were made by interstate but had the Kirkland name on them. But I have not had a need to look at marine batteries in over 5 years. a lot might have changed since then.

 

[dbbls59]

The dealer installed my second battery in the generator compartment. Never been a problem.

 

[wdk450]

Deep cycle Marine Batteries is what most use. the are made to have a longer steadier discharge. they are also made to be deeply discharged and recharged. If you are a member of Costco, they used to have the best deal on deep cycle marine batteries. At that time they were made by interstate but had the Kirkland name on them. But I have not had a need to look at marine batteries in over 5 years. a lot might have changed since then.

Most "Marine" batteries are a hybrid between "Starting" and "Deep Cycle" designs. This is so you can start the outboard (or automobile-type inboard) engine on the boat, but still use the battery for extended lighting and trolling motor use. If you want long runtimes with RV lighting, solar power and boondocking, true Deep Cycle (regular or AGM) is the best.

See: https://www.solar-electric.com/deep...ml#Starting, Marine, and Deep-Cycle Batteries and go to the section labelled "Starting, Deep Cycle and Marine".

Admittedly, true Deep Cycle batteries are somewhat hard to find, and marine batteries seem to be everywhere.

 

[porthole]

How much is gained going from a group 27 to group 29?

Smart feller such as yourself needs help with this?



2

 

[JWalker]

Smart feller such as yourself needs help with this?



2

Hey now, you know I didn't get all my fancy book learnins

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So what do you think the maximum length cable could be between batteries? If I would tie two together.

 

[CoveredWagon]

You might start looking at golf cart batteries. They are true deep cycle batteries.

 

[szewczyk_john]

the cables going to the batteries need to be the same length. As you lengthen the run you should go with thicker cables.

 

[porthole]

Hey now, you know I didn't get all my fancy book learnins

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So what do you think the maximum length cable could be between batteries? If I would tie two together.

Side by side preferably.

 

[JWalker]

Opinions on Exide Batteries?

 

[Desertsky]

Its all about the AH rating of the batteries. If the ratings of the 2 6v batteries add up to the same as the 12V batteries, then the amount of power available is the same.

What shortens the life of batteries faster than anything else is drawing them down too far then letting them sit. Also, using deep cycle batteries for high current applications isn't a great idea since they are not designed for that and can overheat and warp the plates rather quickly.

 

[BusManRG]

Without getting to technical for an old man, would 2 6V be better than 2 12V. My rig came with 1 and no issues yet but its been sitting for a while. Just wondering about the best options if you are ready to replace.

I'm not finding the answer to this question and I've been reading the battery threads because we are needing to replace our single 12 V battery for the second time in a year (!) and this is exactly the debate going on in our household right now. Battery store says 2 6v Trojans are the way to go. But my simple brain says that 6+6 = 12 but 12+12 = 24 and isn't 24 better than 12????? And yes, our unit is going back to the shop for some work and they will be checking the electrical system (with Heartland's blessing ) at that time to see if there's an issue because two batteries in one year is crazy.

Sandy