Battery replacement

[Garypowell]

We use our 3010 for work so we never boondock. Only rely on batter for the few minutes truck is unhooked before shore power is restored....and many time we have both on.

Dealer installed 2 group 27 deep cycle wet batteries (McGeorges rolling hills up in Richmond, VA....just an excellent dealership). We are now going on 3.5 years of really good service from these batteries but are starting to show their age in not fully charging, etc. but no complaints.

I am am thinking of replacing both of them with a single group 31 AGM no maint. Type. Deep cycle like the Duracell one at Sam's for $180.00.

I don't see any problem with this but never hurts to ask.

1. So any thoughts?

2. It does fit but since it is sealed I plan on removing battery box and finding a simple way to tie it down. Any concerns here?

and I lose a little weight and gain a shelf.

Thanks,

 

[GOTTOYS]

If you don't need all the power, why not go with a minimum and just install one group 24 deep cycle and let it go at that? That's all that I had for the first five years of use with out trailer and it served me just fine...Don

 

[Oregon_Camper]

In your case/situation, I'd just drop in an $80 battery from Costco. No reason to spend the money.

 

[donr827]

I would go with 2 group 27 batteries. I like to have a second battery in case one of the batteries develops a problem. I purchased a couple of group 27 at a auto parts store that was sealed and did not need maintenance for water levels.
Don

 

[JohnDar]

We also don't boondoggle and always have shore power. The battery has only been used when I'm doing some maintenance at the storage yard or there is a power outage at the CG. The battery is a Group 24 and is the original one from when we took delivery of the rig in early 2009. Hasn't given any problems.

 

[Garypowell]

Finally decided to purchase the Sam's Club Duracell SL 34 Deep Cycle AGM battery ($119.00). It was a more middle of the road purchase based on the input above. Did not want just a car battery just in case....but moved down from the Group 31 that I was thinking about at a higher price. As always I appreciated the input.

I took the two old (3.5 years) out and put them on the tailgate. Popped the top off of one side of one battery and it was dry as a bone. These batteries have been inspected routinely and used very little water.

The Variable is that last time we pulled into storage I installed a BatteryMinder solar system. I had noted that it never went into maintenance mode. I figured the batteries were not fully charged and it could not bring them up. Over the couple of months I had it on, since there had never been a water problem, I failed to look.

Talked to BatteryMinder Tech support today and they figure their little brain is bad.....once I had the new battery in and charged up the light never changed to maintenance. It's headed back to them tomorrow under warranty.

I know that I contributed to the problem by not looking at the water sooner. Especially after noticing the charge light on all the time. But on the other hand in their 3.5 years I think I have only added water 3 times.....and when on the road months at a time they are under the control of a working charger that has a float mode. But even on the road just before we came back from the trip I noticed the were not performing like they used to. So I probably rushed the conclusion that 3.5 years on a dealer supplied battery was not too bad and it was time to change them.

So I get a new AGM battery and I hope a fixed BatteryMinder and we start over again.

Not exactly the end of the story but close.

Not sure of the weight differential....but I know I saved a few pounds. The new battery is considerably lighter than one of the old two.

Of course the moral of the story is I would have been better off to check the water level sooner. Maybe I would still be using the original batteries....but then again...maybe not. One of those mysteries of life!

 

[sengli]

I add water to my battery at least twice a year, and it always needs it.

 

[travelin2]

I add water to my battery at least twice a year, and it always needs it.

Checked mine in November during winterizing process. No water needed. Batteries 18 months old. We do it all- shore power, boondock, generator. Currently on 50a shore power at home.


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