Battery replacement
- Thread starter jlaforest
- Start date
danemayer
Well-known member
Hi jlaforest,
Congratulations on the new-to-you Wilderness and welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum.
The minimum would be a 12V Deep Cycle Marine/RV battery. They come in different sizes - a Group 24 would be minimal. Group 27 better. You can find this type of battery at RV dealers, most auto parts stores, and places like Costco or Sams Club.
You likely have a battery box or tray that will limit the size of the battery. You should measure that, and then measure the battery before buying.
You need to be careful to get the polarity right when installing the battery. The positive cable that connects to the battery PLUS terminal should go to a set of 12V DC mini-circuit breakers connected by a copper buss bar, and covered by a red rubber boot. If you connect the battery in reverse polarity, you'll blow the on-board fuses on your power converter.
If you plan on doing a lot of boon docking where there's no shore power, you'll need to look into getting more than 1 battery and ways to keep the batteries charged.
Congratulations on the new-to-you Wilderness and welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum.
The minimum would be a 12V Deep Cycle Marine/RV battery. They come in different sizes - a Group 24 would be minimal. Group 27 better. You can find this type of battery at RV dealers, most auto parts stores, and places like Costco or Sams Club.
You likely have a battery box or tray that will limit the size of the battery. You should measure that, and then measure the battery before buying.
You need to be careful to get the polarity right when installing the battery. The positive cable that connects to the battery PLUS terminal should go to a set of 12V DC mini-circuit breakers connected by a copper buss bar, and covered by a red rubber boot. If you connect the battery in reverse polarity, you'll blow the on-board fuses on your power converter.
If you plan on doing a lot of boon docking where there's no shore power, you'll need to look into getting more than 1 battery and ways to keep the batteries charged.
danemayer
Well-known member
I don't think you'll find any parts lists for your trailer, but you can call Heartland Customer Service at 877-262-8032 / 574-262-8030. Have your VIN # ready. The parts department should be able to take an order for new sink covers. If the sink is mounted in solid-surface counters, the covers have to be fabricated to match.
If you can't get sink covers from Heartland there is another option that you might consider.
Sams Club, and maybe Walmart, sells a large cutting board that is just about the right thickness (½") to fab a sink cover.
I haven't tried that but it's something to check into.
I also think that would be a more practical sink cover as it will serve double duty. You cannot, or should not, cut on the sink covers that we now have.
Peace
Dave
wdk450
Well-known member
Dan:
I would like to correct what you said in recommending deep cycle/marine batteries for an RV trailer battery.
This quote is from the KOA website: The battery or batteries used to supply 12-volts to the RV itself are commonly referred to as house batteries. House batteries need to be deep cycle batteries that are designed to provide a steady amount of current over a long period. Starting batteries and marine batteries should not be used in this application. True deep cycle batteries have much thicker plates and are designed to be deeply discharged and recharged repeatedly. These batteries are rated in Amp Hours (AH) and more recently Reserve Capacity (RC)."
See the full page here: https://koa.com/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-your-rv-batteries/ I would encourage anyone interested to read the FULL page for the full story.
I know that it is hard to find true "Deep Cycle" only batteries. Most retailers have an engineering compromise they call "Deep Cycle/Marine" that is made primarily for fishing boats with trolling motors. The "Marine" side is for the big starting current needed to start an engine, the "Deep Cycle" side is for running a fishing electric trolling motor for a while.
Best Regards,
I would like to correct what you said in recommending deep cycle/marine batteries for an RV trailer battery.
This quote is from the KOA website: The battery or batteries used to supply 12-volts to the RV itself are commonly referred to as house batteries. House batteries need to be deep cycle batteries that are designed to provide a steady amount of current over a long period. Starting batteries and marine batteries should not be used in this application. True deep cycle batteries have much thicker plates and are designed to be deeply discharged and recharged repeatedly. These batteries are rated in Amp Hours (AH) and more recently Reserve Capacity (RC)."
See the full page here: https://koa.com/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-your-rv-batteries/ I would encourage anyone interested to read the FULL page for the full story.
I know that it is hard to find true "Deep Cycle" only batteries. Most retailers have an engineering compromise they call "Deep Cycle/Marine" that is made primarily for fishing boats with trolling motors. The "Marine" side is for the big starting current needed to start an engine, the "Deep Cycle" side is for running a fishing electric trolling motor for a while.
Best Regards,
danemayer
Well-known member
Bill,
Thanks for linking to Mark Polk's article on the KOA Blog. While I agree I would say we have a problem in that the marketing and sales organizations don't seem to be as rigorous as we might like. From what I've seen, "RV/Marine Deep Cycle" is commonly used, and there's no explanation of whether it's a true Deep Cycle battery, or perhaps a hybrid Starting/Deep Cycle battery.
So I agree with you that the right choice would be "Deep Cycle" or "RV House" battery. But often it's hard to tell what we're actually getting.
Here's an example of the confusion.
Lynn1130
Well-known member
If you think about it, how important is a battery when you spend most of your time hooked to shore power? You might be without power for a few hours in a power outage and in most cases a battery is a battery for this purpose. If it keeps the lights lit and the furnace going for that time great. On the other hand, a battery becomes something more important if you dry camp or if you camp in freezing temps and want some safety should the power failing. In this case you need power for several days and something that you can bring back to 80% or better with a generator. I camp in subfreezing temps often when hunting at elevations from 7 to 8K or more. One 12 volt is not adequate for that purpose. 2, 6 volts worked well over a week to 10 days or more and we never had a problem staying warm and keeping things running but a generator is a must. I have since gone to 3, 12 volt AGM batteries and have not tested them under the hunting conditions yet but considering I have slightly more amperage that the 2,12s I expect it will be as good.
So bottom line and I will, no doubt, get feedback from the "battery experts" is that a battery of reasonable amperage will work fine for most RV camping lot camping. JMHO
So bottom line and I will, no doubt, get feedback from the "battery experts" is that a battery of reasonable amperage will work fine for most RV camping lot camping. JMHO
wdk450
Well-known member
Lynn:
Your post has a lot of practical experience behind it and makes a lot of sense. There is a lot of technical stuff out there telling us what is best, but that is no use if you can't get the components specified (true deep cycle batteries) at retailers, and it won't make that big of a difference in practical use.
carl.swoyer
Well-known member
Jlaforest,
Sorry for the late response
I have been using Deka group 31Agm batteries for 12 year's. They can be run down low and they will take a quick bulk charge.For example: While dry camping last night off of RT 65 north in Alabama I forgot to turn off the living room circuit. My AGM batteries read 12.3 volts when I went to bed@10 pm. I woke up at 6 am, batteries read 11.65 volts. So from a 70% charge rate to a 20% charge. I fire up the Onan generator and brought them up to 12.4 in twenty minutes via my magnum MS 2812 inverter.
My magnum was set to 40amp shore , AGM batteries and an 80% charge rate. I realize other folks have gone to the lithium batteries but for me, they are to expensive.
Enjoy your day
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carl.swoyer
Well-known member
I'm using 4 twelve volt group 31 AGM batteries. Deka batteries called the Intimidator. My first set lasted 8.5 years
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In an earlier response I read that the batteries were mostly for the lights and furnace (at least that is how I read it 
) - however, from experience I know the importance of the batteries in extending / retracting the slides and landing gear. Without sufficient battery power, you will have problems doing these things.
) - however, from experience I know the importance of the batteries in extending / retracting the slides and landing gear. Without sufficient battery power, you will have problems doing these things.
carl.swoyer
Well-known member
My fifth wheel is set up for dry camping. That is why I use four group 31 AGM batteries, a magnum Ms 2812 inverter charger, and Morningstar duo solar charge controller with a 220 watt solar panel. I did not roof top the solar panel I use it as a portable so I can place it in the sun if the RV is shaded. My batteries allow me to have 120 volts on two circuits. At night I switch off the living room circuit and save unnecessary battery power.In an earlier response I read that the batteries were mostly for the lights and furnace (at least that is how I read it
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Bogie
Well-known member
Pretty much any Group 24 Deep Cycle battery will work. These are flooded lead acid batteries. There are other alternatives such as AGM or Lithium. But these come at an additional cost. You may want to do some research about the differences. If you go to Lithium, you may also need to replace your converter if yours is not already capable of adjusting for charging lithium batteries.
CoveredWagon
Well-known member
I'm replacing mine right now with AGM batteries. They are basicly maintenance free
What size AGM did you install ?? I am in Fl. and my rig is in MI., my battery is dead, I have people opening up my rig, and it to heavy for them to lift out and get the size. I will be back this weekend and need the size please. I have an AGM that has lasted me over 6 years and finally bit the dust.
Thank you,
JohnDar
Prolifically Gabby Member
The size of the battery box will limit what size battery you can install. As we discussed, have them measure both the battery and the box to see what you can replace the old battery with. I know a Group 27 will fit in it since that’s what I replaced the Group 24 with that came with the 3670 we had.
I recall it being a bit of a chore getting the battery in and out of that side compartment.
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I recall it being a bit of a chore getting the battery in and out of that side compartment.
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