Looking for Input on House Battery/Batteries

[Ray LeTourneau]

The battery in our Bighorn, an Interstate Group24 from the dealer, is 3 years old and currently not showing any signs of going downhill but... I like to try and keep things ticking by being proactive. I'm looking for a little input on battery brand and type being used by some of our full timing owners. We very rarely/never boondock so the only time we would be without AC is if there is a power failure. I was considering a group 29 from Walmart for $85.00 Thoughts???

 

[SouthernNights]

You are looking at deep cycle right?

 

[vangoes]

The battery in our Bighorn, an Interstate Group24 from the dealer, is 3 years old and currently not showing any signs of going downhill but... I like to try and keep things ticking by being proactive. I'm looking for a little input on battery brand and type being used by some of our full timing owners. We very rarely/never boondock so the only time we would be without AC is if there is a power failure. I was considering a group 29 from Walmart for $85.00 Thoughts???

Ray
Just curious as to why you are looking at new batteries if your old one is not showing any signs of going downhill; although, I do look forward to the debate that will follow about the group 24 vs. the group 29. The forum is always educational!!

 

[jnbhobe]

Ray are you sure its not a group 27 ?????????? Jon

 

[jimtoo]

Also, what about going to jellcell battery?? No adding or checking water, just a higher price to start with.

 

[sailorand]

I have had great luck with Federal batteries on both my boat and rv's. Just maintain them and I have got 12 years out of one pair of golf carts. Normally I expect 6-7 years out a set

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

After delivery and before we headed south the first year, I asked the dealer what they put in. He said it was a 27. When we got south, I was adding a sensor to aid in checking water level and discovered the 24. I figured, oh well, I probably don't need more than that anyway. Lately I've been noticing a more "obvious" difference in the lighting when the converter kicks in so I'm just guessing it's getting close to time for a replacement.
The box will hold a 29 so I thought why not get the larger battery just in case we have to go a few days without ac. The gel cell is an option I guess but this sensor I have makes it extremely easy to check the water levels. It's a 2 volt led that extends into a cell. Green light, water OK. No light, low water. What is the approximate life span of the gel cell battery?

 

[jimtoo]

Ray, I don't know about the life span, but a lot of your fishing boats (fresh and salt water) with trolling motors are using them. No maintenance, lots of deep cycles due to trolling motor use, no spillage of acid in rough water. So that means less corrosion on terminals also.

 

[ziggy]

Jim,
We used gels in our boat, took care of them correctly as far as charging in the off season etc. and they only lasted a couple of years. Since the chance of being without power when in the middle of a lake, with nobody around for miles, is scarier than being without power on land, we wouldn't take that chance again and went back to regular marine batteries. We usually get batteries from Sears or Costco. I think the last ones were Interstate.

Kristy

 

[Paul_in_MN]

I think that much more important than the brand and physical size is the amp-hour rating of the deep cycle battery. Usually a bigger case and heavier weight will give more reserve current capacity. There is no battery of this type that will power the AC , the half time oven, a microwave, or any of the multitude of 120V appliances we find in the current trailers. The greater amp-hour capacity means that the furnace fan will operate longer through the cold night when we have no shore power, and the water pump may still operate in the morning for the all important morning duties. Just the great number of 12V lights in the coach will draw down the battery, if they are not used in a limited manner.

My solution...is to add a 2nd house battery with isolation switch, and carry a Honda 3000 watt generator to be started in the morning. We have the Eagle Ridge 3400RLSA with the usual appliances, but like to do a lot of boondocking, so this seems to be the solution.

The bigger amp-hour ratings for deep cycle batterys are in the 105 amp-hour area. But if you are full timing, and connected to shore power, then the battery you use is of little concern. Your converter box is doing all the work to provide the 12V circuits. If you are temporarily drawing more 12V current than the converter can provide, you will be drawing some from the battery, but then recharging it almost immediately by the automatic charging mode of the converter. The items that may draw more 12V current than the converter box can provide at one time are likely to be the slide motors, the hydraulic pump motor, and the front lift jacks. Depending on how many lights are in use, the water pump cycling on may draw from the battery. Almost any size deep cycle batt will provide for these temporary overloads and the shore power will recharge the battery.

If you have gotten 3 years out of a deep cycle batt with "full timing" daily use, I think you have been served well by it. That comes out to less than 10 cents per day for the cost of the battery.

Paul in MN