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Old 02-22-2020, 10:27 AM   #1
Halcyon
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Batteries for 5th wheel

I goofed and let my 2 year old batteries freeze. (-12 outta do that, huh). They are dead.
I am looking at AGM deep cycle batteries, group 27 (since that is the size of the wells in the trailer). I have gone on line and found several evaluations from different places, but I cannot find these batteries in person. Ordering 60# batteries on line then having to return the cores defeats the purpose of getting them cheaper on line.
Are the AGM batteries actually that much better than the other types? Worth the extra cost?
What have y’all found out there that one can actually bring the cores to and pick up new batteries?
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Old 02-22-2020, 01:54 PM   #2
flybouy
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Did you try Batteries Plus Bulbs? https://www.batteriesplus.com/ There are several locations in and around the Denver area.
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Old 02-22-2020, 03:20 PM   #3
Canonman
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I'm needing to replace the batteries in the Cougar this season as well. Been researching the AGM options and here's what I see on the plus side: They're sealed so no gassing into the living area. Also, no water fill issues. They are reported to last longer with better recharge cycling numbers. The down side is the co$t, roughly double that of flooded batteries. Still, if I can get the CFO (aka the DW) to approve the upgrade I think the AGMs are worth it
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Old 02-22-2020, 09:26 PM   #4
+Ruff Rider
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I have never seen a battery freeze. I grew up in Iowa and it gets a bit chilly there and never had that problem.
On a side note I am not sure a AGM battery is necessary considering how expensive they are. If you have a problem with batteries freezing just remove them and put them in the garage.
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Old 02-23-2020, 04:11 AM   #5
Roscommon48
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worth the extra cost? not worth it if you just do some traveling and don't have much need for the amps.
2 6 volt batteries will serve must people well. Just don't freeze your batteries next time:-)
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Old 02-23-2020, 04:12 AM   #6
Dave W
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Do I like an AGM battery - for sure. I have a 15 year old pre Johnson Controls owership Optima that is still going and a 10 year old Odyssey in my seldom driven fun car that is good. One $200+ OEM didn't last very well, <3 years, in our '17 Ford Escape Titanium.

I tried to justify AGM batteries for our 5er but at about 2X or more the cost of a flooded lead acid, had a problem. A Walmart deep cycle Gr27 or 29 is about 100 dollars. I've found that for my RV needs that they last at least 5 years, usually more as the last went 6.

Your choice and needs and most of all, your dollars
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Old 02-23-2020, 05:39 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by +Ruff Rider View Post
I have never seen a battery freeze. I grew up in Iowa and it gets a bit chilly there and never had that problem.
On a side note I am not sure a AGM battery is necessary considering how expensive they are. If you have a problem with batteries freezing just remove them and put them in the garage.
Batteries will freeze if they are not properly charged or not holding a charge. It is not uncommon when batteries get old if you live where there is cold winter days.
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Old 02-23-2020, 09:01 AM   #8
Halcyon
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Batteries will freeze if they are not properly charged or not holding a charge. It is not uncommon when batteries get old if you live where there is cold winter days.
I took the caps off both batteries on a 50 degree day and at least two of the cells in each battery had frozen water in them. I had the trailer indoors and plugged in, thinking that would suffice. Nope. Several days of sub zero weather and many of sub freezing made even the pole barn housing the trailer and truck stay at sub freezing weather. Now I know to take the batteries into the house during that type of weather. Possibly another reason to go with AGM batteries- no outgassing into the house.
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Old 02-23-2020, 09:16 AM   #9
B4Keystone
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I would think that if your vehicles start in those temps (using batteries), you may have a battery problem with trailer.
I went to my trailer that is stored outdoors with the battery disconnected. It is northern Ontario and battery was not frozen and registered 12.8 v. I was able to even put slides out. Lol
My trailer was put to sleep in Oct 2019. Checked it in Jan. 2020.
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Old 02-23-2020, 09:21 AM   #10
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Halcyon,

If the trailer was plugged into shore power AND the converter/charger was operating properly, the batteries "should not" have discharged. AND, they won't freeze if fully charged, so I'd suspect that either your "battery cutoff switch" in in the wrong position, your converter/charger is not operating properly or you lost power to the trailer (for an extended time)… Otherwise, the batteries "should have remained charged and functional without freezing. Did you happen to "flip all the circuit breakers in the trailer to OFF ???

So, you may have more than "just a battery problem"..... I'd be sure to monitor the new batteries very closely to make sure the converter/charger is operating properly and that the BCO switch is set properly and functioning as intended with no shorted/corroded/disconnected terminal leads.

Something ain't "quite right" if the batteries in a trailer froze while it was plugged into shore power...…
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Old 02-23-2020, 09:36 AM   #11
travelin texans
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Halcyon,

If the trailer was plugged into shore power AND the converter/charger was operating properly, the batteries "should not" have discharged. AND, they won't freeze if fully charged, so I'd suspect that either your "battery cutoff switch" in in the wrong position, your converter/charger is not operating properly or you lost power to the trailer (for an extended time)… Otherwise, the batteries "should have remained charged and functional without freezing. Did you happen to "flip all the circuit breakers in the trailer to OFF ???

So, you may have more than "just a battery problem"..... I'd be sure to monitor the new batteries very closely to make sure the converter/charger is operating properly and that the BCO switch is set properly and functioning as intended with no shorted/corroded/disconnected terminal leads.

Something ain't "quite right" if the batteries in a trailer froze while it was plugged into shore power...…
John beat me to the punch!
You've got or had other issues if the batteries froze while charged/charging & still frozen at 50 degrees.
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Old 02-23-2020, 10:16 AM   #12
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Lead acid batteries fully charged will not freeze until at least -50 degrees, so if the batteries froze, they were so under charged they were probably trashed already and needed to be replaced. Unless one is doing a lot of boondocking, using anything other than standard deep cycle batteries, 6 volt or 12 volt, is probably a waste of money. Batteries, even in winter conditions should be maintained on a good battery maintainer, either inside or outside, to get the longest life from them. Most new RV's have multi stage converters that do a good job keeping batteries healthy, so keeping power to a rig in winter will work protecting the batteries so they don't have to be removed.
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Old 02-23-2020, 10:32 AM   #13
Halcyon
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Lead acid batteries fully charged will not freeze until at least -50 degrees, so if the batteries froze, they were so under charged they were probably trashed already and needed to be replaced. Unless one is doing a lot of boondocking, using anything other than standard deep cycle batteries, 6 volt or 12 volt, is probably a waste of money. Batteries, even in winter conditions should be maintained on a good battery maintainer, either inside or outside, to get the longest life from them. Most new RV's have multi stage converters that do a good job keeping batteries healthy, so keeping power to a rig in winter will work protecting the batteries so they don't have to be removed.
Boy did I have incorrect information, and needed to be set straight! I unplugged the trailer several times during the winter, under the mistaken impression that I would overcharge the batteries. I also turned the batteries off, I think, with the impression that the shore power would continue to charge them.
I hope other newbies like me read these posts! Thanks to everyone who has responded!
Have to rename myself”clueless”.
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Old 02-23-2020, 10:54 AM   #14
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Halcion, not spelled the same but pronounced the same, was a sleeping pill that caused severe retrograde amnesia. Just saying!

Anyway, now you know.
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Old 02-23-2020, 11:39 AM   #15
Halcyon
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Halcyon, as spelled, means serene, calm,tranquil, peaceful. This is what we named our ranch and our kennel name for our Shetland Sheepdogs.
I assume the drug manufacturers knew this, but couldn’t patent their drug with a common name, hence the spelling.
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Old 02-24-2020, 03:50 AM   #16
Dave W
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Did you turn off the 'master' switch even though plugged in? If so, the converter will not charge the battery even though you will still have some 12VDC power to lights, slides and the CO/propane monitors. This in turn will kill a battery, bringing the acid's specific gravity down to a point where it can, in some conditions, freeze. Yes, I do have that $100+ history and experience. That so-called battery master switch is about one step better then useless, IMHO. If you feel the need to disconnect the battery, then add a real master switch on the ground cable.
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Old 02-24-2020, 07:23 AM   #17
Halcyon
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Did you turn off the 'master' switch even though plugged in? If so, the converter will not charge the battery even though you will still have some 12VDC power to lights, slides and the CO/propane monitors. This in turn will kill a battery, bringing the acid's specific gravity down to a point where it can, in some conditions, freeze. Yes, I do have that $100+ history and experience. That so-called battery master switch is about one step better then useless, IMHO. If you feel the need to disconnect the battery, then add a real master switch on the ground cable.
Now THAT is the kind of information I need! When I bought the unit, the “walk around” guys alluded to the use of that switch, but didn’t elucidate. So, basically, I should just keep that ‘switch’ in the on position all the time, when driving, using shore power and boon docking?
I am not comfortable messing around with electrical things, so I have to keep things simple. I’ll just use what the unit has.
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Old 02-24-2020, 08:12 AM   #18
Dave W
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Now THAT is the kind of information I need! When I bought the unit, the “walk around” guys alluded to the use of that switch, but didn’t elucidate. So, basically, I should just keep that ‘switch’ in the on position all the time, when driving, using shore power and boon docking?
I am not comfortable messing around with electrical things, so I have to keep things simple. I’ll just use what the unit has.
I forgot to include this chart:

http://armyordnance.tpub.com/OD0010/...-Point-182.htm

The specific gravity is directly related to the batteries charge.

There are others similar as well
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Old 03-01-2020, 08:23 AM   #19
G Giroux
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Like most answer, "IT DEPENDS"

Are you planning to do a lot of boondocking and/or using solar panels.
Or if like us we typically use full hookup camping.
I just replaced our 11 year battery for a Costco 27 DM, deep cycle. Works fine for our needs and my wallet thks us.
GPG
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Old 03-01-2020, 09:05 AM   #20
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I use 2 6v golf cart batteries, 200ah. SO far they have lasted about 7 years and still going. At $89 each for the gc batteries, I don't think agm batteries could match them.
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