Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Keystone RV Forums > Keystone Tech Forums > Keystone Questions
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 03-10-2014, 08:23 AM   #1
sourdough
Site Team
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,601
Dual Batteries - Worthwhile?

When I purchased our new 319RLS bumper pull the dealer included dual batteries in the price but forgot to install them. I am making arrangements to have the second one installed but having read some of the online comments regarding dual batteries I don't know if it is really necessary. We may do some dry camping but don't know. Our hitch weight is pretty high (975) without batteries so it will up that. I guess I'm just not really sure of all the pros/cons of that kind of setup. Anyone have any thoughts or experiences? Thanks!
sourdough is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2014, 08:33 AM   #2
Festus2
Site Team
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Fraser Valley BC Canada
Posts: 7,015
Sourdough -
If the vast majority of your camping involves full or partial hookups, having a second battery may not be necessary. Even if you do venture out for a couple of days of dry camping, prudent use of 12v demands (water pump, lights, etc.) should get you by for a weekend using a single, fully-charged, good quality battery.

It is possible by being careful and "miserly" to stretch out a single, 12v battery over a weekend of dry camping.

If you don't go ahead with installing a second one perhaps you can work out something with the dealer to compensate you for an already paid for battery ???
__________________
2008 Cougar 5th Wheel 27RKS
2005 2500 GMC Duramax
Festus2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2014, 10:14 AM   #3
Ram189
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Frederick, Md
Posts: 202
We dry camp at a lot of NASCAR weekends.

Over the last 20 years I have always had dual batteries and unless I need to run the a/c or microwave I have never run my generator for 3 - 4 days of camping with 3 - 5 people.
My buddy has a single battery and has to run his generator every day or so to maintain his battery in order to make it through the weekend with 2 - 4 people camping with him.
Dual batteries for me are the way to go.

It depends on if you are going to be dry camping a lot or just campground with hookups.
Ram189 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2014, 03:08 PM   #4
theasphaltrv'er
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: 4 Corners ..The land God 4 got
Posts: 203
We do a considerable amount of dry camping, usually 4 to 5 days at a time at Forest Service CG's and have always had only a single group 27 battery. We use a portable 135W solar panel to keep the battery charged, but as a back up we do carry a Honda 2000i gen just in case. We have no problem staying out that amount of time using only one battery. We changed all lights over to LED's We can each take showers to stay semi clean but are very frugal with using the water pump & lights. To my knowledge the battery has never gotten below 12.4 on the voltmeter. It can be done with one battery
__________________
13 F-150 XLT HD Ecoboost
14 Cougar 26SAB 5er
Pullrite SuperGlide 15K
Life is fantastic & gettin
better every day
theasphaltrv'er is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2014, 03:49 PM   #5
mguay
Senior Member
 
mguay's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Northern NH
Posts: 191
The first time you dry camp with 1 battery and it goes dead you'll have your answer! If it was included...get it!
__________________
2015 GMC Sierra 3500 Denali CC LB DRW Sonoma Red/Cocoa Dune
2010 Keystone Laredo 316RL
mguay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2014, 05:33 PM   #6
kronik
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: mb
Posts: 5
hi we have a seasonal site and I run two deep cycle batteries for the just incase we are gone and the power goes out don't want the fridge off for any amount of time.so I say yes to dual batteries.
kronik is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2014, 07:25 PM   #7
Stublejumper
Senior Member
 
Stublejumper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Langdon ,AB ,Canada
Posts: 108
Unhappy

Quote:
Originally Posted by sourdough View Post
When I purchased our new 319RLS bumper pull the dealer included dual batteries in the price but forgot to install them. I am making arrangements to have the second one installed but having read some of the online comments regarding dual batteries I don't know if it is really necessary. We may do some dry camping but don't know. Our hitch weight is pretty high (975) without batteries so it will up that. I guess I'm just not really sure of all the pros/cons of that kind of setup. Anyone have any thoughts or experiences? Thanks!
I went with 4 6 volts and 1 12 volt ,the kids don't shut off lights at home why would they out camping.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	image.jpg
Views:	157
Size:	93.5 KB
ID:	5332  
__________________
2012 Ram 3500 Srw TD HO
2012 avalanche 341 TG
Stublejumper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-17-2014, 05:12 AM   #8
SLIMSHADIE
Senior Member
 
SLIMSHADIE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: IL
Posts: 352
If you gottem, use em, if weight is not a problem. We dry camp 1 a year, but 1 battery wouldnt last the whole weekend. So when the original 12v died, I replaced it with 2 6v. Switched all lights to LEDs, installed battery shutoff.
I'm assuming you have 1 12v and the other is a 12v too. Otherwise your system wouldnt run on 1 6v. Anyways I've read if 1 12v dies, it can ruin the other 12v too. So adding a 2nd battery years later is not economical. They both should be new at the same time, roughly.
__________________
2010 Kestone Laredo 291TG
2006 Dodge Megacab CTD
SLIMSHADIE is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-17-2014, 09:52 AM   #9
Ken / Claudia
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Fruitland
Posts: 3,357
I feel the need for 2 batteries, I want to and do dry camp as much as I can and use a genny to charge up each day or two. When RVing many people new to rving leave lights on, watering running just like home either will last long.
__________________
2013 24RKSWE (27ft TT) Cougar 1/2 ton series SOLD 10-2021
2013 Ford F350 4x4 CC 6.7 engine, 8 ft bed, 3.55 rear end, lariat package
Retired from Oregon State Police in 2011 than worked another 9.5 years as a small town traffic cop:
As of 05-2020, I am all done with 39 years total police work. No more uniforms for me.
Ken / Claudia is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2014, 09:34 PM   #10
Chinomax
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Arizona
Posts: 42
We almost always dry-camp so I have 6 12v AGM's for a total of 750 amp. hrs. Works just fine! Chino
Chinomax is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2014, 06:36 AM   #11
koko
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Southwest Wyoming
Posts: 497
Two batteries, in my opinion, are a good thing.
__________________

2017 Jayco Melbourne 24k-Jeep Wrangler
2013 Bullet Premier 19FBPR-Dodge Durango V8 Hemi
2013 Rpod 177HRE-Jeep Liberty
2011 Aliner Sport-Jeep Cherokee
2008 Little Guy 5^Wide-Toyota Avalon
1980 Shasta 21-GMC Suburban
1981 Coleman Tent Camper-1981 Dodge Ramcharger
1978 VW Westfalia
Lots of tents
koko is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2014, 11:03 AM   #12
sourdough
Site Team
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,601
Thanks for all the replies and help. We had them install the 2nd battery. Reading all the suggestions sounded like that would probably be the thing for us to do.
sourdough is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates in any way. Keystone RV® is a registered trademark of the Keystone RV Company.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 03:07 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.