12 volt deep cycle choice - Page 2

peanut · 02-18-2023, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhagfo

None of your links to batteries worked, only the link to the monitor.

Sorry. Don't know what happened.

https://www.renogy.com/deep-cycle-ba...agm-batteries/
https://www.amazon.com/WEIZE/dp/B07S..._t3_B004OA25PU
https://lifelinebatteries.com/products/rv-batteries/

jxnbbl · 02-19-2023, 05:06 AM

When I got the last trailer, I asked them to spring for a single AGM battery and I would purchase another and do all the wiring, etc for dual batteries.

I ended up with Go Solar NRG Life batteries specifically - GP-AGM-100-12V

These combined with 340W of solar on the roof provided enough to run the tailer for the week that we needed it on our first trip (without hookup, no generator and sitting for the entire week). It has a 12V fridge and we keep the night temps at 60 degrees. (45-55 outside)

jxnbbl · 02-19-2023, 05:07 AM

I should add that the last 170W panel was installed after this experience but didn't have time as I installed the solar about 2 days prior to leaving on the trip and figured 2 panels should be enough.

sierraman68 · 02-19-2023, 02:09 PM

After I purchased my 2020 Cougar 25 RES the first thing I did was replace the two cheap 12 volt batteries with four Duracell 6v batteries as well as adding Victron SmartShunt battery monitor. I did have to do a bit of customization on a new battery box. I make sure that I monitor the fluid level on a regular basis and have been very happy with going the 6 v route.

TinaMBee1 · 02-24-2023, 02:55 AM

I know nothing about batteries, etc. but my SO leaves research into things up to me. He hates looking online for stuff. We have one battery for my 2014 Keystone and want to upgrade to 2 batteries. Is that what you're talking about when you are talking about upgrading/changing your batteries? We don't have solar power or anything and yeah, I'm so not going to look into that!

markcee · 02-24-2023, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TinaMBee1

I know nothing about batteries, etc. but my SO leaves research into things up to me. He hates looking online for stuff. We have one battery for my 2014 Keystone and want to upgrade to 2 batteries. Is that what you're talking about when you are talking about upgrading/changing your batteries? We don't have solar power or anything and yeah, I'm so not going to look into that!

Do you boondock camp at all? If not, you must be connected primarily to shore power. Usually people add a second battery because they boondock and want to maximize the amount of energy they have available. If you primarily use full hook up sites, a second battery is not really needed. However, if you really want to go with two, many users connect two 6v 'golf cart' batteries together in series.

Regardless of which route you take, ensure that you are going with a true DEEP CYCLE battery, like this. You don't want any type of battery that indicates it has cold cranking amps (CCA). These include any type of starting or hybrid type battery. Even a battery that states 'marine/RV use' is not necessarily a deep cycle.

TinaMBee1 · 02-24-2023, 05:18 AM

Yes, we mostly boondock - going to bluegrass festivals where there are rarely hookups & if there are they are costly. We have 2 generators we link together to run the air conditioning. Our fridge is gas/electric so we use the gas. After a week of camping the battery is so low we have to hook up to get the hitch to go up. Thank you for your advice!

peanut · 02-24-2023, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TinaMBee1

We don't have solar power or anything and yeah, I'm so not going to look into that!

Quote:

Originally Posted by TinaMBee1

Yes, we mostly boondock - going to bluegrass festivals where there are rarely hookups & if there are they are costly. We have 2 generators we link together to run the air conditioning. Our fridge is gas/electric so we use the gas. After a week of camping the battery is so low we have to hook up to get the hitch to go up. Thank you for your advice!

You mostly boondock. You use (noisy, irritate your neighbors) generators but your battery is still too depleted to use an electric tongue jack after one week.
? ? ? ?
Couple of points. First, if your battery is lead acid and you are running it down so low that it won't even retract an electric jack, you are most likely way,way below 50 percent of charge. That's a sure path to an early death for the battery. I bet you replace your battery way more often than expected. Second, if you are using generators, why isn't your converter recharging the battery while they are running? Even running AC there should still be some recharging happening.
Seems like something that should be looked into.

Especially given the above, I think you should revise your apparent "dug in the sand" opposition to solar. For less than $400 dollars you could get a portable 200W kit. Probably less than two good batteries. The portable kit could be moved around and angled to always be in direct sunlight so it would be recharging the battery bank all day long. You could use alligator clips to connect directly to the battery so no modification needed on the trailer. I'd bet that, in the south, during the summer, it would be enough to keep your battery useable even after a week. You would still need the generators for the AC, of course.

https://www.renogy.com/200-watt-12-v...olar-suitcase/

A 100W kit would be less than $300. It would take a lot longer to recharge the battery, though.
https://www.renogy.com/100-watt-12-v...-with-voyager/

**JRTJH** · 02-24-2023, 08:44 AM

Peanut raises a concern about your current battery condition. I'd suspect that with the battery being to low to even raise the tongue jack, that either your converter/charger isn't working properly or you may have the battery cutoff switch in the wrong position and the charger can't charge the battery...

I'm like you, "dug in the sand NO" about solar. We almost exclusively dry camp during the summer, have two 6V GC2 golf cart batteries (true deep cycle) and a pair of Champion 2000 watt generators. In Michigan, there's seldom any need to run the air conditioner, so we only take 1 generator with us and in the mornings when DW makes coffee, I start the generator which provides power to perk coffee, use the microwave if needed for breakfast and recharges the battery bank. We usually run the generator for about an hour or so while having breakfast, then shut it off and go fishing again. Then around noon, start the generator, have lunch (microwave power) and run it for another hour or so. Then in the evening, another hour or so while we watch the evening news and prepare supper.

That's 3 or 4 hours of generator time, which we've found is adequate to keep the battery bank fully charged. After turning off the generator in the evening, we may watch TV for a bit and we seldom even think about turning off the lights we aren't using. We don't go "overboard on lights" but we also don't "scimp excessively to try to live in the dark"... in other words, we do use our battery bank without fear of depleting it...

So, we've "dug our heels in" about solar and see no need for it in our camping lifestyle. As I said, we nearly always boondock during the summer with no need for air conditioning, and that's almost always in isolated (no campground environment) where there's nobody to "bother about generator noise) and we don't seem to mind the brief "purrrrr" of the generator stuck over there behind that big oak tree....

Since your "camping style" already demands you run a generator for the air conditioner, then solar is a "expensive add on that just backs up an already used charging system", so there's really no need to "double up the already adequate generator charging system, but you do need to have it checked to make sure it's working properly. Could be it's not working or could be that with a single GP24 hybrid battery, you "completely discharge it every night and it only lasts a month or so before it's destroyed".... Either way, that's the first hurdle, to make sure your converter/charger is working properly.

I'd recommend you replace your current battery with a pair of NEW batteries. DO NOT JUST ADD TO THE CURRENT BATTERY since it will "damage the new one and drag down the entire battery bank. Start with FRESH, NEW batteries. I'd recommend either two FLA 12 volt "true deep cycle" batteries connected in parallel, or better yet, two 6 volt GC2 deep cycle batteries connected in series.

gearhead · 02-24-2023, 09:18 AM

As usual on this forum, and most others, you get responses telling you to do what they do. If you want to run 2 batteries along with your generator that sounds like a good plan to me. Only caution is to not match an older battery with a brand new one. Buy them both at the same time.
Not all generators are noisy. We use two 4650 watt Champion Inverters that amazes people at how quiet they are.

ChuckS · 02-24-2023, 09:36 AM

For our style of RVing we have found that two GC2 batteries are hard to beat.

I am just running the "Lower End" brand of GC2 battery sold at Costco.. Label says "Interstate".. The batteries cost us $89 each when bought 8 years ago.. still in service and will be for this year unless I detect an issue with them

Cost to replace with same batteries at 2023 prices : $104 each

We have found that our two Honda 2000 gensets provide all the 120 power needed to run those items requiring 120 power

We do much like others in the morning: run 1 genset to make coffee, watch the TV for a bit and let the converter put a charge back into those two GC2 batteries..

We only run both gensets if we need AC in the afternoon hours.

Solar power is nice and if I didnt have the gensets I might consider.. but solar still wont run the AC unit.

And at about 50 feet away from my RV you can't really hear the gensets at all.. We usually camp right by a river...

LiFePo batteries are nice too but IMO the cost of them, a new converter to charge them with, and issues when storing during the long winter months in Idaho just don't fit my style ..

** I leave my two GC2 batteries installed year round and in 8 years have had zero issues when the temps drop to -5 degrees regarding keeping the batteries charged.

TinaMBee1 · 02-25-2023, 07:03 AM

we don't run our generators all the time. We have 2 Champion 2000 watt generators that we link together. When I want to use the microwave we turn them on and when my partner needs air conditioning he turns it on. We don't run them at night. Most places we go to are cool at night and you don't need the air. We have had issues with the batteries, & talking to a friend he said I need to keep them on a small charge during the winter. He bought me a little solar charger and hopefully that is doing the job through the winter. Good advice about buying 2 new batteries but man, to convince my partner of that will be another thing. I'll have to get one of his male friends to give them that advice

Thank you all for your advice! I have just retired so we plan to go to a lot of bluegrass festivals this year - the good Lord willing!!

**chuckster57** · 02-25-2023, 08:57 AM

If you have 2 batteries are the trailer leads connected to one battery? if so changing that will make a big difference. Positive lead from trailer to battery A and negative lead to battery B.

travelin texans · 02-25-2023, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckster57

If you have 2 batteries are the trailer leads connected to one battery? if so changing that will make a big difference. Positive lead from trailer to battery A and negative lead to battery B.

Thanks Chuck!
I posted that on another forum & I'd bet there were 50 that responded that it was total nonsense, it made no difference at all.
To original post, if your partner ads a new battery to the old all it will do is seriously sorted the lifespan of the new battery as the old will "cannibalize" the new one.

**chuckster57** · 02-25-2023, 09:51 AM

Give them this link:

https://www.etrailer.com/question-21011.html

WJQ · 09-11-2023, 04:10 PM

I have used Trojan or US Battery 6-Volt batteries for the last 18 years or so in a Bounder motorhome and now for three years in my Keystone TT. If you can keep them charged, they will go through the winter. BUT, if something goes wrong, the parasitic draw will discharge them, and then they freeze and break the case or just ruin the battery. So, for the last three years, I pulled them off of my trailer and took them to my "warmer than outside" garage. Kept a trickle charge on them, and all was fine!

I have solar, but when I get several inches of snow, no solar! Parasitic power kills batteries.

The downside of moving them to my garage is the 62 pounds each. So, this year, I researched LiFePhO4 batteries. Now, I have two 100 amp hr batteries that can be drawn down to zero without damage (Why would I do that?). The cost was about $360 each, but they will outlast several lead acid setups.

If lithium batteries were still $1000 each (And some still are), I would deal with my lead acid 62-pounders. I got 12 years from a pair of Trojan 6-volts. When I sold my US Battey 6-Volts, they would take a charge up to 95% of the original charge after a 24-hour rest and after three years of use.

But with the low cost of lithium batteries, it is time to re-think our old lead acid habits. They weigh 23 lbs. I will still remove them in winter due to the parasitic draw. But I can easily handle 23 lbs. Note, another advantage of lithium is there is no water to top off, no acid to spill, and more useable power. There are lots of good YouTube videos evaluating lithium offerings. If you do the math, at this price, lithium batteries are much cheaper on a lifecycle basis as most carry a spec of 4000 cycles from full to zero charge.

Note, I lie in Utah at 6300 feet. It is real winter here for 4 to 6 months.

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