Best deep cycle batteries for rv ?
- Thread starter hardcorex
- Start date
campingnut
Active VIP Member
Another recommendation to go with 4 6V
LBZ
Active VIP Member
That's alot of weight and takes up alot of room. Nevermind the cost every few years to replace.
Be better off getting a couple solar panels to keep two 6v healthy and run the genny for a few hours once in awhile to compensate for the heavier load days/nights.
the_real_wild1
Active VIP Member
Would depend on what you are doing really. I have 2 six volts in my toy hauler and they work great. But I also run my genset at night and a few times during the day if not in a campground with power.
- Moderator
- #65
I think medler has a new never used RV solar panel, he's thinking about selling
LBZ
Active VIP Member
I also have 2 6v in my toy. I usually only run the genset every 3 days or so for a few hours during the day to recharge them but my batteries are 4 years old and spent a couple winters in the trailer unhooked with no solar or anything on them. When they were new they lasted alot longer.
I might invest in some solar as it sits in a storage place and I have nowhere to even park it to plug it in.
I might invest in some solar as it sits in a storage place and I have nowhere to even park it to plug it in.
Lund
Active VIP Member
The biggest issue people have with batteries is not knowing how to charge them properly, thus leading to premature battery failure.
Battery charging is all about putting back in what you took out, for example if during the day you operated 2 appliances that pull 15 amps per hour for 2 hours, that means you drew 30 amps out of your batteries, a 300 amp battery will be dead in 20 hour at that rate, not long. Now, if your charging system, genset or solar can charge for 1 hour at a rate of 30 amps or charge at a rate of 15 amps for 2 hours it will recharge the batteries 100%. But if the 300 amp battery was discharged at a 15 amp rate for 20 hours and is now dead, a 30 amp charger will take 10 hours to recharge it or 20 hour at a 15 amp rate, see the problem now.
The problem arises that the discharge rate exceeds the charge rate, because people carelessly use lights and appliances longer then they think and try to recharge the batteries with little time. Eventually that destroy's the battery as they sulfate from poor charging practices.
Solar panel's fall into the same problem as solar panel's cannot keep up to the discharge rate applied also leading to battery sulfation.
The best way to preserve your RV batteries is to use low amp appliances on a limited time. Like 2 hours in the AM then off and 2 hours in the PM then off.
Even then you will eventually drain the batteries if your doing this long enough, a genset or solar will not keep up. You just need to do the math, you can almost calculate it to the hour how long the battery will last and what it takes to recharge it.
BTW, to add to the issue of battery destruction, charge your battery at a high rate like 30 amps. You will be lucky if it survives, deep cycle batteries need a low rate of charge to be recharged properly. Using genset's that are not properly setup for it or alternators from your truck to recharge a deep cycle spells death to a deep cycle.
Why, it has to do with the internal plates, while starting batteries have plates with large perforations to allow high current flow and charge safely with the high amps of an alternator the deep cycle batteries have plates that have small perforation that allow slow current flow. Pushing high amps through a deep cycle such as an alternator or charger will blow holes through the plates of the battery causing it to fail prematurely.
Last edited:
campingnut
Active VIP Member
posted twice
Last edited:
campingnut
Active VIP Member
I just went by the fact that he already has 4 12V.
Just for note I have 4 6V 560 watts of solar and a 3000 watt inverter.
Just be careful. My RV is in my yard and I have solar. The problems occur when its really cold and snow. If the panel gets covered no charging can happen. I keep the trickle charger handy for this reason and try to get up with ladder to clear snow off the panel.
Like everyone else I use 2 six volts and I have a battery monitor when it drops below 12 volts I charge with a gen set but not directly just plug the trailer in and use the built in charger in the winter I store them in the house. I also have switched all the interior bulbs for low draw LCD bulbs you can get these bulbs cheep on Amazon if you go to an rv dealer they are very expensive.
the_real_wild1
Active VIP Member
LED bulbs. lol. I have done the same. Way nicer, less current, and brighter in some areas. I went with some brighter leds, and less bright for the bed lights
Lund
Active VIP Member
Here is another thing to keep in mind with lead acid batteries, your typical 6v RV battery. They have a life cycle, meaning every time you put a charger to them you have now eliminated a life cycle. So if the batteries have a 500 normal cycle life and you tend to charge them prematurely your batteries won't last very long.
This is not the case with Lithium batteries, you can charge them any time.
This is not the case with Lithium batteries, you can charge them any time.
LBZ
Active VIP Member
Sorry. Missed that part.
I do know many big 5th wheel trailers run 4, but I wouldn't want the extra weight on the tongue of a bumper pull myself. With 2 30lb bottles that all adds up quickly.
I only want solar for when it's in storage to trickle charge and keep them up and healthy. I know it won't keep up daily when camping with the fridge running and the furnace at night.
Most built in trailer chargers only put out 15 amps and many new ones are digital smart chargers so they protect the batteries a little better. I do have a small charger that only puts out about 12 amps max and I usually use this on my 1000 watt Yamaha generator and run it for about 8 hrs at a time during the day. It's not as offensive loud as my onboard onan. I hate listening to generators when I'm camping.
Yea ditto on the generator thing I have a Yamaha 2000 and with 2 six' only need to run it every 4 or 5 days. Why is it the guy with one tired 12 volt battery always has the powerfist industrial generator and runs it all day long every day
papajake
Active VIP Member
Because he bought the 150.00 generator he has more money for his beer beer beer and he doesn’t give a shyt about the noise
06 Dragon
Active VIP Member
I have a built in generator with a smaller roof top solar panel. Going to upgrade the solar panel as well. Dry camp mainly. Have quite a bit of room considering she already has 4 12 volts in it.
RXN
Active VIP Member
the_real_wild1
Active VIP Member
Just remember to keep checking water levels and keep them up.
doorfx
Active VIP Member
Copy and paste,
Deep cycle batteries come in all different sizes. Some are designated by Group size, like group 24, 27 and 31. Basically, the larger the battery the more amp hours you get. Depending on your needs and the amount of space you have available, there are several options when it comes to batteries.
You can use one 12-volt 24 group deep cycle battery that provides 70 to 85 AH.
You can use two 12-volt 24 group batteries wired in parallel that provides 140 to 170 AH. Parallel wiring increases amp hours but not voltage.
If you have the room, you can do what a lot of RVers do and switch from the standard 12-volt batteries to two of the larger 6-volt golf cart batteries. These pairs of 6-volt batteries need to be wired in series to produce the required 12-volts and they will provide 180 to 220 AH. Series wiring increases voltage but not amp hours.
If this still doesn’t satisfy your requirements you can build larger battery banks using four 6-volt batteries wired in series / parallel that will give you 12-volts and double your AH capacity.
Deep cycle batteries come in all different sizes. Some are designated by Group size, like group 24, 27 and 31. Basically, the larger the battery the more amp hours you get. Depending on your needs and the amount of space you have available, there are several options when it comes to batteries.
You can use one 12-volt 24 group deep cycle battery that provides 70 to 85 AH.
You can use two 12-volt 24 group batteries wired in parallel that provides 140 to 170 AH. Parallel wiring increases amp hours but not voltage.
If you have the room, you can do what a lot of RVers do and switch from the standard 12-volt batteries to two of the larger 6-volt golf cart batteries. These pairs of 6-volt batteries need to be wired in series to produce the required 12-volts and they will provide 180 to 220 AH. Series wiring increases voltage but not amp hours.
If this still doesn’t satisfy your requirements you can build larger battery banks using four 6-volt batteries wired in series / parallel that will give you 12-volts and double your AH capacity.
Similar threads
