Best deep cycle batteries for rv ?

[Murminator]

couple good reads on batteries
http://www.marxrv.com/12volt/12volt.htm
http://www.marxrv.com/12volt/12volta.htm

 

[takethebounce]

Keep in mind you should be sizing your system using half the rating of the AH of the batteries as well. If you are using two 6V rated at 220AH you realistically have 110AH of use. Taking deep cycles past half is very taxing on their ability to recoup those lost AM during their charge cycle, especially with solar.

Every manufacturer also specifies battery voltage and duration of charge for their batteries. I know Lund said they are all the same with a different sticker but this is simply not true for many RV specific batteries. Trojans as an example require a 14.8v bulk charge where my Crowns are 14.5v, the floats and equalize charge voltages will also vary.

Onboard built in RV charge controllers while getting better as time go own still do not take into account a specific batteries requirements and many times max at 13.5v taking away %10-20 of the peak battery charge ability. %10 of your 220AH system never getting charge is a lot. So simply plugging into shore power or a generator is not as good as a true 3 or 4 stage dedicated charger.

Solar is a great way to keep your system topped off but you have to ensure you have the right charge controller and your system is designed around your needs. We can go unlimited days on our system as long as the weather permits and rarely ever get into %50 of our AH storage.

Having a true battery charge monitor, not the 4-5 led style, is key to knowing how much power is going out and back in if you want to have good battery life and a topped off system daily.

 

[X-it]

I see they are selling lithium batteries that come in 600 ah

 

[09 arctic cat m8]

Sounds crazy but I’ve had a 12volt Ufa deep cycle battery going on 5years now and it’s been the best ever can’t kill it, charge it up once at the start and it’s good to go mind you my trailer recharges it for me when I’m on power but still it’s been good

 

[Ronaha]

Sounds crazy but I’ve had a 12volt Ufa deep cycle battery going on 5years now and it’s been the best ever can’t kill it, charge it up once at the start and it’s good to go mind you my trailer recharges it for me when I’m on power but still it’s been good[/QUOTE


i run around 20 batteries in various things I own,and all my 12 volts last me 10 years average, I take really good care of them, unhook or take inside, always keep trickle charging them, I believe 2 6volts are better I just can't justify the price, can't just slap them in other equipment either.

 

[takethebounce]

Sounds crazy but I’ve had a 12volt Ufa deep cycle battery going on 5years now and it’s been the best ever can’t kill it, charge it up once at the start and it’s good to go mind you my trailer recharges it for me when I’m on power but still it’s been good[/QUOTE


i run around 20 batteries in various things I own,and all my 12 volts last me 10 years average, I take really good care of them, unhook or take inside, always keep trickle charging them, I believe 2 6volts are better I just can't justify the price, can't just slap them in other equipment either.

It’s also a good argument that if you run two 12v’s on your RV and for whatever reason one fails you still have a 12v to run your system. Two 6V and one fails you are done. But the failure rate is way to low to offset the benefits for me.

And to say 6V is better is subjective. For my needs, two 6V is what I found best suited our power needs, some people can get away with a single 12, others need 400+ amp hours and depending on their space can accommodate two huge 100 pound 12v or its better for them to run four smaller 6V if they don’t have as much space.