Deep Cell Battery........

WIMUSKY

WIMUSKY

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Looking for a quality battery for my 5th wheel. What's a "good" deep cell?

Thanks......
Musky
 
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charleso

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I upgraded my RV to a blue top Optima. They aren't cheap, but it does hold voltage great. I have a yellow top(starting/deep cycle) in my boat(Lucked out and bought it used). I had used it in my pick up, but swapped out and put it in the boat.
 
bajaunderground

bajaunderground

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Do you dry camp a lot or it's just for brakes and the occasional stop? I used to put Optima's in everything, however, I never got more "life" out of their batteries (Coincidentally, they are owned by Johnson Controls, who is my parent company)?

I used to run 2 batteries as well, never really needed both as when we dry camp I use my Honda EU2000i to keep my batteries "topped off" and to operate microwave/TV etc... and using Deka's over the past 4-5 years have served me well in my campers.

I personally wouldn't spend high dollars on an AGM if you tow from point A to point B and it stays plugged in to shore power...just my $.02.
 
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KD4UPL

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What's a deep cell? You mean deep cycle? Trojan, Deka, or Lifeline would be the top in my book. You didn't mention an AGM battery but received a lot of advice on them. They're nice if you need one or don't want to be bothered with checking the water. Regular deep cycle flooded batteries are what is most often used in RVs. Many people use 2 6v golf cart batteries in series for RVs. Golf Cart batteries are very heavy duty deep cycle and are readily available.
 
WIMUSKY

WIMUSKY

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Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll probably look into the Lifeline....
 
aspeck

aspeck

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At your age, do you really need it to last that long? Walmart?:peep:
 
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charleso

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Besides the maintenance factor, another consideration for any AGM battery would be there ability to resist vibration. I went to AGM in my fifth wheel because my inverter is on the small side and my flooded deep cycle would discharge in the evening, even on shore power.
 
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charleso

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All of your lights, the controls for the fridge, ignitor for the furnace, etc are all 12v. The inverter provides power to all of this and charges the battery when hooked up to AC.
 
WIMUSKY

WIMUSKY

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charleso said:
All of your lights, the controls for the fridge, ignitor for the furnace, etc are all 12v. The inverter provides power to all of this and charges the battery when hooked up to AC.
Click to expand...

Yep........
 
bruceb58

bruceb58

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charleso said:
All of your lights, the controls for the fridge, ignitor for the furnace, etc are all 12v. The inverter provides power to all of this and charges the battery when hooked up to AC.
Click to expand...
The inverter provides 110V AC! Your inverter does not need to be supplying 110V AC if you are on shore power. 12V DC is another story but it has nothing to do with the output of the 110V AC output of your inverter.

If you are actually saying your "convertor", which supplies 12V DC when plugged into shore power, is not keeping up with all the 12V DC loads in your vehicle, that's a whole different story. These RVs seem to be coming with dirt cheap convertors which should be changed out in my opinion.
 
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charleso

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Both functions are in the same unit. And yes, manufacturers put the smallest, cheapest they can in a RV. My furnace would shut down because of the voltage dropping with the flooded cell deep cycle that was in it. Since swapping over to the Optima, haven't had any trouble. Much cheaper than replacing the inverter/converter.
 
bruceb58

bruceb58

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Until you have to replace the battery multiple times and not counting the headaches of a system that isn't designed to work correctly. Personally, I would try to get the system to work correctly so you aren't drawing off the battery when on shore power but I guess that's just me.

I take it you don't have a transfer switch that auto switches from inverter/generator/shore power? You should also have a switch that turns the inverter totally off so it doesn't draw power in its standby mode when the shore power is on.
 
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