RV deep cycle batteries (1 Viewer)

[AZkick-n40]

I have done a search but didn't find what I am looking for.

I have a toy hauler and went camping last weekend after I (so I thought) charged the batteries. I have 2 12V deep cycle batteries and don't know the Amp Hours off the top of my head.

After being out for about 36 hours we ran out of juice - so bad I couldn't even start my generator. Id rather not buy 2 new batteries now, but may have to. We were not doing anything above the norm - had a few lights going, water pump as needed, and refrig.

Couple of questions:

1. How much will a fully charged 12V read? I have heard from someone that they can read as high as 14.2V.

2. I read something about a "booster". What is that? Any recommended brands?

3. If I need to repace my batteries, do I go w/ 2 6V's instead?

4. Someone also wrote about wiring it correctly to make sure that the batteries are not draining down my trucks battery. Any additional information about how to do that?

I am clueless about electrical issues.

Thanks!

Brian

 

[cpg]

Depends on the battery 12.6 to 12.8 after the float charge is removed

 

[rusty_tlc]

If you truly have deep cycle batteries they can take being completly discharged and re-charge with no damage. How old are the batteries? Even deep cycle batteries eventually wear out. You should be okay for 36 hours. Do you have a monitor for the tanks and batteries? Did you check it from time to time?


1) Voltage with no load is meaningless. You can read from 12 to 15 volts, as soon as you load the battery it can drop to nothing.
2) Not sure what you are talking about here.
3) Go to two 6V batteries if you have the room for the higher AH type. Total A/H (amp hour) rating is what you are looking for. Typically a 6V battery will have a higher A/H rating and be slightly larger than the 12V equivelent.
4) You should have an isolator between the RV and the Truck charging system that allows the RV to charge from the truck but not to drain the truck battery. I always disconnect from the truck when not towing.


You might want to sign up with the forums on Woodalls site lots of good info for RV'rs there.

 

[AZkick-n40]

If you truly have deep cycle batteries they can take being completly discharged and re-charge with no damage. How old are the batteries? Even deep cycle batteries eventually wear out. You should be okay for 36 hours. Do you have a monitor for the tanks and batteries? Did you check it from time to time?

You might want to sign up with the forums on Woodalls site lots of good info for RV'rs there.

Batteries (both deep cycle) are a couple of years old and get used in the summer, but sit all winter. I would have thought I should last 36 hours too, but maybe they just weren't charged enough.

I do have a monitor but don't know how much faith I put in it. I'll have an empty grey and black water tank but it'll say it is 25% full. Maybe the battery monitor is a bit better.

Great point about the woodall forum.

I'll put a big charge on both of them to see what type of life I get out of them next time and if it is not what I would anticipate then I may go w/ 6V's.

Thanks Rusty!

 

[Tools R Us]

http://www.ccis.com/home/mnemeth/12volt/12volt.htm

Another RV Forum;
http://irv2.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x?a=cfrm&s=8076099152

 

[rusty_tlc]

Batteries (both deep cycle) are a couple of years old and get used in the summer, but sit all winter. I would have thought I should last 36 hours too, but maybe they just weren't charged enough.

I do have a monitor but don't know how much faith I put in it. I'll have an empty grey and black water tank but it'll say it is 25% full. Maybe the battery monitor is a bit better.

Great point about the woodall forum.

I'll put a big charge on both of them to see what type of life I get out of them next time and if it is not what I would anticipate then I may go w/ 6V's.

Thanks Rusty!

You might need new batteries depending on how much you use your RV. I try to charge my batteries once a month or so when the RV is in storage, or disconnect them. A small solar panel will do the trick to.
Tank guages are known for bad readings.

 

[srplus]

follow the yellow brick road

test batteries with a hydrometer. the following link is an excellent resource for dealing with car and deep cycle batteries:

http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/carfaq4.htm

also, you might get some use out of (especially the links on the left side of the page):

http://www.batterylifesaver.com/battery-life-saver-test.html

and, for a full peek at vector's battery chargers and other related products:

http://www.battery-rechargeable-charger.com/auto-vector-car-battery-charger-products.html

the links on that page to Vector smart battery chargers are especially useful for ppl with RV's and boat batteries to maintain.

and one more vector info link: http://www.battery-rechargeable-charger.com/vector-jump-start-car-battery-starter.html

check out - Model Number: VEC029ACY - a 5 in one combo battery booster, small fluorescent light, 200 W power inverter (350 watts peak), 12V cigarette plug & 260 PSI Air Compressor that you can charge from 110 or 12V. VERY useful item! although not available at that link it is on sale right now at Pep Boys... check the posted price in the store - it was $ 79.98 (i think the newspaper flyer said $ 99.99). so, get a store employee to show you where they are and he/she can be called upon to confirm sale price posted in store. i just replaced my old unit that was like this but had a cheap flashlight lightbulb. this unit has extension cord for the fluorescent light and the inverter can be powered from any 12V cigarette lighter.

conversion of Watts to Amps is governed by the equation Amps = Watts/Volts. For example 1 amp * 110 volts = 110 watts so 200W / 110 = 1.8181818181818181818181818181818 running amps and 350 / 110 = 3.1818181818181818181818181818182 start up amps (not sufficient for skill saw but ok for SOME portable computers. my toshiba's transformer puts out 17V at 6.3 amps and i can not find anywhere what it actually draws - just remember on another portable with a small converter i was running on battery power).

 

[AZkick-n40]

I looked at my batteries and one is 75 A/H and the other is 80 A/H. Is that pretty low?

Could that be part of my problem?

Thanks everyone for your help!

Brian

 

[sandcruiser]

depending on your charging system, having two different batteries may also be part of your problem. If you charge and drain the two in parallel then one of the batteries is not getting charged enough and/or the other one is getting overcharged- either way, it'll shorten the life of the batteries

If you do decide to replace, it is best to get two identical batteries (unless they are connected in such a way that they are isolated from each other... but that gets complicated really quickly)

 

[cruiserbrett]

If it were me, I would get a 8d boat battery, and a small group 24. dont run them together, but get a boat battery swtich, and run the regular load from the 8d(its a huge bitch) and use the group 24 to start the gen. if you kill the 8d. then switch the genny to the group 24to fire up. switch back to the 8d and charge away.

Anyway, if youre just going to keep the stock sorta setup, you have to spend good money on good deep cycle batteries, maybe some group 31's.

 

[VETTE60]

many of the folks i know are running two 6v deep cycle bats in series. this gives you 12v, but they last significantly longer. you can get them at campingworld for about $99. each

 

[Lars]

Most of the people I run with (myself included) use 2 Trojan 105 6v batteries wired in a series. These are true deep cycle batteries.

 

[Mike S]

I am running two 105 AH marine batteries (grp 31) in my trailer. I have a two bank on board charger and use the charger to maintain charge year round. I do not have the batts connected to the truck power source, but may do that soon (htrough the 7 pin plug). I paln on adding a simple isolation circuit to be sure that the current flows to the batts when connected, but never out through the charging lines.

You should get good service froma decent pair of IDENTICAL (type, brand, age) marine batteries for a number of years. Check West Marine, they have a lot of helpful data on this subject on their websirte and in the catalog... good place for a quick tutorial on technical issues like this.

M

 

[honk]

I looked at my batteries and one is 75 A/H and the other is 80 A/H. Is that pretty low?

Could that be part of my problem?

Thanks everyone for your help!

Brian

Those are low power. Are they those 'RV/Boat' types that are marketed everywhere as deep cycles?

 

[AZkick-n40]

Those are low power. Are they those 'RV/Boat' types that are marketed everywhere as deep cycles?

One came on the Warrior when I bought it and the other I think I bought at Sam's.

Dang, why is there never just 1 solution? Thanks for all your input everyone.

Brian

 

[Niner]

Are you running the Fridge on 12 VDC? If so the batteries lasted a long time.

 

[AZkick-n40]

Are you running the Fridge on 12 VDC? If so the batteries lasted a long time.

Yes I was running the fridge on the batteries the weekend I used it.

When you say they lasted a long time, are you saying that my batteries gave me a good live (3 years) or they lasted a long time when I used them?

Thanks,
Brian

 

[Niner]

36 hours with running the fridge on 12 volt is a long time. I never got more than 12 but I was running 1 battery. I think your better off running the fridge on Gas and using the batteries for lights and pump. this would last you quite a while I've had this last 10 days.

 

[AZkick-n40]

36 hours with running the fridge on 12 volt is a long time. I never got more than 12 but I was running 1 battery. I think your better off running the fridge on Gas and using the batteries for lights and pump. this would last you quite a while I've had this last 10 days.

Niner,

I dont' know what I was thinking when I wrote my response (wasn't even intoxicated so no excuse) - I was running the fridge on gas. This was only the lights and water pump. I don't think that we had the heater running. 10 days? Wow, that'd be great!!!

Brian