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08-06-2019, 09:49 PM
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#1
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Member
Brand: DRV
Model: MS 38RSSA
State: Washington
Posts: 37
THOR #3145
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Coach Battery Life
Our DRV is now four years old and the batteries seem like they're getting tired. It takes longer to charge them with the generator than it used to. We have the four 6-volt flooded batteries that came as original equipment, I think they're what some have called "T-105 Knock-Offs" since I can't find any brand info on them. Just seems a little too soon to be replacing them. I installed a Flow-Rite battery watering system shortly after we took delivery and have been very diligent about keeping the batteries topped off. We also keep the coach plugged in to shore power whenever we're at home. We've had the rig in the shop several times for warranty repairs, and they always ran the batteries down to near empty even though we had turned the battery disconnect switch to off and turned the fridge off when we dropped it off, so that probably didn't help.
Anyways, has anyone else had to replace their batteries after only four years? If I do end up replacing them, I'm thinking about going to the maintenance-free gel batteries. Besides the expense, are there any downsides with those? They should last longer, right? Are some brands better than others?
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2016 MS 38RSSA
2015 RAM 3500 Limited DRW Cummins 6.7L Aisen 4.10 Axle
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08-07-2019, 05:02 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Brand: DRV
State: Texas
Posts: 678
THOR #3109
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Lifeline 6volt AGMs...should do the trick. No more worry about fumes/water levels/corrosion on terminals. Several other brands are good, also. Trojan makes an exact replacement, and offers AGMs.
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2016 Tiffin 40QBH
2015 38RSSA--traded
2005 36TK3--retired, but it was a good one
2017 F450 KR
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08-07-2019, 01:50 PM
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#3
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Member
Brand: DRV
Model: 38RSSA MS
State: Washington
Posts: 53
THOR #5214
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Sent you a PM.
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08-07-2019, 04:52 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Brand: DRV
Model: 39TKSB3 "Modified"
State: South Dakota
Posts: 1,838
THOR #1661
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DRV puts SH!T batteries in them now, no name on them!!!
Ours would not keep up after 3 years. Have interstates from Costco now.
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08-07-2019, 11:12 PM
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#5
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Member
Brand: DRV
Model: MS 38RSSA
State: Washington
Posts: 37
THOR #3145
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So it looks like others have had their batteries degrade in 3-4 years also. Damn! Guess I'll start looking into replacing them. Thanks for the replies.
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2016 MS 38RSSA
2015 RAM 3500 Limited DRW Cummins 6.7L Aisen 4.10 Axle
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08-07-2019, 11:19 PM
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#6
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Member
Brand: DRV
Model: 38RSSA MS
State: Washington
Posts: 53
THOR #5214
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cloud william
So it looks like others have had their batteries degrade in 3-4 years also. Damn! Guess I'll start looking into replacing them. Thanks for the replies.
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For what it's worth....my last set of Lifeline AGM batteries lasted 10 years. All batteries are not the same! Go with a good brand name (Lifeline, Concord, Trojan, etc) and you will not regret it
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08-08-2019, 02:52 AM
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#7
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Freedom Elite
State: Florida
Posts: 12
THOR #15930
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Batteries
Are the batteries you listed maintenance-free gel batteries? I am a new RV owner. Just learning!
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08-08-2019, 03:07 AM
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#8
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Member
Brand: DRV
Model: 38RSSA MS
State: Washington
Posts: 53
THOR #5214
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JSmith2018Thor
Are the batteries you listed maintenance-free gel batteries? I am a new RV owner. Just learning!
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The Lifeline is and Concord makes an AGM as well.
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08-08-2019, 03:50 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Brand: DRV
State: Texas
Posts: 678
THOR #3109
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Most battery lines include wet-cell and AGMs, among other types. Just google for AGM batteries and go with a name that has good rep.
__________________
2016 Tiffin 40QBH
2015 38RSSA--traded
2005 36TK3--retired, but it was a good one
2017 F450 KR
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08-08-2019, 02:16 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Brand: DRV
Model: 39TKSB3 "Modified"
State: South Dakota
Posts: 1,838
THOR #1661
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My first sign was my Residential refrigerator was not 0 and 38 upon arrival.
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08-08-2019, 02:51 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Freedom Elite24FE
State: Texas
Posts: 542
THOR #12434
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Best luck I’ve ever had on OEM coach batteries was Two years, they tend to self destruct because manufacturers installed cheapest batteries available
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Freedom Elite 24FE, Big Foot hydraulic levelers. Wife is Marilyn, I am called LC
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08-10-2019, 04:52 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Brand: DRV
Model: 39TKSB3 "Modified"
State: South Dakota
Posts: 1,838
THOR #1661
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07.5 DRV replaced September of 2014. Interstates or Trojan. They were OE.
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08-10-2019, 06:49 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Brand: DRV
Model: 44' Santa Fe
State: Montana
Posts: 392
THOR #2053
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Most of the drv's I have had came from the factory without batteries. They were installed by the dealer. Usually not the best, but have had several with Interstates. The one we have now came with NAPA batteries. Purchased this one in Texas. We do not keep a trailer too long so I have never had to buy batteries.
Bill
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If you are afraid to speak the truth out of fear of what others may think, it says a lot about who you are and what you will settle for.
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08-11-2019, 04:39 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Brand: DRV
Model: 39TKSB3 "Modified"
State: South Dakota
Posts: 1,838
THOR #1661
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Porkchop
Most of the drv's I have had came from the factory without batteries. They were installed by the dealer. Usually not the best, but have had several with Interstates. The one we have now came with NAPA batteries. Purchased this one in Texas. We do not keep a trailer too long so I have never had to buy batteries.
Bill
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Excellent reason to buy a new DRV.
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08-11-2019, 07:21 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Brand: Still Looking
State: Texas
Posts: 6,187
THOR #2121
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JSmith2018Thor
Are the batteries you listed maintenance-free gel batteries? I am a new RV owner. Just learning!
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AGM (absorbed glass mat) are not the same as GEL batteries, with AGM being far more common today than Gel. The common choices today are flooded lead acid that require watering, AGM which are maintenance free, and the newer lithium batteries that are expensive but light and can last much longer under the right care, but have temperature limitations that can affect performance when very cold.
Below is a description of differences between AGM and Gel batteries.
https://www.batterystuff.com/kb/arti...el-vs-agm.html
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08-12-2019, 05:06 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Brand: DRV
Model: 43' MS Atlanta
State: Arizona
Posts: 117
THOR #1683
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Our batteries are almost 4 years old in our 2016 Atlanta. I think I will be replacing them soon. I am seeing a lot of fluctuation on the info screen inside the RV and the one at the jack control panel.
Joe
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2019 Ford F-450 King Ranch
2016 Mobile Suites 43' Atlanta
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08-12-2019, 11:32 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2020 Magnitude SV34
State: Florida
Posts: 4,153
THOR #12751
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If your Charger does not have an Equalization mode, then sulfation can occur and hurts battery performance.
Sulfation occurs when a battery does not get a full charge and sulfur builds up and remains on battery plates. When too much sulfation occurs, the chemical to electrical conversion process efficiency is impacted.
Equalization mode allows the battery to be charged periodically at a higher voltage (~14.8 volts) to remove the build-up on the plates and allow the batteries to last longer.
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08-17-2019, 08:18 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
State: Alaska
Posts: 295
THOR #8813
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Batteries
You are lucky they lasted that long. Nothing wrong.
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08-17-2019, 08:33 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 34J
State: Florida
Posts: 159
THOR #15745
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When you replace the house batteries you get True Deep-cycle batteries.
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08-17-2019, 09:59 PM
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#20
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane
State: California
Posts: 10
THOR #1380
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AGM 6 volts. I never will use any other battery.
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