Help with Batteries

[JIM SNYDER]

Originally Posted by RACarvalho

Hello,
I'm trying to identify if the batteries in my coach are shot or not.
They are the original batteries that came with the coach - 2 x 27Ds - and are ~ 1 1/2 year old.
As this is my first MH, I did deplete them 100% a couple of times by mistake...

Here is a load test I did to have an idea:
W/o load the voltage was 13.6V (after 1 week on shore power) with shore power connected.
I turned off shore power then I turned the furnace, all the lights and 3 TVs on and the voltage dropped to 11.5V.
I waited 5 minutes and the voltage was steady 11.5V.
AS far as I know, 11.5V is a discharged battery...

Is this normal or my batteries are shot?

Also, in ~ one year of ownership I saw 14.4V (Bulk charge) only twice... Is this normal or another indication the batteries are shot?
I ask this because the MH is at home, connected to shore for one week and the voltage is kept at 13.6V (bulk?)

If these batteries are shot, I'm thinking on buying 3 x VMAX XTR27-110...
Any feedback on these batteries or recommendations on good batteries?

I'd like to have 3 x group 31s but Thor welded the battery trays and they can't hold anything bigger than group 31s...

Lithium is out of question.

Thank you very much for any input!

With the voltage you quoted after the 'full load' test, i.e. voltage of 11.5V, your batteries are not dead. Voltage in the 5V would indicate nearly dead batteries. Your batteries are only abt 2 years old so should be OK.

I recently changed the coach batteries in my Y2018 THOR (batteries abt 4 years old), they were dead at appr. 4.5V, radio would not work, bad leakage in the battery box, etc. I changed to AGM's from Battery Plus (no maintenance) lovrly result.

[lwmcguire]

I am on year 3 with the Trojan T105 bank of 4

Storage and boondocking have both been significantly improved over FLA

I need decent battery power to overnight in cold weather otherwise the OEM fla would still be installed

Sent from my SM-G970U using Thor RV Forum mobile app

[RACarvalho]

Originally Posted by Rodeomanny

Lithium is out because of cost or compatibility? How compatible in general are lithium to replace existing lead acid house batteries?

Lithium is out because I don't need them.
The maximum amount of "boondocking" we do is a overnight at Walmart while traveling and we don't intent to boondock.
I can add three 100AH AGMs for $900 and I'm done while If I go Lithium, a 300Ah cost ~$1000 but I need to change at least the converter and the battery Isolator... Not easy but more work and $...
I prefer to use the $ on gas....

The current system works for us I just think that the amount of Ah installed is too little ....

[RACarvalho]

Originally Posted by JIM SNYDER

With the voltage you quoted after the 'full load' test, i.e. voltage of 11.5V, your batteries are not dead. Voltage in the 5V would indicate nearly dead batteries. Your batteries are only abt 2 years old so should be OK.

I recently changed the coach batteries in my Y2018 THOR (batteries abt 4 years old), they were dead at appr. 4.5V, radio would not work, bad leakage in the battery box, etc. I changed to AGM's from Battery Plus (no maintenance) lovrly result.

Tks,
My question is that , to me, it seems a too big of a drop considering that both batteries should have a 200Ah when combined and this test was run after the coach sit days charging (batteries full, in theory)...

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by RACarvalho

Lithium is out because I don't need them.
The maximum amount of "boondocking" we do is a overnight at Walmart while traveling and we don't intent to boondock.
I can add three 100AH AGMs for $900 and I'm done while If I go Lithium, a 300Ah cost ~$1000 but I need to change at least the converter and the battery Isolator... Not easy but more work and $...
I prefer to use the $ on gas....

The current system works for us I just think that the amount of Ah installed is too little ....

But you would need six AGM batteries to have the same USABLE AH as the 300 AH of lithium.

[RACarvalho]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

But you would need six AGM batteries to have the same USABLE AH as the 300 AH of lithium.

Yes, but I don't need that amount of useful Ah...
And in the rare occasion I would potentially need, I will turn on the generator...

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by RACarvalho

Yes, but I don't need that amount of useful Ah...
And in the rare occasion I would potentially need, I will turn on the generator...

You know I kind of did what you are considering but for different reasons.

My OEM FLA were 65 ahs each. They worked fine but I hated them. I hated them more than anything. I did not want to water them, and they corroded the terminals and when I tried to clean I got acid stains all over my concrete. I think it ought to be illegal to sell a $150k RV unless it has Maintenance free batteries

Anyway.... I gave them away after 1 1/2 years. I could not even stick with my original plan which was to try to get 3 years out of them. I did a lot of research and bought 2 Group 31 VMax Tanks 125 SLRs. I think this was last April and the prices were a lot better then. I bought directly from VMax tanks as the pricing was better than Amazon. I doubled my AHs, and I can now go two days off one charge. Lithium enthusiast love to give me what for because they can drain down to 10% SOC. I don't need more than two days, don't really need two days. I just like I can go a full day doing what ever I do and never worry about the batteries. Here is the better part. I set my AGS to start genset at 12.5 vdc; so my new Vmax tanks never go below 12.5vdc, on my FLA; I had to have genset set at 12.0vdc to barely make it to 6:00AM in the morning trying to make certain things were off overnight during a quiet time.

The Pure AGM Vmax tanks hands down was one of my best mods. I hate I waited 1 1/2 years to do it. FWIW the the number of cycles will increase 4 times so the VMax tanks will last a lot longer anyway.

Do yourself a favor, follow your instinct because you are 100% right in what you are wanting to do. I called VMax tank directly because I had all kinds of questions that Amazon could not answer. I was shocked when they said I could buy direct from them with a better price, no shipping, no core, and no taxes

Getting three Vmax tanks was not an option for me due to space, see picture, so you will have it even better. But I will say, there was no other battery I could find that was packed with 125ahs in the space of one Group 31. The only thing you need to check is make sure you have one of those Intelligent Converters, i.e mine detects when it is in storage automatically among other things.

One final point, I want to run my genset at least 2 hours a day anyway whenever I camp. 80% of that time it is on anyway to air condition the RV so I am extremely pleased.

[Chateau_Nomad]

dk - I think you're holding something back about FLA batteries... I could ship one of mine to you and you could sit and have a chat and work out your differences??

But I'm guessing you'd beat it with a 10# sledge hammer at first sight...

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad

dk - I think you're holding something back about FLA batteries... I could ship one of mine to you and you could sit and have a chat and work out your differences??

But I'm guessing you'd beat it with a 10# sledge hammer at first sight...

Here they are, or here they were. Basically brand new. I tried to sell them on ebay for real cheap and nobody was willing to take them or pick them up. When I got down to offering both for $5; I had one little old lady wanting to know if the $5 included installation I gave them both away at the station where I get all my auto inspections and even then they seemed hesitant to take them.

It should be pointed out, that I have never had issues with FLA before the RV, and even in the RV my FLA for chassis works like a champ. My beef is FLA trying to do fill the real demanding use of RV House Applications. Unless you are somehow a battery service expert that enjoy the extra work. There are many things in an RV to worry about. A bad battery, bad tires, bad brakes, bad AC(s) or a none working genset should never be on the list.

One thing you can take to the bank, I will NEVER ever buy a new RV again with FLA battery as House Batteries; or without a plan to have them immediately changed. They are dangerous too, as they can explode, I ain't trying to be a hero by popping the water caps off a couple angry FLA batteries that may be ready to outgass or sulfate on me at any moment

As far as the cost of the AGMS go, if you do the quick math on how much you spend a year on gas, the Pure AGMS are very cheap.

[Chateau_Nomad]

Sold my original 12v FLA marine/RV battery for $10.
Spent $180 for 100ah replacement - (2 GC2 6volt 215ah deep cycle).
5 minute check once a month, never been below about 12.8 volts.
Same (useable) 100 amp hours as those $900 lithiums. A little heavier, and I could replace those every two years with new batteries and STILL be cheaper than lithium.

I don't get the logic of spending a HUGE premium on a low amp hour battery bank - less than 300ah. Now... I can understand the $30k installs of 1000ah with 800watts of solar, with the intention of off-grid A/C use... but that's a COMPLETELY different realm than occasional microwave use. It's like putting $5,000 worth of wheels on an $800 car...

[tc9008@aol.com]

Had some issues with my 6 volt batteries discharging while camping. Thinking it was the batteries I tested them and then ran a discharge on each. All of them tested good at 6 volts. While removing the battery cables to test them I realized that the cables were not tight at all. When I reinstalled the cables I tightened them with a using the torque wrench . Cut everything on inside fireplace , refrigerator , convection oven and tv# with no discharge. Guessing maybe the cables were loose and not bad batteries.

[E Potter]

I tried to install Odyssey AGM group 31 batteries, but both terminal lugs were 3/8" and my ring terminals are 5/16". The Odyssey AGM group 27 has one 3/16" lug, on the positive terminal! Now I am wondering if it is safe to ream the existing terminals to 3/16" or find a battery with both terminals at 5/16".

[16ACE27]

A 1/16" bigger hole won't make a difference. Ream it and move forward.

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by E Potter

I tried to install Odyssey AGM group 31 batteries, but both terminal lugs were 3/8" and my ring terminals are 5/16". The Odyssey AGM group 27 has one 3/16" lug, on the positive terminal! Now I am wondering if it is safe to ream the existing terminals to 3/16" or find a battery with both terminals at 5/16".

I would think it is easier and safer to have the old cable ends off and have the corrects size crimped on. Most NAPAs stores can do this for you. If you are a do-it-yourself guy, you can use a cutoff wheel to remove the old ends and buy a hammer type crimp tool and the cable ends and crimp them on yourself.

For me, I buy the copper ring terminals and shrink tubing from Lowes. I use a propane torch to fill the ring terminal with a little liquid solder and plunge a heated tinned cable end into it. I add a little solder to the end if necessary. After the ring terminal has cooled, I slide the shrink tubing into place and shrink it on.

[sip]

Yah drilling them out is not a problem imo. That's what I did on mine. I may have changed one or two of the smaller terminals but I don't remember (I usually have a bunch of terminals around in the garage at home).

While drilling, just go slow and eay and be carefull the ring doesn't get stuck to the bit and twist around instead of having the bit cut the hole bigger