Age old battery question

[Mlleml]

2018 Windsport 29M
Need to replace my coach batteries; 6 years is long enough. Seems like it’s hard to buy pure deep cycle batteries. Everything is the dual marine/rv battery. I’m under the impression that those aren’t a good for pure rv use.
Am I being too much of a purist? Any recommendations? Not looking to go Li.
Thanks

[SGilbert]

Buy deep cycle AGM batteries. No need to buy electrical components as you would if changing to lithium--and cheaper.

[DavidEM]

Originally Posted by SGilbert

Buy deep cycle AGM batteries. No need to buy electrical components as you would if changing to lithium--and cheaper.

Agree. AGMs work equally well as either a starter or deep cycle RV house battery. Just don’t routinely discharge them below 50% for best life. Once or twice each season down to 20% is ok.

David

[martix_agnet]

I'm jumping in here as my first post because i'm running into similar questions.
I toasted my flooded batteries because I didnt' know any better over the winter

I'm looking for new batteries and I come across these branded as sump pump backups. The price seems reasonable for an AGM battery, but is this really going to work for me? I mean, it's a deep cycle battery for an electrical backup so it's gotta be what I'm looking for, right? Bet pat is that my local store has them in stock!

[Chateau_Nomad]

I guarantee the FIRST complaint after installing a CHEAP AGM battery is:

MY BATTERY GOES DEAD REALLY FAST!

Look at the battery amp hour rating. Now multiply that number by 12 to get "watt hours".

Remember - draining a lead -acid battery more than 50% on a consistent basis will drastically shorten its life.

So divide that watt-hours number by 2. For every appliance you operate, multiply it's watt usage by the number of hours operated. The watts add up quickly... and that's why CHEAP low amp hour capacity batteries won't last long.

It's a painful math lesson, but the sooner you figure out these numbers the sooner you'll be prepared to make a wise choice about what you REALLY need for RV batteries.

[martix_agnet]

I hardly use the batteries, and if I do it's for small things like lights, the 12v vent fan, water pump, and charging phones/laptops overnight. I would think that 150 amp hours with two of these should be more than plenty. I do not plan to use them for overlanding, or camping more than a few days without shore power.
I'm definitely not planning to use the furnace, refrigerator, ac, electric skillet, TV, coffee maker, etc etc while just on battery power unless it's absolutely necessary.

My question remains though, is this sump pump deep cell battery something that is of quality? Maybe it's somewhere between a golf cart battery and a lead acid battery? Because I can get a lead acid marine battery with cranking amp rating for a lot cheaper, but I'm of the understanding that's not exactly the best thing to use and isn't exactly deep cell.

I have considered using 6v golf cart batteries, but I need at least 4 of them in a series/parallel connection to get even close to the amp hour of a 12V battery system. They're very expensive in comparison and for what I need to use batteries for.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Mlleml

2018 Windsport 29M
Need to replace my coach batteries; 6 years is long enough. Seems like it’s hard to buy pure deep cycle batteries. Everything is the dual marine/rv battery. I’m under the impression that those aren’t a good for pure rv use.
Am I being too much of a purist? Any recommendations? Not looking to go Li.
Thanks

I don't think you are being too much a purist, I think it makes sense to do what you seek to have pure deep cycle batteries as the House batteries in a RV. But I don't agree they are hard to find? They are plentiful. IMO, one easy way to tell if it is pure deep cycle batteries is to look at the posts, if it has the automotive post, it is NOT pure deep cycle.

Lithium is for those with special power needs, and those that have the money and want to be on the bleeding edge. I will have Lithium's in a RV when / if I ever buy a RV that came with Lithiums from the factory.

My recommendation per your request.

https://www.vmaxtanks.com/solar

They are on sale $264 each. You can't beat that price. Few years back, I got 2 for $500. Also if you find any other AGM battery that has more than 125ah in Group 31 PLEASE LET KNOW.

Note: There are other brands of Pure Deep Cycle like Renogy; so I am not saying that my recommendation is the only option, but I can say that when researched the 125ah was the most I could find, the 2nd was 110ah. You may not need 125ah and you may find a better price, and if so I would buy the other option.

[Lt Keefer]

I put AGMs in my Hurricane back in 2021. I have had zero problems with them. They are maintenance free, no watering, and don't off gas and corrode the battery compartment. They can be had for as little as $150.00 for a group 27 although I paid $220.00 each. Yes, they are dual purpose, but for my style of use, 99% full hookups, they are perfect.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Lt Keefer

I put AGMs in my Hurricane back in 2021. I have had zero problems with them. They are maintenance free, no watering, and don't off gas and corrode the battery compartment. They can be had for as little as $150.00 for a group 27 although I paid $220.00 each. Yes, they are dual purpose, but for my style of use, 99% full hookups, they are perfect.

To this day, I am still mad from corrosion spots on my brand new concrete pad for RV when it was new. I was cleaning the battery compartment with a battery post cleaner and a water hose and the water ran to the ground and stained the concrete. I only had myself to blame. I replaced both new and still under warranty NAPA FLA batteries a month later. I will never have a FLA in any RV of mine again.

My boat has two Dual purpose Group 24s, but I truly do use them both for starting and deep cycling. They have 1000 CCA each, I need every bit of it to turn over two engines.

[Lt Keefer]

I know about that rust stain. I cleaned those bloody FLAs for 3 years and the stain on my pad is proof. It is fading with time and periodic scrubbing.

[martix_agnet]

Originally Posted by Lt Keefer

I put AGMs in my Hurricane back in 2021. I have had zero problems with them. They are maintenance free, no watering, and don't off gas and corrode the battery compartment. They can be had for as little as $150.00 for a group 27 although I paid $220.00 each. Yes, they are dual purpose, but for my style of use, 99% full hookups, they are perfect.

Because your usage is similar to mine at close to 99% full hookups, how many amp hours do you have available? Do you feel you have too much or too little?

[Jimbo56]

Originally Posted by martix_agnet

Because your usage is similar to mine at close to 99% full hookups, how many amp hours do you have available? Do you feel you have too much or too little?

I’m about to buy 3 group 27 dual purpose AGM batteries for $160 each at Bass Pro. Again, we’re 99% fullhookups. Gave up harvest hosts. It was a joke. Some of the others on this forum are wannabe frontiersmen who spend weeks at a time livin off the land in BLM territory. They need amp hours. I need Maintainence free! 😎

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by martix_agnet

I hardly use the batteries, and if I do it's for small things like lights, the 12v vent fan, water pump, and charging phones/laptops overnight. I would think that 150 amp hours with two of these should be more than plenty. I do not plan to use them for overlanding, or camping more than a few days without shore power.
I'm definitely not planning to use the furnace, refrigerator, ac, electric skillet, TV, coffee maker, etc etc while just on battery power unless it's absolutely necessary.

My question remains though, is this sump pump deep cell battery something that is of quality? Maybe it's somewhere between a golf cart battery and a lead acid battery? Because I can get a lead acid marine battery with cranking amp rating for a lot cheaper, but I'm of the understanding that's not exactly the best thing to use and isn't exactly deep cell.

I have considered using 6v golf cart batteries, but I need at least 4 of them in a series/parallel connection to get even close to the amp hour of a 12V battery system. They're very expensive in comparison and for what I need to use batteries for.

Quality?

Who knows? Never heard of those batteries and no review on the site.

For the same price you can purchase 100 AH batteries with more name recognition and reviews from Amazon, or for a few dollars more you can buy 100 AH Renogy batteries from the same place.

[martix_agnet]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

For the same price you can purchase 100 AH batteries with more name recognition and reviews from Amazon, or for a few dollars more you can buy 100 AH Renogy batteries from the same place.

It never occurred to be that i could order big batteries like this on Amazon..and even with prime shipping!

Renogy is a known brand? I really like that VMAX battery, but I'm afraid it won't be here by the weekend when I need it.

Is Weize an alright brand, or would it be on par with the sump batteries from menards?

Originally Posted by Jimbo56

I’m about to buy 3 group 27 dual purpose AGM batteries for $160 each at Bass Pro. Again, we’re 99% fullhookups. Gave up harvest hosts. It was a joke. Some of the others on this forum are wannabe frontiersmen who spend weeks at a time livin off the land in BLM territory. They need amp hours. I need Maintainence free! ��

So how many amp hours are you going to have? 3 batteries seems like overkill to me, but it all depends o the amp hours you're going to have.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by martix_agnet

It never occurred to be that i could order big batteries like this on Amazon..and even with prime shipping!

Renogy is a known brand? I really like that VMAX battery, but I'm afraid it won't be here by the weekend when I need it.

Is Weize an alright brand, or would it be on par with the sump batteries from menards?


So how many amp hours are you going to have? 3 batteries seems like overkill to me, but it all depends o the amp hours you're going to have.

Renogy is a big name in the Solar world - they sell more tha just batteries.

Weize is a popular brand of batteries on Amazon with good reviews.

Can't beat Prime shipping - you can have batteries from Amazon by Wednesday.

[TheGoodLife]

We have a pair of Renogy 100ah AGM house batteries in our Quantum and they have been fine thus far.

[Mlleml]

Originally Posted by Mlleml

2018 Windsport 29M
Need to replace my coach batteries; 6 years is long enough. Seems like it’s hard to buy pure deep cycle batteries. Everything is the dual marine/rv battery. I’m under the impression that those aren’t a good for pure rv use.
Am I being too much of a purist? Any recommendations? Not looking to go Li.
Thanks

Anyone have any experience with the new EFB batteries over AGM’s.? Interstate looks to have a nice deep cycle EFB.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

Renogy is a big name in the Solar world - they sell more tha just batteries.

Weize is a popular brand of batteries on Amazon with good reviews.

Can't beat Prime shipping - you can have batteries from Amazon by Wednesday.

For RV Chassis battery...

I have been stalking Walmart's EverStart H8 Platinum for (currently $179) for almost two years now. My NAPA OEM Chassis just hasn't died good enough for me to replace. The damn thing doesn't even corrode although it is FLA, I may try taking some water out to help accelerate some failures . It is 6 years old.

But today, I see at Wal Mart the Weize version of the AGM H8 and it is only $149 with free shipping? As far as I can tell it has slightly more Reserve capacity 160 vs 150, but the warranty is only 3 years versus the 4 year warranty by EverStart.

Do you have any preferential of Weize over the Everstart Platimun. Or is paying the $30 more a safer bet to have a 4 year replacement warranty and convenience to have replaced at most any Wal Mart?

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Weize-Pla...sRedirect=true

or

https://www.walmart.com/ip/seort/40647529

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Mlleml

Anyone have any experience with the new EFB batteries over AGM’s.? Interstate looks to have a nice deep cycle EFB.

EFB Battery is redundant (Enhanced Flooded Battery Battery).

Touted mainly by battery manufacturers as best for cars with all the fancy electric loads and gizmos.

If they are "better" FLAs than "standard" FLAs, why aren't all FLA's made with the newer, better technology?

Looks like a buzzword marketing term to increase FLA price.

Try to buy an "EFB" battery, Pep Boys is the only place I saw a battery labeled as "EFB".

Your search results may be different.

I don't think I'd experiment with an EFB for an RV over an AGM.

[TheGoodLife]

Another oft-used redundancy is “VIN number” as in vehicle identification number number.