Battery Replacement Question

[IDguy]

Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad

I bought two 6-volt GC2 Duracell golf cart batteries at Sam's Club for $89 each. Each has 215 AH, wired in series gives me roughly 107 AH useable (1/2 battery capacity) at 12 volts.
I call $180 a fantastic deal for that capacity. If I had room, I'd double up to 4 batteries for 214 AH. I don't think there's a better deal anywhere than $360 for 200+ AH... Lead-acid is 100 year old technology, but still hangs around like utility poles. They're still the overwhelming choice in power backup systems because of its time tested reliability.

It is a good deal but there is now a better one: Interstate GC 12. 150 ahr each at 12 v so 300 ahr total. About same size as GC2s…but heavier.

I plan to get a couple by next winter. Costco lists them for $249 each, but never has them. Local Interstate has them but wants $299 each. I’ll pay that if Costco still out in the fall.

My crappy new 12 v “deep cycle” batteries OK in summer when solar can recharge them during day. And running generator for AC recharges them.

I need the extra power to run the heater in the winter. Solar useless here in winter when daylight is short and sun angle low.

I rarely camp with shore power: like one day per year. And I use the RV about 100 days per year.

[streamintrip]

I replaced my 4 OEM Harris flooded cell batteries (6v 210AH) with Lifeline AGMs (300ah) with the same GC2 BCI footprint. These are coupled with a 1,200 watt solar installtion which provides ample power off Shore power and the genset when using the inverter loads. Lifelines are a bit pricey, but are made in the US and are the "gold standard" in the aircraft industry for AGMs.

[JIM SNYDER]

Originally Posted by sclwkr222

i have to replace 2 house batteries on 2013 challenger gt37
are these 6 or 12 volt. any recommendations of replacement?

Your owners manual (prob. also available on-line) will answer your 6/12/ volt question.

I recently replaced the original (2) 12 volt batteries in my THOR 29M WINDSPORT. The original batteries were FLA's in a very small battery space thus very difficult to services (add water).

I decided to replace with sealed (no maintenance) AGM batteries (twice the life span) and purchased them from BATTERY PLUS ($100 cheaper each than the local RV store). With lots of help from my wife, we did the replacement in 3 hours including the clean and repaint of the storage box.

Note:
Beware the battery size, i.e. length, The 24 models are shorter than the 27 models. Make sure the one you purchase will fit thru the battery box door (measure carefully on the RV and at the battery store).

[Hugh.vines@att.net]

I’m considering replacing my original two Harris 100 amp each with one 100 amp lithium on Amazon for $499. Don’t need 200 amps since I don’t dry camp and according to the battery company’s I can just drop in battery and it will charge to about 90% which will actually make the battery last much longer. Anyone else considered this. 2016 Axis 25.2. No added electrical equipment.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by streamintrip

I replaced my 4 OEM Harris flooded cell batteries (6v 210AH) with Lifeline AGMs (300ah) with the same GC2 BCI footprint.

Can you clarify if the ah you list are the total of the 4 batteries combined or not?

For instance are you saying the lifelines are total of 300AHs? which could be 150ah each pair in series so with two banks in parallel you have 300 ahs in total, but since they are AGMs and you use to 50% SOC you actually have 150 AH available capacity?

I am trying to put the GC in functional perspective as I have 125 AH effectively available capacity at 50% SOC off two Group 31 AGMs that are 250AHs when added together.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Hugh.vines@att.net

I’m considering replacing my original two Harris 100 amp each with one 100 amp lithium on Amazon for $499. Don’t need 200 amps since I don’t dry camp and according to the battery company’s I can just drop in battery and it will charge to about 90% which will actually make the battery last much longer. Anyone else considered this. 2016 Axis 25.2. No added electrical equipment.

You don't specify, but if I assume your two Harris batteries are 12 volts each, then effectively you only have 100am hours of effective battery power, before you hit the 50% SOC and require a recharge. So your new Lithium will allow you to have about 90ah and will last considerable longer and presumably no more maintenance on your existing? ( the last statement is assumption because it is not clear what kind of Harris batteries you have)

I considered but I decided to spend the $500 on 2 Pure AGM Deep Cycle and get 125ah effective at 50% SOC with the same number of cycles and to be 100% maintenance free. I drive my RV year around; so the whole freeze thing with Lithium is a risk for me.

[Reid]

Originally Posted by sclwkr222

i have to replace 2 house batteries on 2013 challenger gt37
are these 6 or 12 volt. any recommendations of replacement?

Check out Interstate's new 12 volt EFB batteries...two times cycle life of traditional batteries; maintenance-free; 24 month free replacement; and more cold cranking amps and reserve capacity

[Chateau_Nomad]

Originally Posted by Reid

Check out Interstate's new 12 volt EFB batteries...two times cycle life of traditional batteries; maintenance-free; 24 month free replacement; and more cold cranking amps and reserve capacity

I think he needs deep cycle batteries... cranking amps is not really an issue with house RV batteries. House batteries are usually subject to a constant steady drain, as opposed to a starter battery - which takes sporadic high amperage draws from a starter motor. Different animals.

[VegasinDallas]

Maybe more $ than you are willing to spend but I replaced the two house batteries in my Vegas 25.3 with two BigBattery owls
170Ah each.
Size wise, the were an easy drop in replacement. I then replaced the WFCO main board with WFCO WF-8950L2 which upgraded it to handle Lithium-ion. This was just a couple of screws and a few wires. I also replaced the BIM with a LiBIM.
We are getting "Tina" ready to live in when we retire. The house batteries were dead and I hope to not have to deal with it again for 10+ years.

[Reid]

Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad

I think he needs deep cycle batteries... cranking amps is not really an issue with house RV batteries. House batteries are usually subject to a constant steady drain, as opposed to a starter battery - which takes sporadic high amperage draws from a starter motor. Different animals.

The Interstate EFB batteries I mentioned are deep cycle.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Reid

The Interstate EFB batteries I mentioned are deep cycle.

They're actually "deep cycle" like any other marine/RV battery is "deep cycle". Not true deep cycle but combo batteries as they are meant to start marine engines.

[Hugh.vines@att.net]

These are designed for cars that allow the engine to stop at traffic lights

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Hugh.vines@att.net

These are designed for cars that allow the engine to stop at traffic lights

What are?

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Reid

The Interstate EFB batteries I mentioned are deep cycle.

I think he was referring to Pure AGM Deep Cycle batteries.

By definition, the batteries you describe serve a dual purpose which serves well for some dual functions, but in the context of the discussion; it is stated the Pure AGM Deep Cycle batteries will not only outperform in House Battery applications, but last 3 times as longer as it maximizes lifetime and cycles.

If you think about it, a battery designed to serve the needs of starting an engine and maximize the AH capability to deep cycle tend to have different objectives. i.e. my batteries don't have the automotive posts because they are NOT designed for cranking engines. Sure they could in an emergency situation with the Coach's switch.

To further hammer that point, I replaced 2 perfectly good Dual Purpose NAPA RV/Marine FLA batteries to not only get maintenance free, but for 125ahs each, and 3 times the normal life or cycles. I paid around $500 and I insist it is the best thing I have done since buying the RV. There are several brands that make the same thing; so I will not advocate the ones I bought, but simply say, if you can get Pure AGM Deep Cycles anywhere close to 125ah each for about $250/battery you are doing good. Note: This is NOT to say that other batteries are bad, because someone could take the batteries you suggest and do just fine. I am just trying to relay the difference between the Pure Deep Cycle and what was meant by other poster.

Hope this helps.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Hugh.vines@att.net

These are designed for cars that allow the engine to stop at traffic lights

My wife's XT5 shuts down when its stop. Freaks me out because I just can't get use to it but it works flawlessly It has a AC Delco 80ah AGM/VLRA @ 780 Cranking amps. Maintenance free & never a sputter. I love it as that battery is optimize for that application. However, I would NOT want it in my RV though.

I will give you an analogy I learned from an old man at a Home Depot years ago. He noticed that I was loading up my cart with Weed & Feed fertilizer. Laughing he asked me "which one was I trying to do?" Kill the weeds, or feed the weeds I had never thought about it that way.
While it could provide some results, the best results will always be a good weed killer to kill the weeds when you want to kill them, and a good fertilizer when you want the feed the grass (hopefully you have already killed the weeds). Guess who has the greenest; most perfect weed free yard in the neighborhood

[lwmcguire]

My F150's have came standard for years with the auto stop feature and AGM batteries

Ssitch on the dash to disable after you start and tbe software won't allow you to permanently disable

The Ford supplied OEM batteries have held up well

As i have noted on many threads the one and only upgrade on the Tuscany was the T105 AGM batteries

Best roi i have ever got across the board

Rinsing the dust out of the battery compartment after a trip sure beats Neutralizing acid and cleaning cables not to mention watering batteries

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by lwmcguire

As i have noted on many threads the one and only upgrade on the Tuscany was the T105 AGM batteries

Best roi i have ever got across the board

Rinsing the dust out of the battery compartment after a trip sure beats Neutralizing acid and cleaning cables not to mention watering batteries

Absolutely and positively agree 100%

This is surprisingly the one thing that I did NOT LEARN before buying my despite almost 18 months on forums. I still have acids stains on a new $3,000 concrete RV Port built just for the RV. Instead I documented in my SOP Manual for my RV all of tricks to water batteries and try to prevent the corrosion which none of it worked and it was a PITA to get and out of that compartment all the time just to clean. Turns out the only trick was to dump the FLA.

Actually there is another lesson learned. For many there is a forgone conclusion that Golf Cart batteries are a magic pill. Well they are, but there are many 12v Pure AGM Deep Cycles models being sold today that not only deep cycle the same as Gold cart batteries; but can exceed performance; and often times will have more capacity related to the size. I am still waiting on someone to list a model/brand/specifications of a GC battery that can exceed 125AH each, maintenance free, last 8 - 10 years (handle 3 to 4 times normal cycles). And to think some people actually buy 4 gold carts batteries to exceed AHs, but only by 20 amps or so

[Bob Denman]

So who acxtually makes a "true" deep-cycle AGM battery?
And can I get it in a 31?

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

So who acxtually makes a "true" deep-cycle AGM battery?
And can I get it in a 31?

Short answer is most everyone makes them, and yes they are in Group 31.

I need an expert to chime in, but for me the word Pure or True come in when the battery is designed 100% for deep cycling and NOT for dual purposes like Cranking RV/Marine etc.

Here are some examples.

https://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable-.../dp/B07ZN12CKD

Note. In my opinion buying the Duracell's at Costco is not a bad buy, a good buy at a good cost. That is what I was going to buy. But, I wanted maximum AH capacity and I did NOT want the automotive posts, and for me the $60 more per battery was a none factor. Batteries I bought shipped free and no taxes the true cost difference was even less. Especially considering my new batteries have 3 times as many cycles.

The reason why I crow is the fact that thus far with the new batteries, 12.7vdc is the lowest voltage I have run it down to. I upped my AGS to 12.5 vdc to auto start genset versus 12.2vdc that I had previously. I run longer in the real world off the new batteries and can recharge them at a higher voltage thus giving me even more life. It kind of flies in the face of the Lithium advantage of going down to 10% before having to recharge. For me, and for right now, the lithiums are like have too much money in a bank account unless you really need it. Right now the 125 true ahs is more than more than enough for us.

[Bob Denman]

I guess I'm looking for a "Trolling motor" battery...