Batteries

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Imcivor

New member
Joined
Sep 16, 2017
Posts
1
I have a 2005 Bounder 38N that has 2 starter and 4 house batteries. I need to replace them all but do not want to mortgage my house to buy them. What are the suggestions on what power and brand to get please.
Can I buy Walmart brand and if so, can anyone tell me what to get?

Thanks in advance,

Ian
 
For the chassis (engine starting) batteries get the same as what is in there.

For the house batteries, what batteries are in there now.  6V or 12V.  If 6V replace with golf cart from Costco or Sam's club.  Measure the old ones & new ones to be sure the new ones will fit.  If 12V batteries, I would suggest going with golf cart 6V batteries and rewire them into two pairs of series batteries. 

Here is a link to lots of great info about batteries and RV electrical systems including series and parallel wiring of batteries:  http://www.marxrv.com/12volt/12volt.htm
 
FOr the house. GC-2 (you may need to rewire) from Sam's Club is about the best, aroundm 80-90 each and each PAIR (you must buy in pairs) Gives you 220 amp hours give or take a bit, half usable.

I'd avoid AGM (Mortgage time) and really avoit Optima (AGM but less capacity per cubic foot)
 
While there are many things that might be done to provide improved battery capacity and life, for most people the best bet is to replace with the same size & type as the originals. Yes, you can but batteries at Walmart, but they don't carry much selection of the deep-cycle types used for the house batteries. However, that may be of little concern if you seldom camp without shore power.

I have an article in the RVForum Library on battery selection for RVs. See http://www.rvforum.net/miscfiles/Choosing_right_battery.pdf

Basically, the Marine/RV type of house battery is relatively inexpensive but lasts only about 3 years, while the true deep cycle  types will last several years with reasonable care.

To be more helpful, we need to know more about the house batteries you now have. If they are 6-volt "golf car" type batteries, just get more of the same at the best price you can find. A 6v golf car battery will be battery case size GC2 and has three (3) cells, usually identifiable by the 3 caps on the top. They will typically have an amp-hour rating between 200 and 230 and cost around $100 each.
 
Back
Top Bottom