battery and dry camping

[savy50]

I went dry camping on the weekend and the battery couldn't last the night. Should I change the battery (2) or there is a problem with the wiring. How long the battery is suppose to last?  Thank you for your help

 

[scottydl]

There are lot of factors to battery depletion.  What kind of battery is it, and how old?  What electronics were you trying to operate overnight?  If it's not a sealed battery, you can check the water level in each of the cells.  That should be done periodically as RV batteries have a tendency to boil the water out over time.  Low water levels will reduce the battery's ability to hold a charge.

 

[savy50]

I have 2 interstate seal battery (3 years old) and i was using the gas fridge, the gas water heater, the electric water pump that we only use a few time during the night and 2 c02 detector who start busing around 2:30 am because the battery were too low

 

[Ned]

All of those appliances use 12VDC even when running on gas.  Those Interstate batteries aren't deep cycle and won't perform well.  Get a pair of 6VDC golf cart batteries, wire them in series, and you'll be much happier.  Check our forum library for an article on how to wire the batteries.

Also, what make and model of converter/charger do you have?  That could have a bearing on your problem too.

 

[CDN_Taxman]

I have two 12 V deep cycle batteries and find that one only lasts 3 - 4 days with minimal use. Knowing I was going for a week of dry camping, I added the second battery and lasted the whole week no problems (again, with as minimal use as possible!)).

Mike

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Your two batteries would last 3+ days at that  rate of consumption, so  I'd say the batteries are in bad shape. Three years of Rv use on a sealed "maintenance free' battery is actually more than I would expect to get. Buy yourself some new batteries, Ned's suggestion about gold cart batteries (6v) is a good one - they should last you 7-10 years and give you more usable power besides. The Interstate U2200 is a good one at a reasonable price. The Trojan T105 is the gold standard in this type of battery, but they cost more than the U2200.

 

[Mexray]

Savy...were your batteries fully charged when you went boondocking?

If your RV was on a storage lot, perhaps the batteries weren't charged up all the way...

If you're sure they were charged up fully, and didn't last the night, you've got at least one bad battery - or both...

Normally, the batteries receive a charging current while on the road, but if the batteries were almost dead when you started out, the on-road charge probably didn't get them charged up fully...

In reality, you're asking a 'how far is up' question, and we just don't have enough info to give a definitive answer - only some guesses...

Ray

 

[Don Jensen]

Yesterday I went to buy a hydrometer from an auto parts store.  After 4 different stores I finally found one at AutoZone.  The funny thing is that in 4 out of five stores no one knew what a hydrometer was or what it was designed to check.  Do I feel old.

 

[Larry N.]

I agree -- that IS odd that an auto store wouldn't know. Of course maybe those same ones don't understand "carburetor" and a few other obsolete??? terms. I guess we old folks just aren't up with the times

 

[glenntwo]

I have two 12 V deep cycle batteries and find that one only lasts 3 - 4 days with minimal use. Knowing I was going for a week of dry camping, I added the second battery and lasted the whole week no problems (again, with as minimal use as possible!)).

Mike

I'm thinking about adding a second battery to my setup.  Are there going to be any issues with the alternator charging it?

 

[CDN_Taxman]

I've only towed with the two batteries for two weeks. The first week I was in an electrical site and the second was dry camping. No problems keeping them charged. I don't think I'd ever leave the trailer plugged into the truck overnight or anything like that though!

Mike

 

[Brother Bear]

I don't think I'd ever leave the trailer plugged into the truck overnight or anything like that though!

Mike

Most modern trucks have a relay. Current will not flow either direction unless the truck ignition switch is turned on. Therefore, unplugging is not at all necessary.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The relay on my last truck was wired direct to the battery, but that was 10 years ago. Newer ones with a factory supplied relay might be off the ignition switch.

 

[Brother Bear]

My '08 F-350 is switched. Maybe it's just a Ford thing????