bobbyg2013
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2015
- Posts
- 132
Time for a new battery(s) on my 26' TT. I went cheap last time with Exide but need a longer lasting brand now. Recommendations?
Battery needs
- Thread starter bobbyg2013
- Start date
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Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
It's not the brand that makes the difference - lead-acid batteries are a mature technology and pretty much a commodity. You can get a longer life by selecting a variant more suitable to RV use (deep cycling) and by providing good maintenance (or using a sealed, maintenance free type).
At a guess, your Excide was a 12v hybrid called the marine/RV type. Even with care, they rarely last more than about 3 years in typical RV use. A true deep cycle flooded cell battery such as the golf car 6v's or a Trojan 24TMX will last 6-10 ears with modest care. An AGM 12v deep cycle will last 6-8 years with no care at all. AGMs cost substantially more, though.
Please read my short article on RV battery choices. It's in the RVForum Library at http://www.rvforum.net/miscfiles/Choosing_right_battery.pdf
At a guess, your Excide was a 12v hybrid called the marine/RV type. Even with care, they rarely last more than about 3 years in typical RV use. A true deep cycle flooded cell battery such as the golf car 6v's or a Trojan 24TMX will last 6-10 ears with modest care. An AGM 12v deep cycle will last 6-8 years with no care at all. AGMs cost substantially more, though.
Please read my short article on RV battery choices. It's in the RVForum Library at http://www.rvforum.net/miscfiles/Choosing_right_battery.pdf
Mark_K5LXP
Well-known member
A premium deep cycle battery lasts longer but costs more. If you don't use the delivered Ah it's capable of, it will go bad before you use it up. So how the battery is used factors into the cost efficiency. It might be more cost effective to buy "cheap" batteries and use them up than premium ones, and take capacity to the recycler. I find a good compromise is common interstate GC-2's which are "good enough" for moderate loads and for the money, I don't feel bad about whatever they may have left when it's time to replace.
Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
The GC2 golf car batteries are the most cost effective per amp-hour, but you need two to yield 12v and you get a minimum of 210 AH. That's a big step up from where he is today with a single battery. If he only needs 80 AH, a single 12v size 24 marine/RV battery is sufficient and costs half as much as the pair of GC2. Or for 100AH, get a size 27 12v marine/RV deep cycle.
