battery for Triton V10

[sluggermike]

I have a 2004 Fleetwood MH with a Ford, Triton V10.  The starting battery has the markings F06 which I believe indicates the battery is at least four years old.  Last night the battery went out and i had to jump it to get the engine started.  I was told by a friend the battery was past due for replacement.  Is four years a good life for a battery?  I was also wondering if I need a special battery, and if so what size?  i bought the MH used and it is lacking a lot of the paper work.
Thanks

 

[Wizard46]

Drive it to a Autozone or other auto parts store and they will change it for you and will sell you a direct replacement. Some will even clean the battery compartment if needed. Don't try to get by cheap, like Wally world, get a good battery the first time, your MH will love you for it.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

4 years is a good long life for a starting battery.

No, there is nothing special about it because it is an RV, but there is a certain minimum size/capacity needed by the V10 engine. Any auto parts store or battery outlet can replace it with one of the same size/capacity.

I don't share Wizard46's negative opinion of Walmart batteries, though. They are private label but made by reputable battery companies. Most come from Johnson Controls, a top supplier. But you may get more/better help at a "real" auto parts store than at a Walmart auto dept.

 

[Wizard46]

Sorry, didn't mean to bash Walmart's batteries but was referring to service at an auto speciality store. I personally prefer Interstate for auto cranking batteries but will not recommend any specific brand.

Motorhome house batteries is another thread.

 

[John Hilley]

I actually prefer Sam's Club or Walmart batteries for ease of warranty exchange on the road. Replaced mine last winter in Arizona. 4 to 5 years is usual battery life. Doesn't hurt to get largest that will fit as they are more or less the same price.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

There is much to be said for the nationwide accessibility of a Walmart.

 

[Mexray]

Most Ford chassis us a Group-65 starting battery - there are several CCA ratings out there - get the highest one you can find, usually about 950 CCA (Cold Cranking Amps - NOT Cranking Amps)...

I suppose the Ford Moho's chassis could be modified by the Moho Mfg to fit another group size battery, but I doubt it - check out the Group 65...

Ray

 

[InPursuit]

The first time I bought a battery for my own car (68 Cougar XR-7 351 Cleveland)...
My friends Dad who owned the local Gulf Station said 1CCA per cubic inch was an adequate ROT.

I've seen larger batteries used since then (modern electronics and higher compression I suspect)

 

[Tom]

I'd take Mexray's advice any time. He's been in the battery biz for many years. I've been buying batteries from his company for 25+ years, and have never been given any bad advice, nor has he ever tried to sell me something I don't want/need.

 

[DonTom]

There is much to be said for the nationwide accessibility of a Walmart.

Unless you live in South San Francisco. I do my Wal-Mart shopping for here in SSF in Reno. From our home in Reno there are about ten 24/7 Wall*Marts withing 10 or so miles.

Here in the SF Area, there are a few in the east bay, but they close early. On the west bay, you can drive through three counties without a single Wall*Mart. 90 miles apart off busy highway 101. One in Rohnert Park, next Wall*Mark south on busy 101 is 87.1 miles in Mountain View. And I am about dead center between them.

I do most of my Wall*Mark shopping after midnight in Reno. A much better place for all shopping. But the SF area is MUCH better for restaurants than Reno.

I think the property in this area is too expensive to support a Wal*Mart.

Here, to buy an engine battery I go to the local Kragan auto parts store. For a House Battery, in this area, I go to West Marine.

No RV parts stores around here either. Again, Reno no problem.

-Don- SSF, CA​

 

[InPursuit]

Unless you live in South San Francisco.
No RV parts stores around here either. Again, Reno no problem.

Quite a bit closer than Reno is Sac.

A couple of full on WalMarts but also Allied Trailer Supply (on ElCamino) <-- Best price and Service on New Stuff
and literally around the corner is RV Doctor George. <-- Very Broad Salvage Inventory

Both have service departments too.

 

[seilerbird]

Walmart's battery service department is awesome. Take a dead battery in and they will recharge it free. Even if it is not a Walmart battery. And like Gary said, there is much to be liked about buying a battery from a place with 5000 retail outlets in the US that will let you spend the night for free.

 

[DonTom]

Quite a bit closer than Reno is Sac.

I know, but I have another home in Reno, so that makes it convenient for me to do my shopping there. At this time yesterday, I was at my Reno home.

-Don- SSF, CA​

 

[Tom]

WM's near Reno are quite impressive, e.g. the one in Verdi.

 

[Tom]

Hey Don, we've visited the Oyster Cove marina, not far from SSF, a few times in the last few months. Noticed a WMP store as we got back onto the freeway, but didn't figure out how to get there.

 

[Mexray]

Tom...Thanks for the kind words...

I've been meaning to call you about an excellent investment opportunity I've recently come into - it involves exclusive ownership of a highly desirable transportation infrastructure device, near a highly populated area on the East coast - I believe it's been called the Brooklyn Bridge, but with ownership, you could change the name. - just think of the killing you'd make collecting the tolls!...The prospectus is in the mail...

Ray

 

[Tom]

Thanks Ray. I look forward to reading the prospectus  ;D

 

[DonTom]

Hey Tom, we've visited the Oyster Cove marina, not far from SSF, a few times in the last few months. Noticed a WMP store as we got back onto the freeway, but didn't figure out how to get there.

Try to go to it and you will see it's just their offices that has "Walmart.com" on it. I am a mile from it. And that IS in SSF!

Does me no good!

-Don- SSF, CA​

 

[Tom]

Hi Don,

Sorry, I called you Tom  :-[

For clarification, I was talking about WMP (West Marine Products), not WalMart.

 

[DonTom]

WM's near Reno are quite impressive, e.g. the one in Verdi.

You mean the one on West McCarran Road in the west part of Reno? Not our favorite. Try the one on Pyramid  Lake Drive in Spanish Springs of Reno, or the one on the Delmonte exit on 395.

There's many Wal*Marts closer to my home in Cold Springs Valley, but the others seem to stock more stuff.

Shopping is so much better in the Reno area(did you know warehousing is Reno's largest industry?) but restaurants are so much better in this area.

Is this the "Walmart" you saw?

http://www.ziphip.com/wal-mart+dot+com.9.106882045p.home.html

I see it's really in Brisbane, just next to the SSF border. But there's no store there. See the website above and put in 94080 (my zip) and you will see that all the wall-marts are on the other side of the bay and close early.

-Don- SSF, CA​