Will someone just tell me what battery to get...please...

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ShelleyNixon

Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2009
Posts
7
I just purchased a new 4-season Lance travel trailer, without a battery, and am planning to dry camp in 10 degree weather Saturday night.  My daughter and I would like to be warm, make dinner, enjoy some TV without the battery running out of gas half-way though the night or even dying a quick and permanent death.  I've asked everyone which battery to get...and can't seem to get a straight answer!  "This one has 115 Amp hours and that one has 85 but its HC is 4 and that one has a yellow top and will last your life time, but won't give you much in the cold..." 

We've never been able to winter camp before, having only owned hybrid trailers.  Our thought with getting this winter capable one is to save on hotel bills while travelling with the high school volleyball team.  Just tell me what will keep our heater going over night, without dying! 

Shelley
Denver, CO
 
look in the library for some info on batteries. i always used deep cycle batteries in my trailer. i now have a motorhome that has 2 batteries. you dont want to use regular automotive batteries for  a trailer. the more amp hrs the better. you might consider 2  six volt golf cart batteries wired in series for longer lasting power. i dont know if a small generator is practical for you or not but one of those will keep your batteries charged up and run your furnace and stuff as well if you are not plugged in at a campsite. if you are at a campsite just plug the trailer in and everything will work fine. if you are boondock camping i think a small generator like a 2000 watt would suit your needs.
 
You may not find a single battery that will do what you need in those temperatures.  I suspect that at 10?, the furnace is going to run nearly all night, and the battery is needed to run the fan also.  Chances are, even the best battery won't last all night.  The best battery for your purpose will be a 12 volt Deep Cycle battery with an amp hour rating of 180 to 200+.  The actual brand name is not your most important concern at this late date.

I suspect you will have to set the thermostat at the lowest possible point that you can tolerate, and load on the blankets to survive the night with any level of comfort.

As you probably already know, with external power available, then no battery is required at all.
 
The highest Amp hour battery I saw today on my journey was only 115.  The salesman told me if my heater ran at 5 amps per hour I'd get 20 hours of run time out of it.  Something told me that wasn't really true.  The Sears DieHards didn't show amp hours and the highly trained tech had no idea what they were OR where to find out!  I'm wondering if we can pull this off.....
 
I've got 2 deep cycle batteries on my Jayco Travel Trailer I can tell you that with that cold of of temp I hardly doubt it will make it till morning unless you dropped the thermostat as low as possible like 50-55*F then you might make it. I can tell you with my RV and the temps I see here in Idaho you would need the propane furnace plus a 120V heater to keep it comfortable. RV's are thin skinned and dump there heater rather easy through the night. I know from the few times I ran the furnace during the day it runs quite a long time to even build up 60-70*F in the house at 20-25*F outside temps.

Then there is another thing you've not looked at is freezing plumbing. Do you know where all your pipes and tank are located? do you know if all the plumbing is inside the RV or not? Like on my Jayco the water line have to drop below the floor and go outside for about 15 feet to pass under the slide. In my case I would not be able to use my RV in below +32*F for the risk of freeze ups. How about your sewage tanks are that covered and insulated? Sure would such to get done camping and find out you got a block of waste frozen in the tank.

You might want to reconsider your plans... ;)
 
ShelleyNixon said:
The highest Amp hour battery I saw today on my journey was only 115.  The salesman told me if my heater ran at 5 amps per hour I'd get 20 hours of run time out of it.  Something told me that wasn't really true.  The Sears DieHards didn't show amp hours and the highly trained tech had no idea what they were OR where to find out!  I'm wondering if we can pull this off.....

You want to buy true deep cycle batteries.  I would recommend Lifeline but others can do.  What you do NOT want is marine deepcycle batteries- -- they are a compromise between cranking power and deep cycle and like many compromises, they do neither task all that well. 

What you do want is 2 deep cycle batteries.  One is not going to do your thing.
 
good point mopar. us canucks think in Celsius. 10 degrees Celsius is cool but still well above freezing . 10 degrees Fahrenheit not so much. i guess that a trailer named four seasons might have cold weather capabilities if properly powered. you would think they would supply a battery with a brand new trailer or at least give you a discount on one as well as install it.
 
You mention running a TV, you will not be able to run it on a battery.  You'll need 120 volt electric; or an inverter which will also run your batteries down.  If you have a generator, you can run it which will power your electrical supplies (i.e. television)  plus recharge your battery.

If you by chance are able to plug in to a power pedestal at a campground, you can run the furnace as long as you want and not have to worry about the battery.  But as mentioned you will have to worry about your waste and water lines being exposed to freezing.

Interstate makes a good 12 volt deep cycle battery; but as others have mentioned, it will run out of juice in that temperature.

Marsha~
 
Thank goodness I posted this as all I've been seeing/considering are marine batteries.  I don't think I've seen/been aware there's just a "deep cycle"and I don't think I've seen one at our WalMart.  Do they carry one? 

Fortunately, our trailer is a Lance with the four season package.  It has dual pane windows, the underbelly is enclosed, insulated and heated and it's rated to below zero.  The TV came with the unit and is designed to run off battery or shore power, but it's sounding like a really bad idea to use power for anything other than the heater if we want to survive!  We can use the daughter's lap top for a movie. 

So an Interstate 12 volt deep cycle could not run a heater overnight?  Will two do the job? 
 
Ideally, since you plan to use it during the winter you should buy a pair of true deep cycle batteries (as mentioned several times above). You can go with a pair of 12 volt batteries (harder to find, I think), which require parallel wiring, or a pair of 6 volt batteries, that require series wiring.

Many RVers go with the 6 volt golf cart type of batteries for a few reasons. First, they are readily available. Second, they are definitely true deep-cycle batteries. And third, since there are loads of golf carts running around (and batteries sold to keep them running) the prices are usually pretty good on the common sizes.

Does your trailer have plenty of room available to mount a pair of batteries? Measure the battery area (length, width and height) so you can get some idea of the battery box (or boxes) you'll have to buy. If you go to a good RV store they will have the batteries you're looking for and will probably be able to do the installation for you. That would be the easiest, since you wouldn't need to be concerned about wiring the batteries to each other and to your trailer correctly. I'm not sure if Interstate
Batteries does installation work, but if they do that would be another option.

To give you an idea of price, I just bought a pair of Trojan t-105 6 volt batteries at $125 each. They provide a total capacity of 225 amp hours, but the useable capacity is actually less than half that amount. It's hard on batteries to discharge them more than 40% (to a remaining 60% capacity). And along with the batteries, you'd need the appropriate box(es) installed, and possible additions to the existing wiring of your trailer.

I assume your trailer is set up with a power distribution center that includes a charger for the batteries, so all that would be needed to charge the batteries is plugging in the shore power cable.


Those are my thoughts.
 
Walmarts usually carry what is called a "trolling motor battery".  That a 12v battery intended for deep cycle use. It's not a bad choice on a price/performance basis, though a true deep cycle would be better if money is no object.  You would want the largest they have (probably group 27 size) and as many as you can fit in the trailer battery compartment. As Carl said, one battery isn't going to meet your needs. Two will probably only get you through one night before they need re-charging, so you need to consider when/where/how often you will recharge as well.

You also need to give the tv some thought. There are a few 12v models, but most require 120vac and you won't have that available unless you also add an inverter (converts battery 12v to 120vac). Trouble is, an inverter sucks a lot of power from the batteries and you may need even more than the two suggested above.

Can you try a night in the camper while parked in your driveway or a local campground? Put in your batteries and spend a night to see what works and how long things last. Much better to find out before you get out in the boonies somewhere.
 
I will try to make this as easy as possible.. You want enough power to last the night.

First: If you plan on spending more than one night without shore power you are going to need a way to re-charge during the day,, Solar,, Portable generator,  8 hours towing with a battery re-charge line, (might or might not be enough) are on that list  Less than 8 hours on the road likely won't do it.

You will also need a battery recharge system of suitable size  I will discuss entire systems

Now, you want to run TV, is it a 12 volt battery operated or 120 VAC unit?

If 120vac then you need an inverter to power it.

Inverters Love batteries, they think they they taste good IN fact it's the inverter's favorite food.  So if you run an inverter you need decent size batteries

For inverters up to 1,000 watt (or if you have a 12 volt TV) I'd recommend a pair of GC-2 Golf car batteries, These batteries are six volt (Which is why you need two) 220-230 amp hour, that is enough to run the furnace in my Class A, along with control power for things that need it all night, all night, no problem.  With this size battery bank you want around 60 amps of converter and 1,000 (True 1,000) watts of generator A honda EU-1000i may not be able to cut it, a Yahama EF1200i can.

IF your inverter is 2,000 watts, enough to run a microwave, you can up the batteries to two pair of GC-2, the converter to 80-100 amp and the generator to 2,000 watts (Though here a EU-2000i SHOULD cut it)

If your trailer has a converter/charger (Two different modules) like the Magnetek 6300, you will need to upgrade that as well  I favor Progressive dynamics 9200 (or 9100 with wizard) but there are many in it's class that will work as well.  The specific model I mentioned (Magnetek) the converter and power distribution panel are a single intergrated unit but you can upgrade JUST the converter/charger module without re-wiring teh entire panel.
 
Just to give you a reference,
I've been boon-docking lately in temps around 25-30 at night, long nights right now and in the desert the temp drops fast so the furnace runs for a good 12 hours a night. We watch a bit of TV, couple hours, have a couple lights on for 4-5 hours, and keep the furnace running to heat us to around 68 all night (my wife likes heat!).  I have 2 T-105 Trojans 225 AH 6v golf cart batteries in the unheated front bay and by morning they are still running the furnace fine but are definitely ready for a recharge.
 
muskoka guy mentioned a generator and I highly recommend you consider a small one (2KW).  Recharging your battery while driving is not likely to get a full charge on your battery, espeically if you have a large enough battery to last all night.  Consequently, the battery might not last all night after the first night on the road.  With a small genartor, you can charge the RV battery while in camp and up until you hit the sack, if need be.  TV and lights usage would have little impact under those conditions.  You could even use your microwave (popcord and hot cholate would hit the spot while cold camping).  The small units by Honda and Yamaha and others are pretty quiet.  They can be pricey (@ $1000), but could make the difference between a comfortable night and a miserable one.
 
Thanks to all who are trying to direct me.  No inverter, TV is 12 Volt .  Do I have this right:  my furnace uses 7.6 amps.  If I get a group 29 Interstate battery with 126 amp hours, I can run the furnace for 18 solid hours before it is entirely drained to 0.  If I need the heat from 7pm to 7am that's 12 hours.  The furnace probably won't run 50% of the time, but let's use that number = 6 hours of run time.  That means the battery will be used 30%.  +/- .  It sits there till around 4pm and we drive it home and plug it in.  No damage?  This option will cost me approximately $135.

Option 2 - 2 6 volt golf cart batteries with 232 amp hours.  They may not even notice we used them.  Cost $290.

I hear it's not so good to not use a battery either.  We've not dry camped very much, but if I knew I could do it without a worry, I can see it would happen more often.  There's a lot to be said for being confident in your equipment.  What I do know is we need to dry camp about 10 nights over the next 2-3 months and it would be nice to not have to throw a battery away after that because we taxed it too much. 
 
The problem with your calculations is that a battery should not be run down to more than 11.9 or 12.0 volt capacity (50% capacity).  After than, it begins to damage the battery, cutting it's life down quite a bit.  The generator is your best solution for your cold weather situation..

I've camped in a slide in truck camper and then a living quarters horse trailer before we got the motor home.  The generator was worth it's weight in gold.  There is no way I would camp in very cold weather without one; plus it charges the batteries faster and more efficiently.


Marsha~ 
 
I think you are over estimating your available amp hours from that battery.  Only about half of that 126 amp hours are usable under the best of circumstances.  The battery is considered completely depleted at 10.5v, and usage to that level will certainly shorten the battery's life.  It's very probable that the furnace control board and fan would refuse to work at voltages much below 11+ volts.  The max furnace time, even using your logic is now <9 hours.

I also think you are under estimating the furnace run time at the temperatures you stated earlier.  Remember, those tanks in the underbelly are only heated when the furnace is running and the fan is pushing air in their direction.  I'm not sure what the day time temperatures are, but the tanks (with fluids in them) will need some heat during that time also, if they are below zero freezing.
 
Now another option...  I've heard of some that use a Big Buddy catalytic propane heater inside their trailer/rv's at night. No fan other than the battery driven fan in the unit. I think they are considered safe if you allow for enough ventilation. A few windows cracked open would probably work.

http://www.mrheater.com/product.aspx?catid=41&id=116

Quote directly from the Big Buddy user manual:

"This heater is safe for indoor use in small recreational enclosures, having means for providing combustion air and ventilation, such as enclosed porches, cabins, fishing huts, trailers, tent trailers, tents, truck caps and vans."

I have one, but it's in Washington now and I'm at Quartzsite. Wish I had it because I would be using it, for sure.

With one of those, you'd have plenty of capacity for an overnighter with a group 27 marine battery.
 
A-ha!  Thinking outside the box--or inside the box, depending on how you look at it.  ;D  The heater is about $135 and would get us through cold nights with the windows cracked, or the extra 6volt for $145 with the windows shut.  If that is my solution the thought is actually making me lean toward two 6-volts.  No propane to purchase/store. 
 
you stated that the trailer is new. is that new to you or brand new. if it is brand new why wouldnt the dealer give you a good deal on some batteries and install them. either way you need a battery  in your trailer. the lights wont even work without a battery and im sure probably your furnace and other things wont work either including your fridge if its autolight. if you run off your tow vehicle battery ie (remain plugged to tow vehicle ) you run the risk of running your tow vehicle battery and not being able to start the vehicle. auto batteries are meant for a short burst of power to start the motor and prolonged use will permanently damage the battery. that is why you need deep cycle batteries which are designed for extended use. still say your best bet is a small genny. a good one will last for years and make your camping experience much better when boondocking. i fire mine up in the morning, make a pot of coffee, recharge my batteries ect. i only have a 1200 watt but most people would recommend a 2000.
 
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