RE: What s the Best Battery?

[4campinfoxes]

 
We need to get a new batter for our camper this year as we haven t taken proper care of our current one and we plan a number of dry camping trips.  Here s my question - what s the best battery to buy?  I remember reading on the old board about some people using golf cart batteries.  Is that a good way to go?  Or is the deep cycle better?  Is there a large cost difference?
 
 Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, we don t have to act fast but we ll need to be ready come Memorial Day weekend.
 
 Thanks!
 Sharon

[AustinBoston]

 4campinfoxes
General info:
 
 Golf cart batteries are 6 volt deep cycle batteries.  You would need at least two.  They are as close as indestructible as you will get in a battery, and they will last.  But you have to buy two of them (read: $$$).
 
 Don t get talked into a Marine deep cycle battery.  It s a compromise between a true deep cycle battery and a starting battery.  It doesn t have the capacity of a true deep cycle battery and will eventually be damaged by deep discharging.
 
 The most common sizes (outside dimensions) are group 24 and group 27.  Group 27 will generally have nearly twice the capacity of a group 24 battery, and only cost a small amount more ($10-20 US).  The problem is, finding a group 27 deep cycle battery can be difficult.
 
 I don t have brand or store recommendations.
 
 Austin

[tlhdoc]

 4campinfoxes
If you are planning on dry camping, and you say you are, go with a group 31 deep cycle battery.  You will get more power from the group 31 and they are not that much more expensive.  I have used one group 31 battery for over 10 days at a time.  Sam s Club has them for around $60 to $70.

[RamblingWreck]

 4campinfoxes
Others have given good advise about the types of battery that are best suited.  To that I would pass along a tip from " Consumer Reports"  about purchasing batteries.  But the freshest battery you can find.  If you don t sucscribe to " Consumer Reports"  go to your local library to look at their back issues.
 
 You will find information there about how to decipher date codes.  You will also find last comparrison they did on batteries.  If they didn t test the same group you are looking at their rankings may not be so helpful.
 
 In automotive applications I have aalways gottten good service from Interstate batteries.
 

[MtnCamper]

 4campinfoxes

 

ORIGINAL:  4campinfoxes
 
 We need to get a new batter for our camper this year as we haven t taken proper care of our current one and we plan a number of dry camping trips.  

Doesn t really matter what kind you buy. You must take better care of it. If you treat it the same way as your last one, buy the cheapest starting battery you can find. It you are going to take really good care of it, buy a good deep cycle battery. It s up to you how long a battery will last.
 
 Sorry---

[mike4947]

 4campinfoxes
When you buy that " DEEP CYCLE"  battery, look down the aisle and buy a good automatic deep cycle battery charger along with it. It should run around $50. Figure it ll pay for itself next spring when you don t have to buy a new battery.
 
 I ve ruined more batteries in over 25 years of camping including using them for trolling motors than most outlet stores carry. My record was 3 in one summer.
 Having learned the hard way, batteries now last me; let s see this one s going on 6 years old, 4 years in my last PU, a year on the shelf in the garage, and last summer in a neighbors PU and it still tests out in the " new"  range. The one before it lasted at least 5 years when I sold the PU.
 
 Just:
 Charge it before you leave.
 Charge it as soon as you get home.
 Charge it at least monthly during any down time including winter.
 Check the water in the cells every time you charge it.
 Disconnect it from the PU when not camping.
 Don t discharge it to the point the lights are dim.
 
 Follow the rules and your battery and charger will give you years of life and a bunch of " free"  weekends camping with the money you save.

[4campinfoxes]

 4campinfoxes
Thanks for the input.  I ll leave it up to DH to decide exactly which battery to get.  He s intrigued by the golf cart batteries but they may be more than we re willing to spend.  Although if they last well it may be money well spent.  
 
 Last winter we used a friend s charger & I m guessing it wasn t the best one because it didn t do the job as well as we would ve liked.  We know we need to get a good charger as well & I ll print off this thread so we remember the rules as Mike4947 put them.
 
 Thanks again.  Happy Campin
 
 Sharon

[mike4947]

 4campinfoxes
Two words of caution about selecting batteries. 1) If it says anything about starting or has the work cranking pass it by it s either a starting or dual purpose battery and not what you want. Look for deep cycle with out cranking,starting, or dual purpose.
 2) Weight; Of course I can t find my battery weight chart now, but the weights can add up. Group 24 being the lightest, then group 27 and 31 with the 6 volt pairs being really heavy. Can make a great difference in tongue weight and in the case of the group 31 s and dual 6 volts a space problem also.

[Camper Dan]

 mike4947
Hi all[],
 
 Mike has some great advice on battery care![]  After my last trip, I lugged my battery up to my condo laundry room for the winter and recharge it once a month out on my balcony.
 
 I bought a Sear s charger/starter on sale for about $40.00  (12/2/75 amps).  It has a " Deep Cycle"  battery charging mode.  
 
 I usually set it on " Deep Cycle" , " Automatic Charge"  at the lower amp setting  (2 amps) for a slow charging cycle.  This keeps my battery from gassing off so much.  When I charged it on the " 12 amp"  setting I always had to add water every time it was through charging.[]  Now, I add the water first, if it needs it, and then charge it at 2 amps.[]

[tlhdoc]

 mike4947

 

ORIGINAL:  mike4947
 in the case of the group 31 s and dual 6 volts a space problem also.
 

 I don t have any problem with my group 31 fitting on the tongue of my trailer.  The box was a little too big, so I cut the bottom corner out of the box.