Battery choice

[john cotterman]

I just got back from the long drive from NC to NH to pick up my new Fleet. While I anticipate having a few other questions to throw out, my first one relates to the battery that was installed.

The Fleet came with a Deka 8A24 AGM Battery. The 20 hr capacity rating is 79 a/h. When I looked up further details on this battery I see that is a dual purpose battery, meaning it can be used deep cycle as well as starting. This is a compromise and I'm assuming not as appropriate for boon docking (I have a 100 watt solar panel) as a dedicated deep cycle. Why are these batteries put in the FWC? I'm not going to start anything with it.

I have a 2-year old VMax 85 a/h true Full Cycle AGM battery that I have been using in my about-to-be-sold Aliner camper trailer. I am needing to decide whether to swap out my new Deka and put the VMax in the 4WC. It makes sense with the possible reservation. The Deka is new, the VMax is a couple of years old. Do you think the age of the VMax eliminates any advantage it otherwise has in this comparison?

Another question. I was told that when my truck is connected to the FWC, my truck battery will be drawn upon even when the truck is fully turned off. There is a monitor/control that will switch off this connection when the truck battery reached a certain level (a level below which starting the truck would be a problem). I'm wondering again, why is it a good idea to have the FWC electrical system continue to get voltage from my truck battery when it is turned off and not being recharged? On my previous truck camper combo I installed a solenoid on the truck to prevent just this situation. When the truck ignition was off, the voltage to the camper was stopped. Why is this not the better solution?

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

My 09 Bobcat came with a Interstate 85ah AGM,great battery but last year I installed a new VMAX 100ah AGM.
Original battery still good but going to Alaska for 6 weeks I wanted to have a new bigger one.
I also have 100w of solar and the system works great.

As for the camper running on the truck battery you should have a battery separator that lets the truck charge the camper battery while driving but separates it from the truck while the truck isn't running.
There are several types ,I have the "non solenoid" type that allows the solar to charge both the truck and camper battery when the truck isn't running.
Your camper should have one. It's usually mounted in the battery box area.

IMO I would switch out the battery and use the VMAX in the camper.
Frank

 

[Vic Harder]

I have a fancy "battery separator" in my setup - Blue Sea ML-ACR 7622. One reason to have them connected by default is that the roof mounted solar panel charges both batteries, so I can leave the camper mounted, fridge closed and running, ready to go with cold beer in it.... and the solar panel runs that and keeps the truck batteries up to snuff too.

 

[nikonron]

I've got the same set up as Vic, can also start the truck from either battery if need to. Plus the solar charger will take better care of your batteries. Ron

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

J-
Welcome to the family.

I have the Decka in my 2012 Eagle shell. The second one. The first one went 40 months on a 36 month warranty. 24 months from Decka and another 12 from FWC. It worked well in my appication...so well I decided to purchase another one which I have 18 months on.

Solar panel
If you have the compressor fridge the 100 watt is not large enough to run a Dometic fridge and charge the battery in December because you will lose 40% of the output because the sun is low in the sky and you can't aim the panel at the sum. We replaced the 100 with a 150 watt that produces 5.1 amps in December and 9.1 in June. I understand the Isotherm's use less amps.

I hope you bought the Fleet with the Zamp battery monitor as the old LED lights don't give an accurate reading of battery condition.

Just completing year 5. I hope you have as much fun with yours as we have had with ours

 

[craig333]

40 months is not great battery life. I'd swap to the vmax. I destroyed a few batteries before I figured out a true deep cycle is what you need in the camper.

 

[flinchlock]

I replaced my original (ATC '08 Cougar) Interstate DCM0075 (Group 24) June, 2015 because of a ~2 month Alaska trip.

That 7 year old battery was/is still OK, but did not want to take a chance on the AK trip.

I use a BatteryMINDer 12 Volt 2/4/8 Amp Wet/Gel/AGM Battery Charger (now Discontinued) on all camper/mower batteries.

This is the replacement I bought...
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0044Z8DJW
Universal Power Group 45978 Sealed Lead Acid Battery (Group 27)
May 29, 2015 $201.10 + Free Shipping
(NOW Mar 30, 2017 $169.49 + Free Shipping)

and

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B004W5SG6Y
NOCO HM327BKS Group 27 Snap-Top Battery Box for Automotive, Marine, and RV Batteries
May 29, 2015 $16.49 (Prime)

 

[buckland]

Reading all the above I am now a bit nervous. I have the original battery that came with the 2011 Eagle as well as a 2012 Deka AGM set up together ( + to + and - to - )
I too am off to Alaska in June. Money is getting real scarce as I tool up... BUT that said I would hate to get stuck w/o juice in the boonies, so wonder how to test batteries for their "potency" (how to determine what life is left) and if there is a point where I should just go out and replace.

If so is this the battery one would recommend?

Also ...the separator allows charge to flow from solar panels to 'tend' the truck battery?

 

[Stalking Light]

Also ...the separator allows charge to flow from solar panels to 'tend' the truck battery?

The Surepower separator that came with my 2014 Eagle doesn't but I switched to a Bluesea 7622 ACR which does.

 

[Happyjax]

Buckland,

Do I understand you correctly? You say you have your house and truck batteries in parallel and no separator?? That would not be an ideal situation as it sounds like you have 2 different batteries a year apart in age.

Battery "banks" should be done with the same make and year of battery if possible. One would also be wise to separate the house and truck battery to protect the truck battery from being pulled down and possibly not starting the truck. If I have misread then ignore my blatherings and I will delete

 

[buckland]

My 2011 Eagle came with a battery. I added a second w/in 9 months...so almost same age. I have may camper in garage in winter but with the solar panel plugged in and outside... so the batteries are always being recharged. I have the Surepower separator that came with the Eagle. Truck battery is connected to camper via on the firewall 30 amp fuse connector done at install. (The Camper batteries are of 9 month age difference)

I have a new L65 Isotherm fridge (12 V). LED lights. Gas Furnace.

Just bought the Blue Sea battery separator after searching the forums it does seem to be the one most go to. I have 160 W panel on the roof as well a a 90 W portable. Now I have to find out if the 5-6 year old batteries (2) I have are up to the task of 2 months on the road this summer. Not knowing .. but I think this is a "load test"?

 

[Happyjax]

So you are separated which is good. 5-6 years is pretty much the usable life of most batteries based on my experience. There are folks with more experience here so take my advice with a shaker of salt.

If I was going to camp for a month or longer with those batteries I would be very tempted to replace at least one of them so I would have a reliable battery, both would be ideal in my book. I am however always thinking of stuff that can go wrong and there is a good chance you can go as is and have zero issues. As it is warmer you will not stress the batteries as much as you would in winter but a couple months is a lot of use for the house battery.

If you are not going to be far from civilization I guess you could replace one on the road..... I tend to err on the cautious side

 

[buckland]

Ya I worry about what will go wrong and try best to have a plan. As I will be very far from civilization (Yukon) I think what I will do is take them both out and have them load tested. If one is getting near death I will buy a new one. Scheeeeze life is expensive but better than the alternative.

 

[Wallowa]

Ya I worry about what will go wrong and try best to have a plan. As I will be very far from civilization (Yukon) I think what I will do is take them both out and have them load tested. If one is getting near death I will buy a new one. Scheeeeze life is expensive but better than the alternative.

With zero experience replacing a dual set of batteries...my question is: Will replacing just one of the two generate any battery issues?

Thanks,

Phil

 

[longhorn1]

With zero experience replacing a dual set of batteries...my question is: Will replacing just one of the two generate any battery issues?

Thanks,

Phil

Previous posts on this topic say you should replace both batteries, especially if there is some age involved.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Ya I worry about what will go wrong and try best to have a plan. As I will be very far from civilization (Yukon) I think what I will do is take them both out and have them load tested. If one is getting near death I will buy a new one. Scheeeeze life is expensive but better than the alternative.

Before my Alaskan trip last year I bought the VMAX 100ah,the one you posted.
Actually for more power and to just be on the safe side.
The price is right. Free ship no return battery.
Frank

 

[Squatch]

Yes AGM batteries are dual purpose or Hybrid batteries. They are deep cycle. They also are sealed so no issues with having to vent the battery or worry about spills.

You can also still get real deep cycle sealed lead acid batteries for much less money. I bought a group 31 for my camper. It's 110 AH rated.


I see a lot of folks changing out their factory separator in their camper. When I printed off the manual that came with mine. I found that the one in the camper can be switched on either by the ignition of the truck or by a separate switch. FWC doesn't hook up this terminal but it's there on mine to bridge the batteries. The is also a contact for an bridge indicator lamp that is not used but could be.

 

[Happyjax]

Mixing old and new batteries is not a good idea.....

 

[buckland]

Thanks on that. When I pull the two and load test them (as they are getting on).... If one is testing out with good Amps ... what damage or problems occur that makes it the "bad idea"? Always want to learn more electric stuff from those willing to explain.

 

[iowahiker]

My understanding for not mixing different batteries in parallel is if the older battery is 0.05 volts lower than the newer battery then the older battery will parasite the newer battery all the way to zero volts, a death spiral. Currant flows from high voltage to low, new battery to old. Batteries in series do not have this issue since the older lower 0.05 volts battery will just drop the combined batteries in series voltage by 0.05 volts. Even if the two batteries have the same voltage when the newer battery is first installed, the older battery voltage can still unexpectedly drop lower than the newer battery at some later date. Starting with two identical batteries reduces the chances of one battery parasiting the other battery but does not eliminate the chance of one battery voltage dropping below the other battery. Only series battery installation prevents parasiting. Batteries in series have the disadvantage of one battery cell failure in one battery killing the whole battery pack while batteries in parallel pack can be partially salvaged by using a volt meter to find the battery with the bad cell and switching to single battery operation until a new battery pack can be purchased.

I am not an expert, this is just my understanding.