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Boondocking and batteries

Yahoo Message Number: 50358
Hello group,

Affinity 42' with tag, full electric, 2001 model #6004
Coach has 4 8D deep cycle house batteries. Two Freedom 25 inverters with Link 2000 panels. wet cell batteries.
Just wrapping up two weeks of boondocking and I think it's time to do something about the house batteries.
I have felt that our three years of ownership, the house batteries have weakened. Prior to departing, using a handheld device, we found one battery that at full charge was producing 4.8 volts. The others checked at over 1000 CCA using this tester. I know, not a real load tester.
We replaced the bad one with a new Interstate deep cycle, hoping to gain back some ooomph.
I dont think my batteries have much depth to them. In eight hours of overnighting, with only the one inverter running to power the fridge I usually have to shut down the house batteries and cross tie to the chassis batteries to be able to crank the generator up. Battery voltage in 8 hours will be down to 11.4volts.

I am pretty sure that three years ago, this was never a issue.
I am going to get a big battery tester and test them individually with real loading capability.
Since we bought the coach used, I can only assume the batteries could be original, no date tag on them. Originals are NAPA batteries.
I know these things have a ton of ghost loads, but I really think it should be way better than this.
Also, in only a hour or so of charging, my panels will show that the chargers are in "accept". Current draw on AC panel also indicates that the charge level has come way down. To me, if healthy batteries of this capacity were really that low, it would charge at a high rate way longer than that.
I am wondering both what your experiences have been and any ideas you may have.
With batteries of unknown age, at least the remaining 3 and thinking that nothing should have changed about the coach, I am thinking time to replace the other three.

Thanks for your help.

John johnamitchell@...

Re: Boondocking and batteries

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50360
John Batteries should Always be changed as a group and not one at a time The new battery will charge differently and , in fact , might get overcharged if the charger sensor is on one of the other batteries. as well, when not charging, the older batteries will draw down from the new battery. You will soon kill the new battery. Batteries in a bank should be of like size and age. I am surprised the dealer who sold you the battery would not know this fact.

Ron Baran 09 Magna 7025

Re: Boondocking and batteries

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50362
The rule is, replace one, replace all. Your power output will only be as good as your weakest battery. Your new battery is wasted when connected to the old weak batteries.

Leonard
97 Magna

Re: Boondocking and batteries

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50382
John,

All advice about replacing all 4 batteries at once is correct. I have an 02 Magna, almost the same as yours, but not all electric. It has only two 8D's for house batteries. I boondock 4 months out of the year in the summer. My inverter (3k watt Freedom 458) is on beginning at 5 PM until midnight. I have no problems. I run the gen 30 minutes in the morning (make coffee, etc.) and the solar panels (420 watts) bring the batteries up to float every sunny day. I have not been plugged in to shore since May. I have Lifeline AGM's for almost three years now and I am very pleased with them. I would suggest you spring for AGM's, you will be pleased. The other option is 6v Trojans.
One thing, you have to leave the batteries at accept for quite a while if they are discharged even down to 12v. It should take at least two maybe three hours a day using the generator alone. You should bring them up to full float at least once a week. As a rule, you should not be discharging them much more than 50% every day. If you are, you need to change your habits or get more batteries. With 4 good 8D's you would have to be using a lot of electricity to go below that! You don't say what you do, but realize that doing things like running the microwave (or your electric cooktop for more than short periods will drain your batteries pretty quick. Methinks that all electric coaches are not optimal for boondocking unless you like to buy diesel. My Magna only holds 18 gallons of propane and that lasts me at least a month and a half in the summer running fridge, water heater and cooktop. If it is cold, the Hurricane furnace heats the hot water tank.

Rich 2002 Magna
 

Re: Boondocking and batteries

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50390
Our 2000 Afinity had one bad battery for the house, and that soon created all sorts of problems. Slide out not wanting to activate, auto gen start not working etc. We replaced with 4 new AGM's. Was well worth the investment. Have talked to many who get 4 years or more out of them. So far, over 1 year now, all seems well.
Dale Morris, 2000 Afinity