recommendations for batteries?

[jackvosney]

Hello, So i have a 2007 28' safari. Batteries are due for replacement and i need some recommendations based on what our usage will be.

I originally wanted to put in an inverter so i can use the outlets while boondocking but after reading up that may not suit my needs.

Main thing i need the outlets for are:
Charging my phone usb
Charging my laptop standard plug, no usb. Can i charge this using no inverter? if so how?

What is my best bet for Battery? I currently have Kirkland lead acid 2 of them picture attached.

Should I go AGM? if so does that require any upgrades?
Stay with Lead acid?

Also if i dont do an inverter, i would like an outlet at the bed which is a the back of the trailer opposite end of the battery. Can i run an outlet from the AGM or lead acid batteries for that purpose?

Also i have a Honda 2000 generator for recharging.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[PKI]

Since you are asking, that means you don't know. So, punt. Replace with same/similar.

The advantage to AGM is longer life at higher cost, which may be lower cost per year, but can also be higher cost if the batteries get hurt.

Best approach for an upgrade is a set of 6 volt wet cell golf cart batteries, but replacing what you have is not a bad option. No wiring change and easy to get the warranty honnored at a Walmart everywhere.

So, that gets you started. When you store for longer than a month, disconnect the battery cables to cut the parasitic loads. As you develop your long term plan, integrate a battery disconnect switch to make that process easier. In any case, upgrade the converter to a multiple stage unit. PD4655 is an option, but with solar there are other approaches to consider.

Group 24s can be replaced with group 27s by rotating the orientation. Group 31s will fit if you cut off a flange. To go to 6 volts you need to raise the sides of the box to clear the taller batteries. Most folks go to AGMs if they want to move the bank off the tongue. AGMs don't outgass. In CA, you can go with the LIONs that replace the wet cells, because it does not get cold here. If you travel to cold areas, the Lions need to be inside and possibly heated. Lots of research on that option. Big dollars, but fast charge, bigger capacity and longer life.

The generator and wet cells will work for all except AC. An Easystart will get the AC working on a 2000. Investigate the Pauper Solar thread to expand your options. Quiet has great advantages and is worth consideration.

So, start researching. Learn from the folks who have done this for years and get out there. We want to see your smile down the road. Pat

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f382...es-160093.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f449...ry-148901.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f37/...es-138894.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f449...ry-124186.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f449...es-160221.html

And there are many more - search on solar as well as battery upgrade.

Inverter - wasted ---- setup 12 volt charging off the converter distribution board. We rarely use the inverter. The 12 volt conversion for charging electronics is more efficient and therefore takes less bank capacity.

[jackvosney]

Thank for all the great info Pat!

you mentioned " setup 12 volt charging off the converter distribution board. We rarely use the inverter. The 12 volt conversion for charging electronics is more efficient and therefore takes less bank capacity.[/QUOTE]"

Are there devices that achieve this? I really would like an outlet near the bed. Is it possible to run the outlets off the 12v if i upgrade the converter?

Originally Posted by PKI

Since you are asking, that means you don't know. So, punt. Replace with same/similar.

The advantage to AGM is longer life at higher cost, which may be lower cost per year, but can also be higher cost if the batteries get hurt.

Best approach for an upgrade is a set of 6 volt wet cell golf cart batteries, but replacing what you have is not a bad option. No wiring change and easy to get the warranty honnored at a Walmart everywhere.

So, that gets you started. When you store for longer than a month, disconnect the battery cables to cut the parasitic loads. As you develop your long term plan, integrate a battery disconnect switch to make that process easier. In any case, upgrade the converter to a multiple stage unit. PD4655 is an option, but with solar there are other approaches to consider.

Group 24s can be replaced with group 27s by rotating the orientation. Group 31s will fit if you cut off a flange. To go to 6 volts you need to raise the sides of the box to clear the taller batteries. Most folks go to AGMs if they want to move the bank off the tongue. AGMs don't outgass. In CA, you can go with the LIONs that replace the wet cells, because it does not get cold here. If you travel to cold areas, the Lions need to be inside and possibly heated. Lots of research on that option. Big dollars, but fast charge, bigger capacity and longer life.

The generator and wet cells will work for all except AC. An Easystart will get the AC working on a 2000. Investigate the Pauper Solar thread to expand your options. Quiet has great advantages and is worth consideration.

So, start researching. Learn from the folks who have done this for years and get out there. We want to see your smile down the road. Pat

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f382...es-160093.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f449...ry-148901.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f37/...es-138894.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f449...ry-124186.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f449...es-160221.html

And there are many more - search on solar as well as battery upgrade.

Inverter - wasted ---- setup 12 volt charging off the converter distribution board. We rarely use the inverter. The 12 volt conversion for charging electronics is more efficient and therefore takes less bank capacity.

[jackvosney]

Okay so i 12v car found an adapter for the laptop and that sounds like The best option.

Can i run a 12v cigarette outlet from the back of the airstream to the batteries or tap into the converter somewhere? Or convert one of the outlets to run off of 12v?

[PKI]

Yes - the cigarette lighter plugs are available. West Marine has the Blue Sea brand. Some folks have run them through the coach, but that is usually done in a renovation. Easiest add I have seen was on a pigtail off the converter 12v distribution board. Reference the PD4655 install thread:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f449...es-162905.html

The right side of the picture in post #1 showes the blue fuses installed on a PWB. That is the 12v distribution board. Gets you a fused circuit too.

The USB ports are also available, with Blue Sea being the recommended brand. The AS OEM can be easily overloaded. We fried one. Suspect they do well with one device and are problematic with two.

Another quick solution for USB charging is a Lithium jump starter pack. There is a battery store down from West Marine that has them, but available other stores too. Go for $50-150. We get two phone charges out of one. Never tried it for the computer. We have also used it for 12v applications, but the capacity is less than we thought. Lasts about 5 hours as a camera power source. A standard jumpstart pack lasts considerably longer and gives you a compressor as well.

Luck to you. Pat

[PKI]

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f317...ts-169273.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f531...27-151195.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f449...er-136832.html

Lots of info. search usinf blue box at upper right - enter USB port or 12 volt port. You are not first to deal with this issue. Look at the solar sites and boondocking threads too. Conservation is better than capacity. Pat

[pcskier]

Pat thanks for all the info. While on this topic, I was thinking about adding a Blue Seas panel that has a USB outlet as well as a little built-in voltmeter. Right now I use a combo voltmeter/usb charger that is plugged into to the cigarette lighter outlet near the radio.


I was just going to tap in to the 12V power to the radio, to power the Blue Seas USB outlet and voltmeter. Any problems with this? Might the load blow the fuse on the radio circuit (I haven't checked yet, I'm sure there are a few lights or other things on that same 12v leg as well). 15 amps should be plenty I would think?

[PKI]

PC - Sounds like an improvement. Suggest you investigate the connected load to determine what is available to use. Might be worth searching to see if someone else has done similar. Thought there was a thread about replacing the entertainment components with upgrades. Might be info there. Pat

[PKI]

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f542...ml#post2111817

This poped up today. Some others with additional data available. Pat

[jackvosney]

this is all great info thank you!!!

I was just looking through ways to add 12v wiring to the back of the cabin and i realized that the over head bed lights are individually operated and run off of 12v.

Couldn't i just tap into that line and add my 12v receptacle off of those?

How do the low voltage parts work when hooked to shore power? do they continue running through the battery or are they switched to dc power when shored up? I guess i only need to know if this affects me tapping into the bed lamps...

[PKI]

Converter provides DC power when shore 120v is connected.

On tapping into the circuit ..... same answer as for PC. Investigate the connected load to see what is available. If the lights were/are Halogen or incandescent, a switch to LED will release some load for other use.

A review of the schematic is your next step. Pat

[jackvosney]

do you think 2 6v golf batteries would be better than 2 group 31 batteries?

[PKI]

That depends on the battery. In general the assumption is that 6 volts will have bigger plates and be less likely to fail from abuse. That may not mean they will deliver more amp hours. My battery guy swears by Trojan 6 volts. I put the Interstate G24 12v bank back in, because they work for my use, which is mostly FHU traveling. It's all about your needs. Pat

Review the Trojan site and compare.

Remember 6 volt amp hours require two batteries to make 12 volts and 50% is all you can use. So a 228 amp hour battery can deliver 114 amp hours. Two 114 amp hour 12 volt batteries can deliver 114 amp hours.

[PKI]

You might want to follow this thread. GM is looking at a 6 volt install. Pat

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f37/...ml#post2112588

[jftompkins]

Decision did not work: Trojan Group 27 > Interstate Group 24 < Lifeline GPL-4CT 6V x 2: Considerations: A. Battery box size B. Manufacturer C. Outdoor lifestyle ie. Boondocked. D. Pros/Cons series v parallel battery bank.
With egg on my face.... tried to fit group 27 brand T...new batteries that do not fit in my particular battery box (either way)... by a quarter of an inch without modification of box... as the same group battery is not created equal in dimension or specs; am now looking at going 6 V with the GPL4CT Lifeline for what fits ....first! And simple to pull out for winterizing..and then will take the extra AmpH bonus...Based on the close tolerances on the battery box .... So after a frustrating day just looking at the box trying to decide whether to drill out rivits... modify the box....etc.headed back out to the trailer in storage to measure the height as I believe from the forums there is more depth in the 2017FC23FB box for the 6V. So simple....drawing review/better field measurements....from other experiences...
So my lesson learned... while there are a lot of discussions on capacity, series v parallel AGM v Li-Ion v Lead/acid series versus parallel; etc.... when you go to the shoe store and you buy some shoes that don’t fit very well... and you take a short walk in the neighborhood.... you pretty much own your decision for another pair of shoes.... for that 8 mile hike coming up in Yellowstone....and the forum...follow the majority opinion (which I did not)...as the customers are usually right...as the lowest price is not always the least cost. And finally in the words of Thomas Edison “ i’ve never failed at anything but have done 10,000 things that didn’t work”...

[Moflash]

I did just a quick modification to the lip and installed Lifeline group 27’s in our 28ft International

[ROBERT CROSS]

These since 2008...SFSG. 👍😂



Bob
🇺🇸

[jftompkins]

Originally Posted by Moflash

I did just a quick modification to the lip and installed Lifeline group 27’s in our 28ft International

See a lot of Lifeline in these forums...maybe too for the Lifeline Group 27 advantage in width; for that tight fit...

[waninae39]

battle born lion is the best soln i found

[jackvosney]

okay so after reading this that and the other and everyones helpful tips i ended up going with Duracell group 31 agms and got a great deal at $180 a piece. I had to slightly modify the battery box, 20 min and they were installed! I tested them out this weekend an after 3 days of use i was still at 6/8 charge and that seems great to me!

So now that's out of the way im going to upgrade the converter and install a kill switch at the battery. The PD 4655 seems to be the popular choice. I may install solar at some point. Will that converter work well when going solar?

Also are there any recommended tiny solar kits for keeping the batteries charged while in storage?