the 5 year old original batteries are shot in my motorhome. What kind should I replace them with? Are the lithiums safe? Fire has been an issue in the past but I imagine they have improved technology now. If I went lithium do I need to change the inverter and converter? Any thing else to consider?
Last edited by GomangoCuda; 05/18/2202:35 PM.
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is.
Re: Coach batteries for a motorhome
[Re: GomangoCuda]
#3043319 05/18/2202:58 PM05/18/2202:58 PM
I still use semi or box truck type batteries, whatever brand my local International dealer has in stock is what I use. I have a friend who works for the electric company in my area as a diesel mechanic to keep their fleet of trucks going. Every two years they MUST replace the batteries in those trucks, so he gets the used ones for nothing. He asks me all the time if I need any, that is what I use for my LQ trailer as they are the bolt-on type connectors that are used on marine style batteries.
The funny thing about science is that if you change one miniscule parameter you change the entire outcome to the way you want it.
JB Rhinehart, Realist
A-Body's RULE!
Re: Coach batteries for a motorhome
[Re: Rhinodart]
#3043573 05/19/2212:18 PM05/19/2212:18 PM
Go lithium, battle born, LiFeP04 etc. I'd aim for at least one 200AH (and no you dont need to change anything) but you may want a solar set up to go with them for trickle charging and the ability to dry camp for as long as you want. Remember, a normal battery will get damaged when run down 50%, where, for example, a 200AH lithium is good for the full 200AH because its really a 240AH and saves the last 40AH to keep it from being damaged. There are many videos on the subject
There are guys running lithium + over 1500 watts of solar and they run the air conditioning and everything else right off solar, in direct sun the batteries don't even move!
Re: Coach batteries for a motorhome
[Re: GomangoCuda]
#3043781 05/19/2211:55 PM05/19/2211:55 PM
Don't over think it, just get 2 new deep cycle batteries and rock on. If you don't use the motorhome regularly, hook a battery charger up every now and then to maintain them. You have a separate battery to run the engine electrical, but when the RV is going down the road it will charge all 3 batteries. The coach batteries only burn the DC lights inside, run the fridge when it switches to propane while going down the road, runs the water pump for the sinks and toilet, and fires the water heater when you cut it on. It only does all that when you aren't plugged into shore power.
Re: Coach batteries for a motorhome
[Re: JDMopar]
#3044198 05/21/2210:25 PM05/21/2210:25 PM
I have looked at lithium. No way are they worth it for the RV. For the race car, yes because weight is critical. For the RV, it's way too much money for little or possibly even no benefit. I have also used the 6 volt deep cycle golf cart style batteries. They were okay, but didn't really seem to work any better or last any longer than 12 volt deep cycle. So now I just buy the cheapest 12 volt lead acid deep cycle group 31 batteries that I can find. The last batch came from Menards for about a hundred bucks a piece back in January. I don't spend any time worrying about my batteries or trying to take care of them like you have to do with all the fancy expensive AGM and lithium batteries. When I have $300 invested in the whole battery bank, I spend my time in the RV doing what I want to do and not babysitting my batteries. When they get weak I replace them. I would not be able to operate that way if my battery were $1,000 plus. I'd have to worry about taking care of them. I generally get three to five years out of my neglected lead acid batteries. When I'm at home though, I do keep the camper plugged into short power 24/7. The built-in battery charger in the camper has a battery maintainer in it. If I didn't plug it in, the parasitic draw of the camper would kill the batteries.
Different people have different ways that they use their RV and that is a factor. I'm on the road a lot. I don't stay in one place for too long. I have a pair of eight gauge wires from the truck battery to the coach batteries to charge them when I'm driving. I have 400 watts of solar panels on the roof to charge them what I'm sitting still and the sun is shining. I use my 12 volt system in the RV to power an inverter for making coffee with my Keurig machine, and I use it to power the furnace when it's cold, the lights, charging up electronic devices, and my CPAP machine. That's about it. I'm not trying to run a compressor fridge or the air conditioner or anything like that. If I really need to run the air, I use the generator. People who think they're going to cool their RV using an air conditioner running on battery power can plan on spending several thousand dollars on batteries. To pack enough lead acid batteries for that use would weigh a ton, so they're forced to use lithium. I'd rather just run a $700 generator occasionally when I need it.
[img]http://i.imgur.com/boeexFms.jpg[/img] 31 Plymouth Coupe, 392 Hemi, T56 magnum RS23J71 RS27J77 RP23J71 RO23J71 WM21J8A I don't regret the things I've done. I only regret the things I didn't do. "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something. ~ Plato"
Re: Coach batteries for a motorhome
[Re: Hemi_Joel]
#3044330 05/22/2202:39 PM05/22/2202:39 PM
I have looked at lithium. No way are they worth it for the RV. For the race car, yes because weight is critical. For the RV, it's way too much money for little or possibly even no benefit. I have also used the 6 volt deep cycle golf cart style batteries. They were okay, but didn't really seem to work any better or last any longer than 12 volt deep cycle. So now I just buy the cheapest 12 volt lead acid deep cycle group 31 batteries that I can find. The last batch came from Menards for about a hundred bucks a piece back in January. I don't spend any time worrying about my batteries or trying to take care of them like you have to do with all the fancy expensive AGM and lithium batteries. When I have $300 invested in the whole battery bank, I spend my time in the RV doing what I want to do and not babysitting my batteries. When they get weak I replace them. I would not be able to operate that way if my battery were $1,000 plus. I'd have to worry about taking care of them. I generally get three to five years out of my neglected lead acid batteries. When I'm at home though, I do keep the camper plugged into short power 24/7. The built-in battery charger in the camper has a battery maintainer in it. If I didn't plug it in, the parasitic draw of the camper would kill the batteries.
Different people have different ways that they use their RV and that is a factor. I'm on the road a lot. I don't stay in one place for too long. I have a pair of eight gauge wires from the truck battery to the coach batteries to charge them when I'm driving. I have 400 watts of solar panels on the roof to charge them what I'm sitting still and the sun is shining. I use my 12 volt system in the RV to power an inverter for making coffee with my Keurig machine, and I use it to power the furnace when it's cold, the lights, charging up electronic devices, and my CPAP machine. That's about it. I'm not trying to run a compressor fridge or the air conditioner or anything like that. If I really need to run the air, I use the generator. People who think they're going to cool their RV using an air conditioner running on battery power can plan on spending several thousand dollars on batteries. To pack enough lead acid batteries for that use would weigh a ton, so they're forced to use lithium. I'd rather just run a $700 generator occasionally when I need it.
