Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire RV batteries?

Hawk, I know it’s a bit of a tangent - but it is the campfire. Are there any solar systems which you are familiar with which would reasonably provide a trickle charge to maintain marine deep cycle batteries over periods of non-use?

I use 6 Volt Golf cart batteries. Deep cycle batteries only lasted 3 years. I have had the Golf Cart batteries in my 27Ft Artic Fox

for 6 years. Seems like a better deal to me. I think they are interstate batteries.

Got a bit weary of the Costco and Exide types - looked hard into the dual 6V idea - said "Nah". Bought two Blue Top Optima - sealed and hold high charge - four years and going strong, I do keep a trickle charger on them when not on the road.

Most of them will, the problem is the sun! But you did say the magic words of "periods of non-use".
Even the simple systems will work decently in that application, just make sure they are fully charged before and you should be fine,

Wet, fully charged batteries will sit stationary from 3-8 months stationary, depending on storage temp. Agm's 8 months beyond a year.

6v golf cart batteries will get you the most for your $$. Before you buy Costo's Interstate GC version, though, read up on what Reserve Capacity means. I can't remember the details but it's the number of minutes it can put out a certain number of watts before it drops to a certain voltage. Interstates green top battery will quadruple what Costo's Interstate version will put out. They'll cost more but you'll get a lot more for the money.
I have a pair of them on my camp trailer. Then I have a 200 watt solar panel setup that easily keeps them charged. Many put the panels on the roof out of the way. However, that has 2 disadvantages. Facing straight up isn't the optimum angle so you don't get full power from them. Then, you always have to park in the sun. I'd much rather be able to park in the shade. I rigged mine up on a stand with a 30' cable so I can move them to be best location.

A lot of RVs have designated battery compartments that tend to make-out with the frame size of a standard pair of 12v group 31 deep cycle batteries.

Be sure and measure your available space before you buy.

The 6 volt batteries area great but not without a down side.

6 volt batteries use heavier plates in each cell and typically have longer lifespans than 12 volt batteries. They can last anywhere from four to eight years, depending on maintenance, type, and use of the battery. Additionally, 6 volt batteries weigh less than 12 volt batteries, making them much easier to handle and move.

They have larger amp hour capacities: When fully charged, 6 volt batteries have larger capacities than 12 volt batteries. An Amp Hour (Ah) is the amount of current a battery can supply for a certain period of time. Using a battery with a higher Ah will improve the device’s running time on a single charge.

They have a bigger discharge and recharge capacity: This means that you can discharge and recharge the batteries more often than 12 volt batteries over the life of the battery.

6V batteries are more expensive based on the comparative capacity: If you are on a tight budget, you should probably purchase 12 volt batteries.

6V batteries are much taller and may require you to install different battery boxes: RVs that already have battery boxes built in are designed to accommodate 12 volt batteries. If you will be using 6 volt batteries, they won’t quite fit properly in that allotted space.
They are uncommon and can be hard to find in case you need emergency replacements: If your batteries fail while you’re on the road, they’ll be hard to find. They’re typically only found at specialty stores and online.

One of these.

https://www.summitracing.com/search...fq4u9ZTJO4yIkkZk8i6CV1G9UPhoCSmIQAvD_BwE

6V's need a different wiring pattern, series instead of parallel. It's quite simple but it must be done right. If you don't know how to do it, be sure you find out or find someone who does.

AGM batteries are glorified overpriced lead acid batteries. If you insist on wet cell go to Walmart, cheap price and will last as long as most.
The real deal is lithium Ion, check out Battle Born batteries, they make AGM/lead acid obsolete.
Average lead acid life span is 2 to 3 hundred cycles, Lithium Ion's last 3k plus, so the price tag may seem steep they are a better value in the long run. And they weigh less than half of what a lead acid weighs. Also they will withstand a much deeper discharge, therefore you get more usable amp hours from them.

I’d get a blemish Group 31 from Batteries Plus

I can get those for about $50

90 day warranty but the last one I got lasted 4 years.

My 2007 jayco takes a big batt.


lol, I don’t pay 200-300$ for a fookin battery like Joe Schmuck.

Be careful with lithiums and charging temperature. In general DO NOT recharge when the temp's below freezing as it will permanently damage the battery. There's some new tech that allows them to be recharged at lower temps but not all have it yet so be sure of what you buy.

Here's an article about it: LITHIUM COLD WEATHER CHARGING

Not true. In series you are limited to smallest amp rating of the batteries in series (weakest link). If you have one 500 amp CCA and one 400 amp CCA battery in series, you have 400 amp CCA. If you have one 500 amp CCA battery and one 400 amp CCA battery paralleled you will have 900 amp CCA. This is why diesel trucks have two paralleled 12 volt batteries. Same way with boats and marine batteries.

Nobody brought up the fact you can/should only discharge a lead acid battery only to 50% for lifespan which means it takes two group 27 100ah batteries to make 100 amp hours where some lithium batteries have a minimum of 2000 cycles at 100% discharge..Battleborn says 3000 cycles with 100% discharge..

Last time I looked there were over 10 lithium 100ah batteries under $500 on Amazon,once in a while under $400...A typical 100ah battery weighs 25 pounds compared to 70ish for lead acid..They charge way faster for the boondockers..I put 50 amp hours back into my 120ah lithium in less than 3 hours with a 20 amp charger and it was 100% full..Can't even come close to that with lead acid and there charging profiles..

I have had 3 costco batteries fail within 2 years. yeah I get a free return but the hassle isn't worth it.

This is good if a guy goes that route.

Excellent. If I were going to have a rig with a house battery for a long time (can't happen), I would follow this advice. I think it's the most efficient/effective route.

Lithiums are good for 3 season but recharging when cold is a problem. Someone mentioned Battle Born lithiums. They have a build-in protection that keeps them from recharging below freezing. If you run out of juice on a late season hunting trip, your generator or solar panels can't recharge them.

This! They were big/heavy and I had help from Darby and Dennis when I changed to new ones, but two in parallel in my 1952 Mack LTL put out a LOT of CCAs. Even on the coldest freezing AM up in the high country - pump the primer and hit it - those par batts spun the big valve Cummins to life.

This is somewhat true..You do have to keep them above 32 whether inside the RV or with a battery heater..Many are insulating there battery compartments and getting heat to them,others are buying battery heaters that draw very little power..Most are just getting the heating pads for RV lines and tanks and using them on the battery...You can charge below freezing at a much lower amperage without damage on some...Others just move there batteries inside under the dinette or sink for no worries..

Battleborn uses cylindrical cells and claims that is why they can discharge 100% without harm or loss,,others disagree and say the prismatic cells can do the same or the pouch cells..My battery is inside so I have no worry about temp during hunting season..

If you go lithium don’t forget an appropriate controller to reach capacity