Can anyone help ID this battery?

[ZoraK9]

Picked up our 2108DS a couple days ago, and I'm already thinking about upgrades to the battery setup, since we plan to do a fair amount of boondocking. Eventually we will probably go with lithium, but I'm not ready yet for the complexity and expense of that upgrade.

So for now, I'm planning on getting 2 AGM batteries (100 - 125 MAH) and wiring them in parallel. Before I buy 2 new batteries, I thought I'd take a closer look at the single battery the dealer installed to see if there was any chance I could get a duplicate of that vs. throwing away a brand new battery.

I've attached a photo of what's on my trailer. The label says it's a HD24MDC-1 deep cycle from Interstate. But when I searched for this model number I couldn't find anything on the Interstate Batteries site that matched, and a general Google search returns a lot of photos of traditional lead acid models with a maintenance panel for adding distilled water. My battery appears to be sealed.

Another mystery is whether my battery is lead acid or AGM. It certainly seems like most similar Interstate batteries are lead acid, but the solar charge controller on my trailer was set to the AGM setting. And finally, I can't find a reliable MAH rating for this battery anyplace online.

I guess I'll just go ahead an order the dual AGM's I was planning to install vs. trying to keep the dealer-provide one, but thought I'd see what the hive mind here thinks.

[Eagle5]

Hi Zora,
I guess this product description is for your battery, but the depicted battery doesn't match:
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...3137_200913137
So your battery is a regular wet-cell Lead Acid battery with a full-width pop-top.
Heavy Duty
Size 24
Marine Deep Cycle
690 Cranking Amp Capacity
140 minute reserve capacity @ 25 amps
Pretty sure, I think.
Eagle5

[DavidM]

You can be certain, that with no amp hours spec and sealed, that this is absolutely not a true deep cycle battery. It is a starting battery with a deep cycle label. There are very few 12V true deep cycle batteries. 6V golf cart batteries are almost always true deep cycle batteries, but two don't always fit.

There is no difference that I can determine between AGM starting batteries and deep cycle use. So two 100 Ah AGM batteries is a good choice and probably will fit. Check the dimensions of the batteries vs your battery compartment to be sure. Renogy and Windynation are two reasonable cost AGM batteries on Amazon.

David

[creativepart]

HD24MDC-1 tells you everything you need to know:

HD = Heavy Duty
24 = Group 24 Size
MDC = Marine/Deep Cycle

The dealer dropped in a better than Walmart small size, not adequite battery for the sale to you. Winnebago makes the dealer install a battery but doesn't specify the size, quality, amp hour, etc. So, the dealer cheaps out. Many times they install a used battery that looks newish.

Welcome to the real world. Dealers are more interested in their profit than your satisfaction.

Here's the link to that battery - actually it's better than most that dealers install in a new TT. Though Group 24 is too small. It should be Group 27 or better yet Group31. The larger the battery the more amp hours it has.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...3137_200913137

[ZoraK9]

Thanks everyone for the useful info! After reading all that, I was feeling good enough about my decision to install two maintenance-free AGMs that I went ahead and clicked “buy’ on that order.

(The decode on the battery ID was very helpful, since it clarifies why Interstate sells—or has sold over time—multiple different-looking batteries with the same name/number.)

[Wayne M]

FYI, it is 550 cranking amps.

[Dlcapewe]

Originally Posted by ZoraK9

Picked up our 2108DS a couple days ago, and I'm already thinking about upgrades to the battery setup, since we plan to do a fair amount of boondocking. Eventually we will probably go with lithium, but I'm not ready yet for the complexity and expense of that upgrade.

So for now, I'm planning on getting 2 AGM batteries (100 - 125 MAH) and wiring them in parallel. Before I buy 2 new batteries, I thought I'd take a closer look at the single battery the dealer installed to see if there was any chance I could get a duplicate of that vs. throwing away a brand new battery.

I've attached a photo of what's on my trailer. The label says it's a HD24MDC-1 deep cycle from Interstate. But when I searched for this model number I couldn't find anything on the Interstate Batteries site that matched, and a general Google search returns a lot of photos of traditional lead acid models with a maintenance panel for adding distilled water. My battery appears to be sealed.

Another mystery is whether my battery is lead acid or AGM. It certainly seems like most similar Interstate batteries are lead acid, but the solar charge controller on my trailer was set to the AGM setting. And finally, I can't find a reliable MAH rating for this battery anyplace online.

I guess I'll just go ahead an order the dual AGM's I was planning to install vs. trying to keep the dealer-provide one, but thought I'd see what the hive mind here thinks.

This is a group 24 lead acid battery with 140 minutes reserve, 550 cranking amps maximum.

[MadMaxWinny]

Interstate isn't a horrible battery (there are FAR worse). That's not much CCA, but if you've got a small car with a battery close to those G24 dimensions, it might make a good spare starter (but you'd need to store it with a cheap float charger attached).

[Edbehl]

Sams Club has Duracell 27 AGM batteries with 18 month warranty for $169

[ZoraK9]

I wound up ordering two 110AH 12v deep cycle AGM batteries from Amazon (man, the FedEx guy was not happy about unloading those heavy suckers!) along with two Group 27 battery boxes, and installed them in parallel on my 2108DS.

I made the mistake of not measuring the existing battery tray before ordering, and the larger batteries did not fit. I made a new bracket (pictured) out of some steel L-channel from Lowes and attached that to the trailer frame with several hefty self-tapping screws. The holes in the L-channel made it easy to secure the battery boxes to them with 6 hex bolts each (not shown in the photo).

I'm happy with the way it turned out (although my wife wishes I'd painted the new bracket black) and everything seems to be working,

I've ordered an AiLi battery meter that arrives tomorrow. If anyone has experience installing that unit on a Micro Minnie, I'd welcome any tips!