Chassis battery recommendation

[dennysbabe]

We need to replace the "chassis" battery on our 2008 Winnebago Sightseer 34M that we purchased used. What is the best/recommended 12V single battery for this unit? We currently have an Interstate High Cranking 6 Year Performance battery that appears to be more than 6 years old. My interest is more in acid battery due to cost.

[Eagle5]

I like NAPA batteries, and for your engine start chassis battery,something like this would be good:
NAPA The Legend Premium AGM Battery 36 Months Free Replacement BCI No. 65 750 A $240
Eagle5

[dkoldman]

I would go with any AGM. I replaced my 2 NAPA House batteries with vMax Tanks and love them, my current chassis battery is 5 years but still passing the load test. When it hit 6 years I will replace it anyway. This is the battery I intend to buy from Wal Mart

https://www.walmart.com/ip/seort/841832089

Write this down: It has 4 Year Free Replacement

[Reniram]

I replaced mine with a Duracell Group 65 from Sams club...$125.00..Its only 1 year old so I really cant say if its better or worse than any other but it works just fine plus it had a handy lifting handle for easy installation...

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Reniram

I replaced mine with a Duracell Group 65 from Sams club...$125.00..Its only 1 year old so I really cant say if its better or worse than any other but it works just fine plus it had a handy lifting handle for easy installation...

Is it AGM? How long is the warranty? Does Sam's install?


I just hate watering battering and don't care to buy tools to make it easier.

I think it is hard to find a bad battery mfg, you get what you buy and only a few true Mfgs. I think 99% of all battery failures are due to the way used, but the owner of the battery in most cases blames the Mfg. But let's say I did some things like drain the battery down a few times; I can pretty much find a Wal Mart with one any stock anywhere. Sams are around too but not nearly as easy to find as Wal Mart. If urgent that is relevant. But worse case it just $169 more if in dyer need.

Disclaimer: I have never bought a Wal Mart battery for RV, but buy them for the cars and SUVs all the time as soon as the OEM battery goes. I usually let them install for free while I shop for something else.

[creativepart]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

my current chassis battery is 5 years but still passing the load test. When it hit 6 years I will replace it anyway. This is the battery I intend to buy from Wal Mart

https://www.walmart.com/ip/seort/841832089

Write this down: It has 4 Year Free Replacement

I bought this battery last April for my 2017 Adventurer. So far it’s been fine.

[Morich]

Since there are so few places which actually built the batteries and most are just put in different covers, I do not go by which does the most ads! That is one way to add expense to the battery and not do anything for the way the battery is built!

For start bastteries, I often just go the easy route and get one of the correct size from Wal-mart or Sam's Club as the best value when I do nbot care what the label says on the side!

However, I am also one who looks at my batteries often and I do keep them well maintained.
so that leaves me on the fence for recommendations. Many do not want the added work of looking in/maintaining batteries and I fully understand that.
One of the big things to helping a battery last is how we maintain them. I worked in an industry where battery life was expected to be twenty years!
But to do that, we also looked/checked/tested and watched over them monthly! Engineers told us when how and what to do for them to make them last!

So if one is a battery buff and want to do the work, it is cheaper to go standard lead acid batteries and maintiain them.
However if one is not somewhat neurotic about the thing, it may be more effective to go to the newer AGM battery at a slightly higher upfront cost. The major difference is that even "sealed", low maintenance lead acid batteries have vents! A bit of advert lying, perhaps? It means that a battery with vents WILL lose water over time and that means they fail when they get dry enough! Like 2 months after the warrenty, perhaps?

But if we go to fully sealed batteries where the acid/water mix is more "embedded" in the glass mat, we can avoid the trauma of keeping the water filled! It is not a total answer for all batteries may need as we still need to keep them from being covered in mud or dust in an RV but it does certainly cut the amount of time and labor needed to make them last.

As in many things, it gets down to whether you are willing to do the work or would your rather spend a bit more and need less work.
I do not currently have an RV but in my car, it came with sealed batteries and I haver not looked for the battery.
I like that and when the time comes to need a new battery, it will not be a normal lead /acid but the fully sealed----even if it costs more. It might be worth noting that I am not a new car lover and I do expect to keep a car long enough to get to voting age!

[chickenman05]

So can you have AGM chassis battery with flooded coach bateries? Eveything I read says AGM batts need different charge levels than flooded batts. Don't think my rig can do two different charges.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by chickenman05

So can you have AGM chassis battery with flooded coach bateries? Eveything I read says AGM batts need different charge levels than flooded batts. Don't think my rig can do two different charges.

Yes, what you have read appears to be incorrect?

1st.... Flood lead batteries and AGM uses the same technology. My Precision Dynamics converter charger does not know if my batteries are FLA or AGM.

I have been running 2 AGM house batteries and 1 NAPA FLA for few years now. Only one charge system.

I think you may be referring to change if you go with Lithium technology?

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Morich

Since there are so few places which actually built the batteries and most are just put in different covers, I do not go by which does the most ads! That is one way to add expense to the battery and not do anything for the way the battery is built!

For start bastteries, I often just go the easy route and get one of the correct size from Wal-mart or Sam's Club as the best value when I do nbot care what the label says on the side!

However, I am also one who looks at my batteries often and I do keep them well maintained.
so that leaves me on the fence for recommendations. Many do not want the added work of looking in/maintaining batteries and I fully understand that.
One of the big things to helping a battery last is how we maintain them. I worked in an industry where battery life was expected to be twenty years!
But to do that, we also looked/checked/tested and watched over them monthly! Engineers told us when how and what to do for them to make them last!

So if one is a battery buff and want to do the work, it is cheaper to go standard lead acid batteries and maintiain them.
However if one is not somewhat neurotic about the thing, it may be more effective to go to the newer AGM battery at a slightly higher upfront cost. The major difference is that even "sealed", low maintenance lead acid batteries have vents! A bit of advert lying, perhaps? It means that a battery with vents WILL lose water over time and that means they fail when they get dry enough! Like 2 months after the warrenty, perhaps?

But if we go to fully sealed batteries where the acid/water mix is more "embedded" in the glass mat, we can avoid the trauma of keeping the water filled! It is not a total answer for all batteries may need as we still need to keep them from being covered in mud or dust in an RV but it does certainly cut the amount of time and labor needed to make them last.

As in many things, it gets down to whether you are willing to do the work or would your rather spend a bit more and need less work.
I do not currently have an RV but in my car, it came with sealed batteries and I haver not looked for the battery.
I like that and when the time comes to need a new battery, it will not be a normal lead /acid but the fully sealed----even if it costs more. It might be worth noting that I am not a new car lover and I do expect to keep a car long enough to get to voting age!

Well said. I have enough to worry about with the RV. I am Non Neurotic. I even go so far as to REFUSE to allow anyone to add water to my last remaining FLA so it will die sooner so I can be 100% AGM

This reminds me of when I finally settled that I will only have Samsung TVs. It seems like it took forever for my last Sony to die

[creativepart]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

Yes, what you have read appears to be incorrect?

No, what he’s read is not incorrect. AGM charging profiles are different than FLA batteries. Just not a great deal different. Most newer converter and inverter chargers can manage the difference with a settings change or even detect battery types to accommodate both types.

Be aware your Chassis battery is charged by your alternator not anything else when driving and the alternator is not a smart charger. It handles AGM and FLA equally. Not optimally but just fine anyway.

Solar chargers, inverter chargers have dedicated charging profiles for each type of battery.

To answer his comment… yes you can safely have an AGM chassis battery and FLA house batteries.

[Morich]

I probably slid past part of the difference as it involves how we use the batteries as to what it considered "Best". If we use AGM as deep cycle, then we run them further down and that means it takes longer to recharge fully. So in use as coach batteries and boondocking, that can make more difference than when we use them as chassis batteries.
Chassis batteries or coach batteries work the same on each type battery but the WAY we use each is going to make a diffference.
In coach we often expect to run the batteries down pretty often and much further than we do as chassis where about all we do is start the engine and then the alternator is so big, it begins recharging the battery almost immediately!
I did some reading on th eInterstate battery site and feel they tend to blow some smoke on several points as if they want to scare us a bit.

they stress how much power we use in modern cars and that is true but when they get into telling us that the alternator is not big enough to handle all that and the batttery runs down as we drive, I tend to back away from that idea.
The alternator on RV is a BIG one and if we don't get into major inverter, etc, it will not let your chassis battery run down while driving!
Winnebago even feels that alternator is big enough to let it recharge BOTH the chassis and coach batteries as we drive!

Beware folks who sell things you are reading about! Sometimes it is not that the information we get is correct or incorrect, just the way it can be slanted to appear much more important than actual fact.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by creativepart

No, what he’s read is not incorrect. AGM charging profiles are different than FLA batteries. Just not a great deal different. Most newer converter and inverter chargers can manage or even detect battery types and accommodate both types.

Be aware your Chassis battery is charged by your alternator not anything else and the alternator is not a smart charger. It handles AGM and FLA equally. Not optimally but just fine anyway.

Solar chargers, inverter chargers have dedicated charging profiles for each type of battery.

To answer his comment… yes you can safely have an AGM chassis battery and FLA house batteries.

Now your 1st sentence and last sentence confuse me? I think that is why I said what he read appears incorrect?

Nonetheless, when you switch from FLA to AGM which I have done there is no profile to change on EC-30 (Onan) or my Converter/Charger and I agree you can safely have an AGM chassis battery and FLA house batteries. What he read to make make him think otherwise is wrong IMO.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Morich

I probably slid past part of the difference as it involves how we use the batteries as to what it considered "Best". If we use AGM as deep cycle, then we run them further down and that means it takes longer to recharge fully. So in use as coach batteries and boondocking, that can make more difference than when we use them as chassis batteries.
Chassis batteries or coach batteries work the same on each type battery but the WAY we use each is going to make a diffference.
In coach we often expect to run the batteries down pretty often and much further than we do as chassis where about all we do is start the engine and then the alternator is so big, it begins recharging the battery almost immediately!
I did some reading on th eInterstate battery site and feel they tend to blow some smoke on several points as if they want to scare us a bit.

they stress how much power we use in modern cars and that is true but when they get into telling us that the alternator is not big enough to handle all that and the batttery runs down as we drive, I tend to back away from that idea.
The alternator on RV is a BIG one and if we don't get into major inverter, etc, it will not let your chassis battery run down while driving!
Winnebago even feels that alternator is big enough to let it recharge BOTH the chassis and coach batteries as we drive!

Beware folks who sell things you are reading about! Sometimes it is not that the information we get is correct or incorrect, just the way it can be slanted to appear much more important than actual fact.

Correctomundo Senor

In fact when I drive, my Inverter is always on, my AGMs (House) are being fully charged by the alternator and I run everything on the Inverter circuit as possible including the Norcold Fridge inside and the Insignia outside. And it is a given that my current Chassis (NAPA FLA) is equally fully charged. When I stop my drive all batteries are well at 100% SOC.

[Reniram]

Just be very happy your coach battery is installed with the rest of them and is easily accessible on the 29ve..This last winter I helped my fellow RV neighbor change his and it was located behind the front clip of the coach on the passenger side...it was a nightmare and absolutely a 2 man job so there is no way your friendly Walmart would even attepmt to change it for free..!

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Reniram

Just be very happy your coach battery is installed with the rest of them and is easily accessible on the 29ve..This last winter I helped my fellow RV neighbor change his and it was located behind the front clip of the coach on the passenger side...it was a nightmare and absolutely a 2 man job so there is no way your friendly Walmart would even attempt to change it for free..!

Correctomundo II

The placement of all 3 batteries in the 29ve is awesome.

For the record, I have never had Wal Mart replace my battery in the RV 29ve. I still have the NAPA OEM from a 2018 Chassis and never added a lick of water. I treat it good, meaning I don't let it drain down.

I did replace the two NAPA House batteries that were useless IMO, even when new. Not enough AHs to get through the night, so I bought two vMax Tanks at 125ah each Group 31, I removed the NAPA Chassis battery to make it easier to fit the two vMax tanks.

I figure to replace my chassis battery within the next 12 months. I may go with a new one this winter just a precaution.

FWIW, I likely would not let Wal Mart Techs put in my Chassis battery, I was just curious to know if Sams included installation with their pricing?

[creativepart]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

Now your 1st sentence and last sentence confuse me? I think that is why I said what he read appears incorrect?

I’m not trying to split hairs, but here’s what I think is the difference between what I said and what you said.

You said that he read wrong when he read that FLA and AGM batteries need different charging profiles. You stated that they don’t.

And I said that the two types do have different charging profiles and solar chargers and inverter chargers all have separate settings for AGM and FLA. Most newer Converters have this as well. Or they are auto sensing.

But alternators don’t have charging profiles at all, because they are not smart chargers. So, the two battery types are close enough for it not to be a problem. This pertains to alternators, or other “dumb” chargers.

If you have an older motorhome with an older Converter and AGM batteries you likely will not damage them by not upgrading your converter. But they will not be charged optimally.

Since these older Converters were not designed to be all that smart in applying charging stages they generally are not a big threat to AGM charging either.

But that doesn’t change the initial statement that AGMs and FLAs do have different charging profiles. It just might not matter.

[Morich]

I agree that they are "different" if we look really deep and one of those things is how we run them down as they do tend to like slightly different charging to get the truly most out of them.
That is where I was when I said it really didn't matter as the discussion was on changing the chassis battery. That makes it one that is normally not run that far down, so that bringing it back with a slightly less than optimum charge profile is not a big deal.

If we want to truly get the most of our Batteries of any type, we have to change so many things that we would not want to go there! Even temperatures is a start but who wants to put your batteries in a temperature controlled space. They should not get wet, hot, cold or be run down too far, so most of us are just looking to get a rational amount of use out of them rather than spend the rest our life watching them!

[dkoldman]

Te OP in this case said "AGM batts need different charge levels than flooded batts."

My Converter charger has one IntelliWizard program, maybe my 2019 is considered old? I don't need a program for both FLA or AGM, nor do I have one for that matter.

It does have and automatically apply different charge levels within the battery you may have based on stable voltage calculation. So regardless; if I have FLA or AGM the voltage level varies, the variation is function microprocessor calculated voltage not the battery type.

I think the problem is and what happens to a lot of people and it happens with FLA and AGM is that do not have converter charger that has a program to conform to any profile. They may ruin those batteries over time by overcharging.

Yes this is splitting hairs but it is hard not to given a hair has been split. VMax tanks confirmed for me when I bought my AGM that there was nothing related to the profile that I needed to change. Lithium yes; but not FLA to AGM. I think we all agree to agree with that, but I think further that anything that implies otherwise is misleading if not outright false. Because if his current charging system is good for his FLAs, it will be good for any AGMs and vice versa.

[Wyatt]

I thought we were only talking about a chassis battery? The alternator charges the Chassis battery. Insofar as I know, the alternator only has one charging profile to charge the starter/chassis battery.

I drop AGM batteries in place of FLA batteries in all my vehicles. They still need to be vented, just not maintained in the traditional sense, (e.g. adding water).

I’m sure you’ll correct me if I’m wrong, but I know of no charging requirement that varies from FLA to AGM batteries, as a STARTER battery…