Near the end of the year I changed to two 6 volt Sam's Club GC2 batteries. They worked well when we were out on Columbus day weekend, temps went to the 30's and the batteries kept us going all night, charged them during the day with a generator. After returning home they have been plugged into shore power for a couple of weeks. After removing the batteries on Saturday, they still register 12.9 volts 6 days later without any charger on them. I have a battery minder that I am going to use for the winter, I am going to wait for a while to see how long they stay charged with no load on them.
Good for you, you will love them. Just make sure you have a 3-stage converter charger if you plan to run them down like that and have the ability to bring them back up faster if you boon dock. Actually, if you already do, there is no need for a maintainer if you can connnect your camper to power when you store it.
I was really impressed with my 9 year old Trojan T-105. So I replaced them expecting the new set to work better. It did not, I was a bit disappointed, but know that the new set will last more than 10 years if I keep the RV that long. I gave the old batteries to a friend, and he might still be using them!
I use hydrocaps, they recycle the waste hydrogen and oxygen leaving the batteries into water, so I only need a little bit each year.
I think you can charge your batteries about twice during the winter, and they will stay pretty full while resting.
If you really want to see the batteries last while out dry camping, get a Olympic Catalytic Heater. It will keep the trailer toasty warm down to about 30F outside without needing the furnace at all until below that temp. Then running the furnace a few minutes an hour, I can blow hot air into the corners of my 30' RV and the basement to keep it all at around 70.
I have a 1992 6,000 Btu catalytic heater, it is still good. I keep a dust cover on it, as well as keep it in the closet until needed. It has a leg kit and quick disconnect to the low pressure gas line below the oven..
I'll never use catalytic heaters again, not after what I witnessed using the one here that came with mine, gonna be uninstalling it and selling it too.
I will ask.. What happened with your Cat-Heater (I know a few reasons to avoid them too but I won't go into that)
As for the batteires:
Trojan's often last 9-10-11 years
Interstates 7-8-9
I'm not sure Trojan's are worth the additional cost
Sam's and Costco's are made by the folks who make Interstates.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
Well, ya better do it quick, before the Olycat haters find their way over here, and convince you that them thar Olycats will kill ya if you don't leave all the windows 1/2 open
fla-gypsy wrote: Nice move, this is a mod I need to make!
Rich
'98 Flair, 454, Onan Microlite 4k, Intel PD 9155 w/ wizard, Sta-power 1500 watt Inv, 2 6v batts, ammeters, KingDome/sat, Oly Catalytic Heat, hauling 2 Bent Bikes and sometimes towing a Tracker F&S boat.
Dam, they got over here before I even got that typed !
Them Olycat haters don't waste no time. But, I ain't seen a Olycat hater yet that ever had one, but the first one mite be developing above
Offline
