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Old 01-15-2017, 08:12 PM   #1
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Need batteries for my 2005 Lexington

My 2005 Lexington needs 2 new DC power batteries. Any recommendations for batteries that will last best with infrequent use..? We are leaving for Florida next week and this is one item on our to do list.
Also, any favorite routes from Minneapolis to Sarasota?

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Old 01-15-2017, 09:15 PM   #2
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Wet cell batteries do not like sitting. If you aren't using them for more than a few weeks you will need to be plugged up or put a maintainer of some sort on the batteries. MO


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Old 01-18-2017, 05:34 PM   #3
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Wet cell batteries do not like sitting. If you aren't using them for more than a few weeks you will need to be plugged up or put a maintainer of some sort on the batteries. MO

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My opinion would be just the opposite. The key to storing wet cell batteries is fully charging them before storing, and making sure ALL loads are removed while in storage. Under these conditions, a wet cell battery can be safely stored for up to 6 months (and I have done that) in a garage in freezing weather. I usually try to recharge them every 3 months, but have forgotten with no issues.

However, unless your disconnect switch truly disconnects ALL loads from the battery, you will have parasitic drains discharging the battery down to nothing in a matter of weeks. This is true in any vehicle with electronics that don't disconnect completely - cars, trucks, tractors, as well as RVs. Things like the stereo and clock and alarm system in a car or truck, and the propane/CO alarm and converter in an RV do drain the battery unless the disconnect is at the battery itself.

I am fortunate that A-frames do not come with battery disconnects from the battery. I got tired of removing the cables from one of the battery posts to disconnect so I installed a marine dual battery disconnect switch on the outside of the battery box.

You can have the batteries fully charged by plugging in the camper for 3 days after a trip. Or if you had shore power at the campsite, your batteries should be fully charged upon return from a trip.

In summary, fully charge the battery before storage, and remove all the cables from one post or the other and your battery will give good service.

just my experiences
Fred W
2014 Rockwood A122 A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
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Old 01-18-2017, 07:15 PM   #4
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X2

I fully charge my wet cell GC-2's at the end of October and then fully charge again in the beginning of May. They sit outside through the winter with no ill effects, after 7 years they are still going strong.
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Old 01-18-2017, 07:33 PM   #5
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It's common wisdom that earlier design converter/chargers, and current design cheapies like WFCO will not fully charge a battery. To do long-term storage on Flooded lead-acid batteries you need to charge fully and equalize before storage with a proper dedicated battery charger. The NOCO series of chargers are quite good.

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-G3500-Ul...o+genius&psc=1

Best to charge each battery by itself to avoid uneven distribution of charging current.
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Old 01-18-2017, 07:37 PM   #6
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^ Good point!

I use a 40 amp Schumacker.
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Old 01-19-2017, 02:41 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by Bluepill View Post
It's common wisdom that earlier design converter/chargers, and current design cheapies like WFCO will not fully charge a battery. To do long-term storage on Flooded lead-acid batteries you need to charge fully and equalize before storage with a proper dedicated battery charger. The NOCO series of chargers are quite good.

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-G3500-Ul...o+genius&psc=1

Best to charge each battery by itself to avoid uneven distribution of charging current.
Again, I differ. If a WFCO converter is meeting specs, you are not going to do any better with a $50+ charger except recharge quicker. You will get to the same 12.7V battery voltage (or full charge hydrometer reading) with a WFCO converter - it just takes longer to do it than a 3-4 stage shop charger.

Now, not all WFCO converters meet WFCO spec. Mine would not go into trickle mode, but it took a number of voltage measurements over a two week period, repeated a couple of months apart to verify. I replaced my WFCO converter with a PD converter so I wouldn't boil away the battery water when the battery was fully charged. The PD does charge faster than the WFCO. But in the end, a fully charged battery is 12.7V no matter how long it takes to get there.

All equalization does is inject a short term high voltage (has to be limited to about 14.4V unless battery is disconnected from RV) to create bubbles within the cell. These bubbles force vertical currents within a cell to reduce any stratification of acid concentration. In my little A-frame, going in and out of the trailer produces enough shake/vibration to achieve the same result as equalization.

Some separate chargers will put 14.8V or higher to the battery with the intent to separate some harder lead sulfate deposits on the plates. Those deposits typically start to form when the battery is discharged below 50%. The higher voltage MAY cause issues with 12V electronics (LED lights, stereo, TV, light bulbs, etc) if the battery is connected to the camper at the time. So no converters will do more than 14.4V. The research to date suggests that this extra high voltage only works on the hard lead sulfate deposits some of the time.

Charging parallel batteries separately does no good in the long run because as soon as you put them back in parallel, the stronger battery is going to feed into the weaker battery until the two are at equal voltage. Ohm's Law rules.

My aim is to get a reasonable life out of my batteries while providing sufficient power to my trailer for 4 days and nights. I don't want to spend time taking hydrometer readings or checking water levels every few days. With my current practices (charge batteries with converter, then disconnect for the winter) typically give me 7 years of battery life with both RV and lawn tractor in Colorado winters (unheated garage stored). I'm a happy camper!

Fred W
2014 Rockwood A122 A-frame (2 GC-2 6V 232AH Interstate batteries)
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time
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Old 01-19-2017, 10:37 PM   #8
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I'm with PG&W on storage...fully 100% charge them...then DISCONNECT the negative chassis wire. Do NOT rely on the coach disconnect switch.
If you want worry free storage at a higher price...do the same thing but buy AGM batteries which don't need water AND only lose 1% of their charge per month in room temperatures...less in the cold. Lots of other benefits to justify their 2x price over simple wet cells. But you can use either style and store for months IF you take the time to fully charge...NOT by VOLTMETER! And if you disconnect the negative or install your own cutoff switch on the negative wire.
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Old 01-19-2017, 11:47 PM   #9
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The best batteries to buy are the freshest batteries you can buy. Whatever batteries you decide on, make sure they are fresh. If buying popular sizes from main suppliers you should easily be able to get batteries that are no more than about 2-3 months old.

I one time spotted an almost 3 year old battery sitting at the back of a shelf in a local auto parts store. There were numerous batteries with newer dates in front of it. Sooner or later some poor unsuspecting customer probably bought that battery. It likely failed prematurely and they probably said "I'm never gonna buy "X" brand of batteries again because they're junk".
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