Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-23-2015, 06:01 PM   #1
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 32
Northern batteries?

My Coachman Clipper 17FQ came with a Northern 24SDC battery, but I cannot find any info on this battery. Would like to know if this battery is worth keeping, or best to upgrade. Most of my camping is off-grid. I do have a generator and also 80w solar panel.

The TT is a 2015 about 8 months old.
proride is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2015, 06:39 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Batts-toy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Ripon, California
Posts: 727
Try here, Northern Battery — Your Midwest Battery specialists since 1971!. They are in the midwest and east coast perhaps call them and have them give you the low down on what you have. I have 2 new marine dual purpose batteries that came with my used MH, my approach is to use them up before getting new ones. I have 300 watts of solar though, depends on Amp hours in your battery and how much you are willing to settle for and/or run your gen.
__________________
Dale & Terri, Lulu & Tiki (our Chihuahua's), New rescue puppy Prince - Pom/Pug mix.
2013 Tundra, Double Cab, 5.7, TRD Off-Road, 4X4, Full Tow Package
2013 Wildwood T26TBSS - Sold
2000 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager M-8357 MH, Ford Trident V10 Gasser, 35 foot.
Batts-toy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2015, 06:45 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,255
I'm not 100%, but I think you're looking at an RV/Marine hybrid deep cycle. 24SDC just indicates the group size of the battery. There may be a makers model number, or there may not. The only Northern I am really familiar with is the midwest company. I can't say for certain without more information... what additional markings are there? Does it give you a CCA #? Any "@" values?

Regardless of all that, it's certainly going to depend on the age and how well it's been kept up to decide if it's worth keeping or not. It should have a "born" date stamped in somewhere on the battery, although it may just be a single digit all by it's lonesome.

If it is indeed a hybrid, then it would not be well suited for dry camping. More information is required. :-)
rana is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2015, 06:46 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,255
Quote:
Originally Posted by Batts-toy View Post
That is just the name of the battery store. They carry a variety of brands.
rana is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2015, 06:56 PM   #5
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 32
Thanks Batts. Guess I should open my eyes when I do a search. I think I'll go your route and wait to get a battery when this one gives out. I've only taken the trailer out twice, so I should at least really find out how I'm using the thing and what power I might need/want.
proride is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2015, 07:06 PM   #6
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 32
Yarome, I could not find anything that gave me a hint when it was built. The info it has is


24-SDC
Starting/Deep Cycle
Crank Amps @ 80f 688
Cold Crank Amps @ 0 f 475
Reserve Cap 120
proride is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2015, 07:54 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,255
That's what I thought. It's not a "true" deep cycle, but rather a "marine" type hybrid. A true deep cycle will never show CCA's or the like. Sooo.. using it as a deep cycle your battery will provide 50 amp hours (ah) of juice. It would not be suited at all for dry camping.

As a general rule, you don't want to run your battery lower than 50% state of charge. So that leaves you with 25 available amp hours. Typical parasitic draw is around 1 amp per hour. Parasitic draw would be the power being used with nothing actually on.. just powering the control boards for your fridge, water heater, radio, gas detectors, etc etc. Again.. nothing is actually "on".

So at 1 amp per hour, your rig will consume 24 amp hours (ah's) within a 24 hour period. At 50% you started with 25 "available" and haven't actually turned anything on yet.

Get my drift? Even if the battery is "fresh" and holds a full charge... even if you run it until it's dead.. (full 50ah's).. you can't really do much of anything with it.

It would be okay to get you from point A to B, however.

Low cost entry level dry camping.. I would probably recommend 2 6volt golf cart batteries from your local big box store (costco, sams, etc). They typically run around $85-$90 each. They would, however, get you started with a "true" deep cycle battery and around 210-220 ah capacity. 105-110 "available" ah's without doing any damage to your batteries by over discharging them.
rana is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2015, 09:30 PM   #8
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 32
Thanks Yarome. Looks like I will look into batteries next after all, just have to get the funds. After doing research, I want to get the AGM batteries, as between the bumpy freeways and then the dirt roads I travel, I need a battery that won't leak. And those type of batteries are more costly.
proride is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2015, 09:41 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,255
Quote:
Originally Posted by proride View Post
And those type of batteries are more costly.
They certainly are! That's actually what I have. 4 - 6v Lifeline AGM's. There are different sizes and capacities, but for the average GC battery size (220ah) they run more like $300 a pop.

rana is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
battery

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:48 AM.