The Best Battery for the Buck

[TEC1957]

If a person likes "getting away from it all" what battery or batteries 6 or 12v would be the best to purchase for our Sunseeker 3010DS, thanks

[cadman99]

I use two Interstate 6VDC deep cycle batteries. Seem to be okay.

[TEC1957]

Great!!! Good to Know, Thanks for your reply

[CLT]

I know back when I had my boat, the Optima batteries were the best going for deep cycle. With my TT, the dealer included an Interstate DC.

[dlzeller]

We use interstate and I have for many years, both in TT and Boat.

[ironj]

Costco kirkland sig series....either 6v or group 27's. ..better value than interstate where I live..?

sent from fat fingers via a space dish thing with no regard to grammer.

[TEC1957]

Many Thanks, the current set-up is two 27, I assume they are 12 volts, is this correct!!!

[EricInColorado]

My Optima car battery is good and not too expensive. The Optima deep Cycle battery is WAY expensive.

[f5moab]

Deka or Trojan make some good deep cycles. With Deka make sure they are labeled DC (deep cycle) and DP (Dual purpose); might be true for Trojan too,.

As for Optima...the blue top (marine) is labeled as a dual purpose battery so probably not a true deep cycle. I have a yellow and that is not a true deep cycle, but they make great batteries.

[TEC1957]

Thanks for the info. ...

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forest River Forums mobile app

[Triguy]

Originally Posted by TEC1957

If a person likes "getting away from it all" what battery or batteries 6 or 12v would be the best to purchase for our Sunseeker 3010DS, thanks

"Getting away from it all" implies boondocking or at least dry camping so you'll want the most Amp Hours (at the 20-hr rate) to cover your energy needs between recharging. If planning to camp off the grid, than a wise move is to do an energy audit for the number of days between recharging.

Obviously cost comes into play as good batteries do not come cheap and, in general, you definitely get what you pay for in terms of Ah and longevity of the battery. Make sure the batteries also fit your battery box (you don't want them too long or tall for your space).

One suggestion for boondocking would be to buy no smaller than two Group 31 12-volts connected in parallel. But, you may need larger depending on your useage. As mentioned, if buying 12-volt batteries, also make sure they are truly "deep cycle", which are preferable over dual purpose marine batteries.

Another is to look at two 6-volts in series. The 6-volts are usually sold as golf cart batteries or industrial and so are made to be deep cycled.

My preference is Trojan battery. I personally use two Trojan T-145 6-volts because they have 260 Ah, which usually meets my energy needs, and fit my battery tray without modification. Trojan also makes some deep cycle 12-volts that are nice, although they are a little larger than the comparable 6-volts. Their website is pretty decent for more information.

Hope this helps.

[camaraderie]

Assuming you just have room for 2 batteries and won't be running a generator/charger...then I would say that the best BANG for the Buck are the Costco/Sams 6V batteries. Hard to beat their value. Probably the best performing wet cells are the Trojans as Triguy says...and they last a good long time as well...if you can spare the extra bucks.
The Optima deep cycles are vastly overated, underperforming in deep cycle service and over priced. compare their amp hours side by side with trojans or other quality batts.
Finally...if you DO have a generator and 3 stage charger...you might be better off getting AGM deep cycle batts instead of wet cells...since you'll be able to charge them faster with a big charger and go a bit deeper on the cycling before needing a recharge. In this case...the DEKA DEEP cycle Intimidator Series give excellent bang for the buck. About twice as expensive as the wet cells...but will cut your charging generator time by about half with a big charger like the IOTA 90DLS since they can use ALL of the output instead of half of it. NOT recommended if you don't have a genny or a big charger but the best solution for EXTENDED boondocking if you do.

[MagnoliaTom]

Trojan. Have them in my golf cart

[realredrebel]

I have two 6 volt Trojan T-105s in my class C. Just installed them a month ago. They work grate so far. Got them for about $150 each.

[CLT]

Didn't even know that Optima didn't make a true deep cycle. Wonder what the reasoning is for that? They seem to know what they are doing by the positive reviews on Amazon (even some by RV'ers) Only negatives relate to shipping.

[f5moab]

I run a yellow top in my Hummer for a few reasons. One, no fluid will leak out and crawling boulders and banging around on ledges will help shorten the life of most batteries. Also, I needed a good compromise with a starter battery and a battery that could be discharged a few times if needed due to the electrical equipment added; including a large electric winch.

When my current Deka 27DCs die, I will replace them with AGM models. When taking the trailer off-road, the banging around does cause electrolyte to spill out of the batteries.

[camaraderie]

Originally Posted by f5moab

I run a yellow top in my Hummer for a few reasons. One, no fluid will leak out and crawling boulders and banging around on ledges will help shorten the life of most batteries. Also, I needed a good compromise with a starter battery and a battery that could be discharged a few times if needed due to the electrical equipment added; including a large electric winch.

When my current Deka 27DCs die, I will replace them with AGM models. When taking the trailer off-road, the banging around does cause electrolyte to spill out of the batteries.

I'm not saying AGM's are a bad choice...I'm saying Optimas are. They are pretty and marketed well. Spiral wound actually loses battery capacity. Suggest you look at the Deka Intimidator or Trojan AGM's in the SAME size and compare specs...then make your choice for your next AGM. Not saying Optima is poorly made or not reliable...saying you get less battery for your buck than with other AGM designs.

[f5moab]

Originally Posted by camaraderie

Not saying Optima is poorly made or not reliable...saying you get less battery for your buck than with other AGM designs.

Maybe my post was a bit confusing.
I was not implying I would ever consider an Optima for a deep cycle AGM replacement for the current Deka 27DC batteries.

Unless another brand comes along, the replacements will be either a Trojan or Deka AGM batteries.

Optima in my opinion are great batteries, have used them for years, and have noticed no difference in their reliability even after Johnson Controls purchased them. But the yellow and blue tops are multi-purpose; great for off-road vehicles, and maybe boats (can't say for sure) where constant banging of the battery can dislodge plates, where extremely hot conditions can destroy plates, and where some deep cycle power may be required on a minimal basis.

However, I totally agree. For a TRUE deep cycle battery (as I said earlier) Optima is not the answer!

After my last trip into the San Rafael Swell last month, I had enough electrolyte splash out of the trailer batteries to drop the fluid from the required fill level (checked after the trailers was attached to the vehicle and ready to travel) to just above the plates (as checked when I pulled the batteries to put them on a battery minder).

[TEC1957]

Thanks to all that replied to my request, GREAT advise!!!!