Coach battery replacement.

[bluecolorkat]

I have a 2016 Geogetown 335DS and need to replace my 4 coach batteries, size 27. Has anyone replaced with a deep cycle AGM type? Is it worth the extra money over lead acid. It appears the Inteli-power converter/charger is set up to do both types of batterys. We only dry camp a few days a year, but travel and stay 5-6 months in it every year, so use shore power most of the time. Would be nice to have maintenance free and not have to add water every 6 months.

Jim O. North Georgia Mtns.

[Schvarak]

Originally Posted by bluecolorkat

I have a 2016 Geogetown 335DS and need to replace my 4 coach batteries, size 27. Has anyone replaced with a deep cycle AGM type? Is it worth the extra money over lead acid. It appears the Inteli-power converter/charger is set up to do both types of batterys. We only dry camp a few days a year, but travel and stay 5-6 months in it every year, so use shore power most of the time. Would be nice to have maintenance free and not have to add water every 6 months.

Jim O. North Georgia Mtns.

Every 6 months??? No wonder your batteries are trash. I top off my two batteries with distilled water every month. It's usually minimal, but I've had new batteries that show no signs of deterioration after three years. Get yourself the battery refill kit with a hand pump. Takes me less than 2 minutes a month to keep them full. Saves a lot of time and money! Took me 10 minutes to install.

[Walter Pigeon]

Originally Posted by bluecolorkat

I have a 2016 Geogetown 335DS and need to replace my 4 coach batteries, size 27. Has anyone replaced with a deep cycle AGM type? Is it worth the extra money over lead acid. It appears the Inteli-power converter/charger is set up to do both types of batterys. We only dry camp a few days a year, but travel and stay 5-6 months in it every year, so use shore power most of the time. Would be nice to have maintenance free and not have to add water every 6 months.

Jim O. North Georgia Mtns.

In June we replaced or lead acids with Full River AGM's work great and no more checking battery levels.

[my10539isok]

Originally Posted by Walter Pigeon

In June we replaced or lead acids with Full River AGM's work great and no more checking battery levels.

Since the coach batteries in my '16 270 are very inconvenient to reach, I would be very interested in the longevity of these batteries in your application. Please report in the future.

Thanks. - Mark

[Schvarak]

Originally Posted by my10539isok

Since the coach batteries in my '16 270 are very inconvenient to reach, I would be very interested in the longevity of these batteries in your application. Please report in the future.

Thanks. - Mark

I'd be willing to bet their AGMs cost triple what I paid for my almost 4 year old 27s $90 per and $1.00 for the gallon of distilled water to keep them working properly. Spending a little on the water pump so I don't have to work around the batteries individually to keep them full was also a money and time saver!!

[formerFR]

our 2014 stock batteries are still going strong...why do you need to change yours??

85,000+ miles over 4 years, and a LOT of dry camping - we know.

[Schvarak]

Originally Posted by formerFR

our 2014 stock batteries are still going strong...why do you need to change yours??

85,000+ miles over 4 years, and a LOT of dry camping - we know.

I don't! You really need to indicate who you are pointing at.

[Walter Pigeon]

Originally Posted by my10539isok

Since the coach batteries in my '16 270 are very inconvenient to reach, I would be very interested in the longevity of these batteries in your application. Please report in the future.

Thanks. - Mark

Mark... If we run into any issues or dissatisfaction with the AGM's I will be sure to post a report. We have a solar array we built to charge the batteries when boondocking.
If my memory is correct they aren't cheap like $297 each (veterans discount) from Battery Warehouse
Walt

[bluecolorkat]

My battery control center appears to have failed and the converter power did not go thru the controller to charge the 4 batterys, so batterys dropped to 4 volts. Have been trying to bring them back to life but May have been down to long. So looking at My options if I have to replace the house batteries. Meanwhile I have sent my battery control center off to RV Custom Products the manufacturer of the BCC to bench check.

[bluecolorkat]

Has anyone tried the Duracell AGM deep cycle marine batteries for their coach batteries?


Some of the discount warehouses have them for $159 for group 27 size.

[wvphil]

I have a 2013 378. It came with two house batteries vs four that I think newer models have. I do not have solar. I replaced my batteries with these AGM’s purchased at sam’s club in feb 2016 at price of 179 each at that time. Ive used the batteries since then and they are still performing well. I run the residential frig on battery power greater than 12 hours often with no problems. Before replacing the batteries I was getting 6 to 8 hours before the inverter would shut off due to low voltage. Ive not had this happen since installing the AGM’s. I like the AGM’s. Dont have to worry about water and they seem to hold charge well when sitting in cold weather. I live in WV and have not removed the batteries in winter although I do run my onan 5500 generator for thirty minutes under load with two ceramic heaters once each month.

[jake wolfpack]

Duracell is one of the best!

[270S]

All batteries are not equal. It would be like saying a car is a car. No plug here, but as a battery distributor, I can say, you get what you pay for. Duracell is for "flashlights." and any AGM NOT in the $350-$400 range retail is going to be ____. Always your choice, but Lifeline is always mine. I've used and sold them for 2 decades.

FYI, my wholesale cost is significantly higher than the Sam's AGM retail.

Here's the 2nd house bank and a 3KW inverter/chgr (behind batteries) I added. Yes, I run my AC on batteries overnight!

[jake wolfpack]

Originally Posted by 270S

All batteries are not equal. It would be like saying a car is a car. No plug here, but as a battery distributor, I can say, you get what you pay for. Duracell is for "flashlights." and any AGM NOT in the $350-$400 range retail is going to be ____. Always your choice, but Lifeline is always mine. I've used and sold them for 2 decades.

FYI, my wholesale cost is significantly higher than the Sam's AGM retail.

Here's the 2nd house bank and a 3KW inverter/chgr (behind batteries) I added. Yes, I run my AC on batteries overnight!

You are implying Duracell actually makes the battery. False. Made by the same company that also brands the most respected battery in the marine industry.

[wvphil]

Not to stir the pot but I will add the Duracells I purchased from Sams a little over two years ago seem to be holding up well. Definitely will run the residential fridge for longer period of time without kicking inverter off for low voltage than original batteries installed in the coach even when they were new. 270s definitely has a quality system but one has to balance their needs and work within the budget they have to spend on aux power. Some pockets are deeper than others. Guess thats why Prevost and Newell hasn’t put Forest River out of business yet. Lol

[jake wolfpack]

I had the pleasure of driving my friends Newell across the country several times. Unbelievable machine.