|
05-17-2015, 10:44 AM
|
#1
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: North Bend, Washington
Trailer: 2015 21 ft
Posts: 14
|
Battery choices.
Expecting delivery of 21 footer Dec 2015 so have not finalized options yet. Would like to initially get 12 volt battery and perhaps upgrade to dual 6 volt in the future. When I contacted ETI was told the boxes that hold a 12 volt battery can not hold two 6 volt batteries. What options short of ordering 6 volt batteries in build process do I have for retrofit later. Thanks
|
|
|
05-17-2015, 10:47 AM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia
Trailer: 2008 Escape 17b
Posts: 1,868
|
If you think you may upgrade to 2 six volt batteries in the future, why not do that now.
|
|
|
05-17-2015, 10:54 AM
|
#3
|
Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,040
|
Jim just finished the change you're asking about. He'd be a good resource for the information you seek: http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f8...olts-5240.html
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
|
|
|
05-17-2015, 10:58 AM
|
#4
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: North Bend, Washington
Trailer: 2015 21 ft
Posts: 14
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by J Mac
If you think you may upgrade to 2 six volt batteries in the future, why not do that now.
|
Trailer may be idle for 2 years until we retire. Not sure if longevity of the batteries will suffer. Also expense, and was told by NAPA that availability of 6 volt batteries when on the road may be a factor.
|
|
|
05-17-2015, 11:20 AM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA (Little Elsie) Extensively Personalized
Posts: 2,969
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by BREWMASTER
Trailer may be idle for 2 years until we retire. Not sure if longevity of the batteries will suffer. Also expense, and was told by NAPA that availability of 6 volt batteries when on the road may be a factor.
|
You can almost always find a golf cart dealer wherever you are, and they carry 6 volt batteries so I put no credence in what NAPA told you. Secondly, should you have an unexpected battery failure you can always purchase a 12 volt battery and use it until you get a couple of sixes. Why don't you just explain your concerns to Reace and ask him if he can use the larger battery box and a 12 volt battery to provide for a future conversion to dual sixes. And idle batteries maintained by a smart charger typically don't have longevity problems. What kills batteries is sulphation, which is not as likely if batteries are properly maintained.
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
|
|
|
05-17-2015, 11:29 AM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Olathe, Kansas
Trailer: 2015 21ft Escape "Spirit of the Plains", 2014 GMC Sierra with max tow package
Posts: 1,100
|
Have the dual sixes installed during the build and it will save expense and a big hassle later. Loren
|
|
|
05-17-2015, 11:35 AM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Southern Alberta, Alberta
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA
Posts: 1,734
|
Battery choices.
The dial 6 volt batteries are nice even if you just go away for the weekend, no power worries. I would have them installed now and save the expense and hassle later.
Cheers
Doug
__________________
Cheers
Doug
|
|
|
05-17-2015, 11:50 AM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,786
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by BREWMASTER
When I contacted ETI was told the boxes that hold a 12 volt battery can not hold two 6 volt batteries. What options short of ordering 6 volt batteries in build process do I have for retrofit later. Thanks
|
Being a life long mariner I never put all my eggs in one basket. I've always had the redundancy of 2 and 3 bank systems.
I ordered my 19 with one 12 volt. Up to that time they'd been welding on two angle cross bars to hold the battery. Because I also was adding my own tongue box I asked them to not weld on the cross bars. They didn't, they bolted it on. The point being that they are somewhat flexible in these things.
I brought my trailer home and added a second 12 volt battery and a multi-positon battery switch. I use one battery at a time and usually have one fully charged in reserve. In the event of a battery failure I'm not stuck without a battery.
Ron
|
|
|
05-17-2015, 12:39 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Arvada, Colorado
Trailer: 2015 E'21 - 'Velocity'. Tow: Toyota Tacoma V6, 4X4, manual.
Posts: 1,692
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by BREWMASTER
Trailer may be idle for 2 years until we retire. Not sure if longevity of the batteries will suffer.
|
This is a worthwhile concern. Lead/Acid batteries do have a finite life even if kept on the proper charge/maintenance schedule. Ask anyone with a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) for their computer. They stay on a well-regulated float supply and still fail at 3 to 4 years. Your battery may of course last longer if higher quality or larger, but it will fail.
I'm ordered my Escape with the minimum 12v battery with the intention of upgrading to a pair of sealed, no-maintenance marine batteries at some point. Yes, I may have to discard the original battery box assuming I purchase a different group size. And as others have pointed out, it will be easier if Escape builds the 6v boxes now but installs a 12 battery. At least in the 21 there is plenty of room for 3 boxes to live side by side.
In an extreme case, that might in fact be Brewmaster's scenario, the absolute minimum battery required would be enough to run the electric emergency trailer brakes required by law. A cheap 12v battery that small could sit in one of the 6v battery boxes and be discarded in 2 years when the trailer is put into active service.
--
Alan
|
|
|
05-17-2015, 03:32 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
|
If you order the the group 29 battery option, ETI installs the larger battery box which holds dual 6 volts. That is what I did, so just ask for the larger box, regardless of which battery you choose.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
|
|
|
05-17-2015, 05:13 PM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA (Little Elsie) Extensively Personalized
Posts: 2,969
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by alanmalk
This is a worthwhile concern. Lead/Acid batteries do have a finite life even if kept on the proper charge/maintenance schedule. Ask anyone with a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) for their computer. They stay on a well-regulated float supply and still fail at 3 to 4 years. Your battery may of course last longer if higher quality or larger, but it will fail.
Alan
|
Yes, all batteries eventually fail. But I can say from experience I took a deep cycle battery that an acquaintance was disposing because it was "no good" and using a desulphating charger, brought it back to "life" in about a months time, then used it for approximately 5 years. While desulphation chargers are more expensive, my deep cycle batteries tend to last between 7 and 10 years in Florida, and heat causes batteries to fail prematurely, not cold. So when I previously stated "properly maintained," I meant by a smart charger that has desulphation capabilities. Most batteries die before their time due to improper maintenance caused by sulphur build up on the plates which shorts out the battery's cells.
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
|
|
|
05-17-2015, 09:26 PM
|
#12
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: MeNo$, Wisconsin
Trailer: 19' - Oct 2o15
Posts: 29
|
Good Morning Carl - -
Which desulphation charger do you use ?
They seem to have a very large range in price. What should look for in these chargers ?
Do you know of an "educational page" on these chargers ?
Thank You Cark for your thoughts.
uw
|
|
|
05-17-2015, 09:37 PM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SLO County, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21C 2019 Expedition
Posts: 5,213
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008
If you order the the group 29 battery option, ETI installs the larger battery box which holds dual 6 volts. That is what I did, so just ask for the larger box, regardless of which battery you choose.
|
Good tip; showed my 21 to a couple today and the topic of non-listed options came up more than once. Pays to tune in. Have to say it again....for us, where we live/camp the Group 29 12V is more than adequate after 100+ nights so far. Never goes below 3/4 charge even with a week of clouds/rain.
Edit: we do have the 160W solar panel.
|
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|