Battery Repacement Time

[skiman]

My 2014 is due for batteries. I have twin 6 volt Interstates now. Modifications to the battery box gaskets has eliminated false propane alarms.

If I stay with flooded lead acid who makes the best? I saw some really bad reviews on Cosco for Interstates. They may be cheapies for Cosco. I have had no problems with Interstates but they don't make the same model anymore. Some say Trojan are really good. Thoughts?

Also considering AGM. I have a Wildcat convertor replacement and wonder if that is compatible. Also I have a NASA BM-1 Compact battery monitor and am not sure if that will work properly. I have emails in to BestConvertor and NASA. (NASA is an English company not the rocket guys)

The Gopower control has an AGM setting.

Lastly I would like to leave the battery box intact. Can I find a pair 6 volt AGM's that will fit?

The flooded have worked well for me, any downsides to AGM's?

[tractors1]

Same age trailer; had my battery load tested in Dec and it checked out ok! https://www.crownbattery.com/news/tr...ycle-batteries

[Vermilye]

Trojan makes truly deep cycle 6V batteries. Most manufacturers of 6V batteries make real deep cycle - a single 6V battery would not be useful as a starter battery for an automobile. That said, there are inexpensive, poor quality batteries out there.

If you switch to AGM, again, Trojan makes them, but in my opinion Lifeline makes the best AGM batteries. A pair of their GC2 sized Lifeline 6v 220 AH Deep Cycle Sealed AGM Battery GPL-4CT batteries should fit the Escape battery box.

Some manufacturers of AGM batteries require that any equalization charging stage be shut off; Lifeline allows equalization. While the original WFCO does not have an equalization stage, I believe the Wildcat does. I don't know if it can be shut off other than manually with the Wizard pendant.

[skiman]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Same age trailer; had my battery load tested in Dec and it checked out ok! https://www.crownbattery.com/news/tr...ycle-batteries

Charlie, Where did you take your battery to test it? The testing at auto parts store advertised? I have babied my batteries.

[fudge_brownie]

I babied mine as well. Still had to replace them last year. The issue was they did not have the longevity I was accustomed to due to issues taking a charge. This was most noticeable when using solar, which for me is 80% of the time. All observations were via a smart battery monitor. A TriMetric.

I replaced with Crown AGM, dual six volt. Fit the box fine. Got rid of my false alarms. In looking for replacements I wanted a discharge cycle of 3,000 times. That appeared to be a distinguishing characteristic compared to lower quality.

Beside off gassing my other complaint about Interstate and Trojan flooded batteries is their recommendation of 15.2 volts of charge.

[Rossue]

My Costco Interstate GC2(same as Escape installs) are 62 months old. I tested them last week with a hydrometer(following directions) and they are in great shape. Am outside Death Valley and in the low sun the Go Power says 13.7.

For what they cost- about $95/ea. I will just replace with same. Just turned on inverter and am charging my phone as a test. Readout now is 12.8.

[HABBERDABBER]

Ahoy, Paul


5 or 6 years of flooded lead acid life span sounds about right to me. What was the deficiency of your old ones prior to replacement? Run time?



How are the new ones an improvement at over 2X the cost of flooded replacements? Twice the......what?



I don't have an out-gassing annoyance issue with my exterior storage location.


I'm coming up on replacements for mine and wondering on your selection criteria, other than alarm annoyance.

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by skiman

Charlie, Where did you take your battery to test it? The testing at auto parts store advertised? I have babied my batteries.

I took them to a local Interstate Batteries retail store.

[fudge_brownie]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

Ahoy, Paul
5 or 6 years of flooded lead acid life span sounds about right to me. What was the deficiency of your old ones prior to replacement? Run time?
While boondocking for two weeks the batteries would charge during the day from solar but the next morning they would be much lower than usual. Son Peter would have to charge his iPad overnight but more impact came from his use of a cPap overnight. We were waking up sometimes nearing 50% remaining in the battery. The battery would charge again during the day and we would repeat the loss overnight.

I had tested the batteries with a hydrometer and did not find anything amiss in the results.

I think they were having trouble holding a charge. I could not generate enough voltage to Equalize.

How are the new ones an improvement at over 2X the cost of flooded replacements? Twice the......what?
Yes, that twice the cost issue is the biggie. The new batteries are much improved over the aging Interstates. Are they better than new Interstates? AGM are somewhat better able to handle a discharge below 50%, they also charge a bit faster to charge than a flooded. Other than off gassing being reduced they probably do not warrant a double cost. I think I obtained a fair price for mine, the pair were $462. There was a distributor in Madison that had a comparable product and price but I do not have my notes any longer.


I don't have an out-gassing annoyance issue with my exterior storage location.
I got tired of the alarms and installed a kill switch. Also got tired of the campground host tracking me down at the beach to tell me my camper was alarming. Those interstates stored inside the camper did not like shore power, thus the night time alarms and did not like solar and the high charge rates with lots of off gassing.

I'm coming up on replacements for mine and wondering on your selection criteria, other than alarm annoyance.

Based on my review, I purchased the AGM's in June of 2019, so I only got five years out of the original Interstates. I was hoping for a longer life span.

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

...
How are the new ones an improvement at over 2X the cost of flooded replacements? Twice the......what?
...

The "whats" for AGM's vs Flooded?

How about half the self-discharge? Give them a tiny bit of solar and they will stay 100% charged all winter. No worries about freezing.

And way better than half the maintenance. I look at mine once a year and forget about them.

That's worth half the extra cost for me.
--
Alan

[HABBERDABBER]

"That's worth half the extra cost for me."


I'm not trying to get into any imbroglio, just looking for advice and direct experience.



I'll keep looking.

[Doug2000]

I had an Nautilus G27 AGM battery from Canadian Tire on my last Escape. I found it really stable, it never seemed to drop voltage after sitting for long periods over the winter.

When I replace the Interstate that is on my 2020 19, it will be AGM mainly because their maintenance free and sealed.

[Perry Butler]

We have Crown AGM batteries. The batteries are located underneath the dinette bench and I didn't want to have to check the water levels in that location, besides after 15 previous campers I was sick and tired of always checking/filling the water level. AGM's charge slightly faster than flooded. Crown is OK with equalizing, so our GoPower is set for flooded, not AGM.

They were purchased for about $450 delivered to our door. That's $200 more than a set of Trojan flooded and you never have to check water level, worth it for my aging body. Lifelines were nearly $700 plus delivery/pickup/taxes. You do get to brag you have Lifelines for that extra $250 though.

OTOH, if our Crowns crapped out today we'd purchase SiO2 batteries from Azimuth Solar Products.

Enjoy,

Perry

[Vermilye]

2X on the SiO2 technology. Many of the advantages of lithium without the temperature disadvantages. The weigh the same as lead acid, so you won't save weight, but they can stand much further discharges than standard lead acid.

[Tford]

Replaced my 2014's last year. Just one tip, shop golf cart retailers for the battery you end up wanting. I got a pretty good deal by calling around to those guys, the one salesman I bought from told me he put me under a golf course account who bought bunches of them from his company and I got the discount. Also, if you go back with lead acid, get a valved cap watering system to pump the distilled in them without the hassle of pulling the battery box top off...
I guess that was 2 tips!

[MyronL]

I don't see any lithium battery temperature disadvantage. Last night again, like for the last 2-3 weeks, it was in the teens again here. Outside, my Battleborn lithium continues to maintain a steady 13.3 volts.

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by MyronL

I don't see any lithium battery temperature disadvantage. Last night again, like for the last 2-3 weeks, it was in the teens again here. Outside, my Battleborn lithium continues to maintain a steady 13.3 volts.

According to Battleborn, they should not be charged at temperatures below 32°F. Their BMS is suppose to prevent this. You can draw power from them down to -4°F.

[MyronL]

My trailer has been (and is currently) plugged into shore power, all winter. WFCO seems to be keeping things consistently happy.

[AndNeitherDoI]

Originally Posted by skiman

Lastly I would like to leave the battery box intact. Can I find a pair 6 volt AGM's that will fit?

Escape sent me this link for AGM’s that fit in the battery box.

Due to Covid, I installed the batteries and they fit.

[skiman]

Took my original Interstates in to their store. One good, one bad. Ended up replacing with same flooded lead acid. Six years not bad and most economical.