Battery Replacement

[Boots1956]

Greetings! I need to replace my batteries. I saw some posts but not any recent ones. Can anyone recommend a good battery? The last ones lasted only 1-1/2 yr. Obviously, I got the wrong type/bad battery for my little wagon.
Oh, I have a 2015 Escape 21. Thanks!

[Ron in BC]

1 1/2 years is an exceptionally poor service life. Were they deep cycle?

If so, maybe you should do an overview of what your charging voltage and usage etc. is before investing in new batteries.

Ron

[Eggscape]

And the general rule is not use your battery below 12 volts. Doing so is said to shorten it’s life.

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

1 1/2 years is an exceptionally poor service life. Were they deep cycle?

If so, maybe you should do an overview of what your charging voltage and usage etc. is before investing in new batteries.

Ron

I agree that 1-1/2 yrs seems very poor. I am just finishing up the 10th year of use on the factory supplied twin 6V batteries in our 2013 Escape 19'. I have finally noticed that their performance is noticeably poorer than when new and will likely change them out for another pair of comparable 6V batteries next spring.

[LarryandLiz]

Originally Posted by Boots1956

Greetings! I need to replace my batteries. I saw some posts but not any recent ones. Can anyone recommend a good battery? The last ones lasted only 1-1/2 yr. Obviously, I got the wrong type/bad battery for my little wagon.
Oh, I have a 2015 Escape 21. Thanks!

Hi. I think you might get replacement battery suggestions if you inform us on your trailer setup (do you have solar? One or two batteries) and what type of usage you have (boon docking or power sites, what do you use your batteries for).

Larry

[Boots1956]

Thanks. No, they were not deep cycle. I think that's where I went wrong. I got Interstate GC2-ECL-UTL.

[Rossue]

So- you have a 2015 trailer that you put two new Interstate 6V batteries in 18 months ago and now they're bad?

[canakiwi]

I am about to replace the same two six bolt interstate batteries (they are deep cycle was supplied by escape when new). Mine are four years old and have done over 550 nights boondboondocking with standard escape 170 solar package.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Boots1956

Thanks. No, they were not deep cycle. I think that's where I went wrong. I got Interstate GC2-ECL-UTL.

all GC2 (golf cart) batteries are deep cycle.

so... that 18 months or so, what was your usage pattern? do you have solar? was your trailer parked for months at a time with no use, and no power? if they were flooded golf cart batts (most are, flooded batts have caps on top for inspecting the acid level), did you check the electrolyte levels from time to time, and top them off with distilled water?

[Boots1956]

I just bought the new Interstate batteries today as the replacement. The ones that went bad were not deep cycle. I'm very new at this (obviously) so I appreciate all the advice. I think I just had the wrong type of battery before. Thanks for all your help. Happy Trails

[John in Santa Cruz]

all 6V GC2 (golf cart) batteries are deep cycle

[M & M]

Hi John.
I'm seeking advice; I have the same Interstate 6V Deep Cycle/Flooded batteries, they came with the trailer bought new 2 1/2 years ago, I have done all the required maintenance, but now they don't hold the charge anymore. My trailer has 190 solar panels.
I don't want to replace them with the same brand (Interstate)
Do you have a suggestion? or can you point me to a website with reliable information?
Mario

[John in Santa Cruz]

were they stored fully charged, ideally with either the solar panels or the power converter maintaining them? they certainly should still be good at 2-1/2 years...

If you want to stay with lead acid, Trojan T105 are a good choice. They are very popular with golf cart operators
https://www.trojanbattery.com/product/t-105/

[M & M]

Yes John, you are right, after 2-1/2 years the batteries should not have failed. Interstate Deep Cycle batteries have poor reviews by other users, therefore, my trust on the brand has been lost
I will follow your advice and purchase the Trojan T105.
Thank you again,
Mario

[Rossue]

Costco has been selling Interstate batteries, including GC2's for quite a while. My first set of 6V Interstates lasted seven years and were still going, yet opted to replace while on a trip and a Costco was nearby.

It isn't hard to let the electrolyte level get low- especially with solar and lots of sunshine like there is in So Cal. Check the level 2X/year and you should be fine.

One Trojan T-105 is more than two Interstate GC 2's @ Costco.

[HABBERDABBER]

I am not sure of this, but Interstate may have 2 versions of it's deep cycle 6V batteries. Locally, at an Interstate distributor, the price was the same as a Trojan. Costco may sell a lower cost & lower performance version of the Interstate 6V.

Awhile ago, I was at the Costco battery counter and a fellow was returning a kaput Interstate 6V that he had bought for a golf cart. Lasted only a few months.

Worth looking in depth at the Interstate website for specifics.

My original 6V Interstates are 6 years old and still chugging along, but I will replace them with Trojans in the Spring.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Note when you are price shopping, the Costco Interstate GC2's are the budget lower capacity Interstate, I think they are 205AH instead of 225AH.

I too used those in my E21, prior to my conversion to Lithium. I got them in early 2018, and they were still going strong early 2022 when I got the lithiums. I sold them cheap to a guy who wanted to build a homebrew UPS for his garage fridge... Key to getting good battery life out of lead acids is to always store them fully charged, and when they are discharged, recharge as soon as practical. plus I live in a very mild climate, so they were very rarely subjected to 100F heats, and never to below freezing.

[Viajante]

Interstate is a brand, not a manufacturer. There are a bunch of suppliers. That may account for the inconsistent experiences.

If you want to comparison shop, check out Duracell from Batteries Plus.

[HABBERDABBER]

"Interstate does make an upgraded GC2-ECL (extreme cycle) battery, which unfortunately Costco does not carry. "

A ton of unhappy buyers and reviews.

[Rossue]

The Costco GC2's are 210 AH; the only other flooded Interstate GC2's are at most 225 AH.
https://www.interstatebatteries.com/.../extreme-cycle