Dead battery dilemma

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

and Costco has the basic Interstate GC-2 (210AH) for about $85. not sure 10-20% more power is worth twice the price.

Not a member and the nearest one is over an hour away.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Interstate batteries (I'm assuming yours are Interstate since you think they're originals) use a date code engraved on the top of the battery. This link will show you how to read the code:

Battery Age - Interstate Batteries of Lake Havasu

It's a Nautilus battery and says H12 which sounds like August 2012 which seems a bit odd for a 2011 trailer unless the first owner upgraded after a year.

As for where to get new ones, I would think any place that sells deep cycle batteries is acceptable. A decent GC2 sized 6V deep cycle wet cell battery with high amp hours (in the 220 - 230 range) runs about $150 online, so two will be $300 or so.

Les Schwab has them. I do think I'll stick to the two as I hope to upgrade the tow vehicle soon and then the weight will be a non-issue and in the meantime I'm allowing for it anyway.

As a wet cell battery goes through charging and discharging cycles, some of the electrolyte in the cells is turned into a gas, which dissipates. So, the liquid levels in the cells drops slowly over time. That means you should add distilled water as needed. Check your batteries every few months or so. Add the distilled water just to the bottom of the fill holes so it completely covers the plates. Do this and your batteries will last a very long time.

Several sites said to discharge to about 50% for a couple of cycles and recharge to condition them. Do you worry about that with new batteries?

[Bobbie54]

I saw two types listed- https://www.lesschwab.com/batteries (You have to select RV on the drop down) but you are right, it only listed reserve. I can ask about that. They are very helpful here. I haven't asked the price yet as that is not my major concern.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

It's a Nautilus battery and says H12 which sounds like August 2012 which seems a bit odd for a 2011 trailer unless the first owner upgraded after a year.



Les Schwab has them. I do think I'll stick to the two as I hope to upgrade the tow vehicle soon and then the weight will be a non-issue and in the meantime I'm allowing for it anyway.



Several sites said to discharge to about 50% for a couple of cycles and recharge to condition them. Do you worry about that with new batteries?

Nautilus batteries are from Exide I believe, and I don't think Escape ever used them. Conditioning new batteries can statistically help extend battery life and useable capacity, but in all these years I've never really noticed a difference. I just use them as needed and don't worry about breaking them in. The one thing I do keep track of is not discharging them below 50% capacity repeatedly. That can shorten their life.

[gbaglo]

FWIW: Nautilus is sold by Canadian Tire in Canada.
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/search...utilus+battery

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

FWIW: Nautilus is sold by Canadian Tire in Canada.
Search Results | Canadian Tire

The trailer used to live in Canada so that makes sense. So probably batteries were replaced at some point. Perhaps to go from the standard 12V supplied ( a group 27 according to the brochure) to the twin 6V.

[gbaglo]

My choice is Trojan batteries. I have single group 27.
I wouldn't go out of my way to replace Nautilus with Nautilus.

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by padlin

Average 12v battery is about 80 amps, the older 2 12v Interstates are 230 amps, so a little more then 1/3rd.

The upgrade path from a single 12v to 2 of them is simple if you find you need more juice down the road.

Consider a single group 31 size battery for 100 amp-hours, more or less. You may have to replace the battery box to accommodate the larger size. Since they weigh about 75 pounds, upgrading to a pair might not be feasible. A group 31 size is about the largest common 12 v battery easily available at a reasonable price.

--
Alan

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

My choice is Trojan batteries. I have single group 27.
I wouldn't go out of my way to replace Nautilus with Nautilus.

I have no interest in Nautilus batteries- just trying to figure out the date code, though it really doesn't matter since they are deader than doornails anyway, regardless of age. Though I'd like not to go heavier so a guess as to weight would help. It's this battery http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mo...-0102499p.html but I can't find a weight listed.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

I'd like not to go heavier so a guess as to weight would help. Maybe I can find them on the Canadian tire website.

A pair of just about any GC2 deep cycle 6V batteries won't be any heavier than these two, at least not enough to make any difference. Most deep cycle 6V batteries of the same size are within a couple pounds of each other.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

I saw two types listed- https://www.lesschwab.com/batteries (You have to select RV on the drop down) but you are right, it only listed reserve. I can ask about that. They are very helpful here. I haven't asked the price yet as that is not my major concern.

The specs seem minimal for all of their batteries, so perhaps that's just their website choice and when you ask they can provide a more complete spec sheet.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

A pair of just about any GC2 deep cycle 6V batteries won't be any heavier than these two, at least not enough to make any difference. Most deep cycle 6V batteries of the same size are within a couple pounds of each other.

True, since all lead-acid batteries are plastic boxes filled with lead plates separated by an acid electrolyte, they all weigh about the same for a given size. Some manufacturers play with the dimensions a bit, but I agree for the weight to be handled the basic BCI size group is all you need.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

Though I'd like not to go heavier so a guess as to weight would help. It's this battery MotoMaster Nautilus Group 24 Starting & Deep Cycle Battery | Canadian Tire but I can't find a weight listed.

They can't really be exactly that battery unless the wiring has been changed from series to parallel, or there is only one battery, because that (like Group 24 batteries in general) is a 12-volt battery.

Canadian Tire's marine battery chart doesn't list any 6-volt models, so I wonder if you do really have a pair of 12-volt batteries in parallel. That's fine - it works - but the cable arrangement will need to be changed to use two 6-volt batteries in series. Of course if you make the change to a single 12-volt battery as originally discussed, the cable connections are easy (and you will have one or two cables left over from the current dual 6-volt or dual 12-volt setup).

While I'm not suggesting Nautilus batteries (a Canadian Tire house brand) and you're not planning on them, that chart is a handy listing of the dimensions and weights of common 12-volt battery sizes.

[Bobbie54]

I don't know how they are wired but definitely the same item number unless it has changed. Although it does say 625-70 instead of 675-65. There is no switch to change from one to the other as far as I know (I but wouldn't really know what I was looking for, either.)

[rbryan4]

The 625A / 70 means 625 cranking amps, and 70 amp hours. This battery isn't really suitable for the application. It looks like it's designed for a boat. Cranking amps means the number of amps available to start an engine when it's cold. High cranking amps are great for starting an engine, but irrelevant to a trailer.

Additionally, 70 amp hours is on the low side. Amp hours is the most relevant spec for use in a trailer, because it tells you how much power is available to you before you have to recharge. The higher the amp hours the better when it comes to off grid camping. Just to give you a comparison, the dual 6V Interstate batteries Escape installs when you choose the option, have about 232 amp hours vs the 70 here.

So having said all that, look for deep cycle batteries with high amp hours, and forget the cranking amps spec. Generally a battery that posts that spec on the case is not best suited for your trailer.

[Bobbie54]

They are what came with it. But good to know that I can do better with replacements!

[gbaglo]

I think the hint was in the name "Nautilus".
My recollection is that Walmart deep cell batteries are of the same or similar specs.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

I don't know how they are wired but definitely the same item number unless it has changed. Although it does say 625-70 instead of 675-65. There is no switch to change from one to the other as far as I know (I but wouldn't really know what I was looking for, either.)

The photo confirms the part number which you linked earlier, Bobbie - a Group 24 12-volt battery. If you have only one of these now, you can significantly increase capacity with a single larger 12-volt battery. If you have two of them (wired in parallel, without a switch), you can get about two-thirds of the total capacity with one larger 12-volt battery (Group 31, or maybe Group 29).

The specs will change slightly as the retailers changes suppliers, or changes model of battery from the same supplier.

Originally Posted by rbryan4

The 625A / 70 means 625 cranking amps, and 70 amp hours. This battery isn't really suitable for the application. It looks like it's designed for a boat. Cranking amps means the number of amps available to start an engine when it's cold. High cranking amps are great for starting an engine, but irrelevant to a trailer.

Certainly designed for a boat, but commonly used for RVs. The Group 27 Interstate battery which is stock in an Escape is probably still the SRM-27, and is the same type.

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Additionally, 70 amp hours is on the low side.

But quite typical for a Group 24 battery, simply because it's relatively small.

[Bobbie54]

I have two. I'll check the wiring. What on this tells you 12V vs. 6V? (Seems like a dumb question but I don't see voltage listed.)

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

I have two. I'll check the wiring. What on this tells you 12V vs. 6V? (Seems like a dumb question but I don't see voltage listed.)

Count the cells. A 12V wet cell battery has 6 cells (2 volts each cell) and a 6V has 3 cells. Also, a 12V wet cell is usually longer than a 6V. Here's a picture of the same battery you have, just with updated labeling. There are 3 cells under each cap. 6 cells means a 12V battery.