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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / May 2005battery and charger
Hello, We are in the market for a new battery. I read that a maintence free battery is not the way to go but.... some people advise buying the yellow top deep cycle Optima. I think it is a maintence free battery. Suggestions for a good battery? Secondly, we need to buy a 3 stage charger. The prices vary considerably. Suggestions for a good reliable charger which produces the 3 stages of charging? I would appreciate advice on what to buy and where to purchase. Thanks, Elaine > Hello, > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Thanks, > Elaine You want a deep discharge. For information on batteries try: http://www.batteryfaq.org A three stage charger gets pretty expensive. If this for for a pop up camper you may just want to get about a 10 to 12 amp charger with a deep discharge setting. You can find them at WalMart. I am using a pair of 6 volt golf cart batteries (220 ampere hours). They are about $50 each at SAMS. I have had an Optima (red top) in my Toyota since 93, Still goin strong! Searcher1 > I have had an Optima (red top) in my Toyota since 93, Still goin strong! That is not a deep cycle use. A yellow top (marine) would be better for RV use but pretty expensive. They are desiged more for high current starting. I don't find their ampere hour rating in their specifications. > A yellow top (marine) would be better for RV use I thought the blue-top Optima was the one for RV. Can you shed some light on my confusion. (A tall order, to be sure. <g>) <http://www.optimabatteries.com/> > but pretty expensive. You said it. I am *JUST* looking at the largest blue-top and it's ~$200! I think I'll stick with flooded, lead acid batteries for a while. :) JR > > A yellow top (marine) would be better for RV use > > I thought the blue-top Optima was the one for RV. Can you shed some light on > my confusion. (A tall order, to be sure. <g>) All I went by was the optima site showed the yellow as being deep cycle: http://www.optimabatteries.com/publish/optima/americas0/en/config/product_info/a utomotive/deep_cycle.html > I am *JUST* looking at the largest blue-top and it's ~$200! I think I'll > stick with flooded, lead acid batteries for a while. As I said I am using the SAMS Golf Cart (220 amp hours). $100 for the pair. I don't see the ampere hours listed for the Optima. > As I said I am using the SAMS Golf Cart (220 amp hours). $100 for the pair. I used the same setup for the first three seasons on my travel trailer. At the end of the third season, one of them died. The Sam's Club near where we were camping had only ONE, so I was forced to go back to a Group 27 (31, really) 12VDC battery. The biggest problem I had with the golf car batteries was that I was never able to find a battery BOX to fit them. As such, they were exposed to the elements. That didn't hurt the batteries one bit but the metal structure they rode in on the tongue of the trailer rusted TERRIBLY due to acid run-off. With the Honda EU2000i now, I am no longer anxious to upgrade from the single battery. > I don't see the ampere hours listed for the Optima. Well, if "reserve capacity" is the specification you're looking for (I *THINK* it is amp hours) the yellow AND blue top Optima batteries have 120... no, wait. That's MINUTES of some sort, right? Both the yellow AND blue top come in dual purpose (starting and deep cycle) forms. I guess that, when the time comes, I'll have to call Optima and ASK them which is best for an RV. The blue top webpage is their ONLY page that even mentions "R/V". They tout the blue top for TROLLING and if that isn't the ultimate in deep cycle, I don't know what is. :) JR  Signature2000 Skamper Ultra 249 TT 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Vortec 8100 - Allison 1000 > Well, if "reserve capacity" is the specification you're looking for (I *THINK* > it is amp hours) the yellow AND blue top Optima batteries have 120... no, > wait. That's MINUTES of some sort, right? This site lists gives the ampere hours. The Blue has the best rating. You have to go to the GPL-27T to get the capacity of a standard deep discharge. http://www.invertersrus.com/optimabatteries.html AMPERE HOURS: 34M as 50, 43.5 pounds 31M as 75. GPL-24T as 80 GPL-27T as 100 - 65 pounds What we really need is the GPL-8D. 225 Ampere hours. Just a little problem: 162 pounds!! (not to talk about cost!! = $442) http://www.invertersrus.com/batteries.html That GPL-8D is about the same ampere hours as the golf cart. I can buy four sets for the price of one of those GPL-8D I have a small 5th wheel. I put a golf cart in an area on each side in front. > That GPL-8D is about the same ampere hours as the golf cart. I can buy > four sets for the price of one of those GPL-8D Yeah, they're pretty high-priced for sure. My use for them would be to put one in each of two, front, interior cabinets. This would provide security for them as I can see such an expensive battery being otherwise readily stolen. In the cabinets I have, they would be virtually permanently installed and inaccessible for ANY sort of maintenance. This might happen if/when I get an inverter setup for my TT. With the $1k I spent on the Honda genset, that's likely NOT to happen for a long time. Thanks for providing the informative link. :) JR Signature2000 Skamper Ultra 249 TT 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Vortec 8100 - Allison 1000 >Hello, > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >Thanks, >Elaine Hi, Get two 6 Volt Golf cart batteries from Sams Club for about $50 each. Check to see what type of 3 stage chargers they have there or at Wal Mart. From what I read they are Vectors and charge at about 30 amps which will be more then enough. If you don't like the golf cart battery idea, probably the cheapest way to go, then whatever battery make you decide on you should try and get a deep discharge battery. Marine type batteries are not true deep discharge batteries but they are better then car starting batteries, and if you don't use them a lot are fine. Trojan makes a series 31 12V deep discharge, I used to have 3 of them. Very good battery but also expensive. Take care and Happy Campin... RichA "We Get Too Soon Olde and Too Late Smart" Doubt if you'll find a better deal on a three stage charger. These are factory re-furbished. http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=167612 Jim > Hello, > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Thanks, > Elaine
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