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  1. #1
    Rolling Along Rgpracer's Avatar
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    Interstate Batts & our RV

    I am going from one batt and installing a second one....that being said, the one battery I have now is a Duracell RV/Deep Cycle GP24.....first, I'm not sure how big a group i can go up to in my 230, whether or not a 27 or even a 31 but going to find that out.

    I think I'm going with Interstate batteries and just buy two matching ones. I know nothing of Duracell RV battsm but do know of Interstates. Has anyone had good/bad experiences with the Interstate brand? I've read a lot of RV'ers do with a lot of brands that I'm not familiar with, so, for now, thought I'd stay with a more "name brand" to me anyway.

    Thanks for your input.
    Msgt Ray (Ret) and Margie Parker
    2022 GD 303RLS w/Gen-Y gooseneck
    2020 Ram 2500 HD Cummins 6.7/3.73 gears

  2. #2
    Site Sponsor Jerryr's Avatar
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    Jerry & Linda
    Emma & Abby our Mini Golden Doodles & JR our Amazon Parrot
    2017 Reflection 337RLS, Build Date 01/2017, Titan Disk Brakes, Goodyear G614s 235/85/16 G Rated tires
    2022 F-450 King Ranch Ultimate, 4,868 lb Payload, Bedrug Bedliner, Andersen Ultimate II Aluminum 5th wheel hitch
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  3. #3
    Rolling Along Rgpracer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerryr View Post
    Are Interstates a good battery?
    Msgt Ray (Ret) and Margie Parker
    2022 GD 303RLS w/Gen-Y gooseneck
    2020 Ram 2500 HD Cummins 6.7/3.73 gears

  4. #4
    Big Traveler Txfivver's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rgpracer View Post
    Are Interstates a good battery?
    I've had good luck with my Interstate batteries in the 2 yrs I've had them. My trailer is plugged in to 50 amp service when stored so they are constantly taking whatever little charge they need from the converter. I've only had to add a little water to them once in 2 years, that's pretty nice. I know they're just considered a basic wet cell deep cycle battery but they've done well for me.
    2019 Solitude 375RES Onan 5500 Splendide W/D Samsung res. fridge
    2020 Ford F450 Platinum dually 6.7L 4:30 gears
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    Jeff

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    Big Traveler Txfivver's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rgpracer View Post
    Are Interstates a good battery?
    Not sure why I got a double post here but erased it.
    2019 Solitude 375RES Onan 5500 Splendide W/D Samsung res. fridge
    2020 Ford F450 Platinum dually 6.7L 4:30 gears
    B&W Companion for Ford puck system 20K lbs
    Jeff

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    Neither Interstate or Duracell manufacture lead acid batteries. Interstate buys most of theirs from Clarios, which was formerly Johnson Controls. East Penn is the primary producer of Duracell branded lead-acid batteries.

    You can get the same battery as the Interstate at Autozone as a Duralast for a decent savings.
    John & Kathy
    2014 F250 Lariat FX4 6.2L SBCC
    2014 Reflection 303RLS
    SW Indiana

  7. #7
    Site Sponsor Jerryr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jkwilson View Post
    Neither Interstate or Duracell manufacture lead acid batteries. Interstate buys most of theirs from Clarios, which was formerly Johnson Controls. East Penn is the primary producer of Duracell branded lead-acid batteries.

    You can get the same battery as the Interstate at Autozone as a Duralast for a decent savings.

    Autozone Group 27 Duralast is $99 l+$18 core deposit. Costco at $87 for an Interstate Brand seems like a better deal.

    Regardless of what battery you use you should totally disconnect it when in storage when not plugged into shore power. The trailer battery shut off switch does not totally disconnect all current draws.

    Most of us have installed a separate marine battery disconnect at the battery positive terminal.
    Last edited by Jerryr; 03-19-2021 at 01:11 PM.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerryr View Post
    Autozone Group 27 Duralast is $99 l+$18 core deposit. Costco at $87 for an Interstate Brand seems like a better deal.

    Regardless of what battery you use you should totally disconnect it when in storage when not plugged into shore power. The trailer battery shut off switch does not totally disconnect all current draws.

    Most of us have installed a separate marine battery disconnect at the battery positive terminal.
    Those are different batteries. The Costco is the 160minute RC version sold by Interstate dealers as the SRM-27 and the Duralast is 180 minute which used to be sold as an Everstart Maxx 27 or Interstate SRM-27B. I’ve never understood why JCI/Clarios make the two, but they’ve done it since 2006 when they acquired the Delphi battery business. Also, the Interstate batteries bought at Costco can only be warranted at Costco, which could be harder to find while on a trip.
    John & Kathy
    2014 F250 Lariat FX4 6.2L SBCC
    2014 Reflection 303RLS
    SW Indiana

  9. #9
    Site Sponsor openrangeowners's Avatar
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    All of the lead acid flooded cell batteries are good as long as they don't get cooked by overcharging, boil over, leak or get run down below 50%. If you are looking at 2 batteries, you have to decide if you are going to be diligent enough to keep the water levels up on them. Two 5th wheels ago I purchased an expensive watering system that had a hand pump and tubing that fed water to each cell. It was expensive, but it worked well and kept my battery in very good condition.

    My last 5th wheel I purchased 2 6 Volt AGM batteries. These greatly increased our ability to boondock. We stayed 5 days at the North side Grand Canyon campground (no hookups). They lasted 8 years and were still good when I sold the camper. They required no maintenance except you could not run them down past 50%. I left the camper plugged in all the time and had a multi stage charger/converter that did not cook the batteries. They were not cheap (about $180 each) and they weighed about 68 lbs each.

    I thought about doing the same for my current 5th wheel, but instead bit the bullet and installed a solar/inverter/Lithium battery system myself. If you do solar the whole system gets you 26% back (in total system cost) in a tax credit. My Battle Borns were $825 each, so I figure around a little over $600 after tax credit. Just 1 Battle Born (or any 100amp hour LiFePO4 battery) will provide more capacity than my 190 amp hour AGM batteries in my previous camper, and they can be run down without issues. I have heard people building these (LiFePO4 12V batteries) themselves for under $400 each.

    SO if you do decide you need more capacity and start going down the path of solar ... inverter .... boon docking ..... there is a lot of good information out there.

    Otherwise I would recommend 2 AGM 6 Volt batteries - they will last a long time as was proven in my last 5th wheel. They were Deka brand (8AGC2) and were purchased at Battery Warehouse.
    Last edited by openrangeowners; 03-19-2021 at 03:43 PM.

  10. #10
    Rolling Along Rgpracer's Avatar
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    I considered the 6 volt and still a big possibility.....i guess, you are still only doing 12 volt, just via two 6's?
    Thanks openrange

    Ray




    Quote Originally Posted by openrangeowners View Post
    All of the lead acid flooded cell batteries are good as long as they don't get cooked by overcharging, boil over, leak or get run down below 50%. If you are looking at 2 batteries, you have to decide if you are going to be diligent enough to keep the water levels up on them. Two 5th wheels ago I purchased an expensive watering system that had a hand pump and tubing that fed water to each cell. It was expensive, but it worked well and kept my battery in very good condition.

    My last 5th wheel I purchased 2 6 Volt AGM batteries. These greatly increased our ability to boondock. We stayed 5 days at the North side Grand Canyon campground (no hookups). They lasted 8 years and were still good when I sold the camper. They required no maintenance except you could not run them down past 50%. I left the camper plugged in all the time and had a multi stage charger/converter that did not cook the batteries. They were not cheap (about $180 each) and they weighed about 68 lbs each.

    I thought about doing the same for my current 5th wheel, but instead bit the bullet and installed a solar/inverter/Lithium battery system myself. If you do solar the whole system gets you 26% back (in total system cost) in a tax credit. My Battle Borns were $825 each, so I figure around a little over $600 after tax credit. Just 1 Battle Born (or any 100amp hour LiFePO4 battery) will provide more capacity than my 190 amp hour AGM batteries in my previous camper, and they can be run down without issues. I have heard people building these (LiFePO4 12V batteries) themselves for under $400 each.

    SO if you do decide you need more capacity and start going down the path of solar ... inverter .... boon docking ..... there is a lot of good information out there.

    Otherwise I would recommend 2 AGM 6 Volt batteries - they will last a long time as was proven in my last 5th wheel. They were Deka brand (8AGC2) and were purchased at Battery Warehouse.

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