Battery options

**docque** · 05-24-2022, 07:09 AM

Originally Posted by Redapple63

I agree with this approach. It is the simplest way forward and you can do it tomorrow with no ups and no extras. Nice and simple , double your battery storage capacity.

Let's see. Come on broken brain. Wire in parallel to increase capacity. For wires from RV negative on one battery, positive on other. I think that was what they taught me 40+ years ago.

**Corky2** · 05-24-2022, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by docque

Let's see. Come on broken brain. Wire in parallel to increase capacity. For wires from RV negative on one battery, positive on other. I think that was what they taught me 40+ years ago.

You want parallel if both batteries are 12V. That's positive to positive and negative to negative. The RV connection is positive to positive and negative to negative on one of the batteries after the batteries are wired in parallel.

My 22rbe came with the factory installed solar package and a cheap deep cycle battery. I chose to remove the cheap battery and replace with two good 6V AGM golf cart batteries from Sam's club. These are wired in series to get 12V. The factory converter battery charger and the solar charger both support AGM batteries.

**docque** · 05-24-2022, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by Corky2

You want parallel if both batteries are 12V. That's positive to positive and negative to negative. The RV connection is positive to positive and negative to negative on one of the batteries after the batteries are wired in parallel.

My 22rbe came with the factory installed solar package and a cheap deep cycle battery. I chose to remove the cheap battery and replace with two good 6V AGM golf cart batteries from Sam's club. These are wired in series to get 12V. The factory converter battery charger and the solar charger both support AGM batteries.

First I thought connect the RV connect is more efficient if the cables are connected to separate batteries. Second, I am thinking about the AGM batteries. I will have to see what the benefits are other than maintenance.

Oh, saw you signature. I had one of those patches back in the day.

**Corky2** · 05-24-2022, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by docque

First I thought connect the RV connect is more efficient if the cables are connected to separate batteries. Second, I am thinking about the AGM batteries. I will have to see what the benefits are other than maintenance.

Oh, saw you signature. I had one of those patches back in the day.

Connecting the RV to a battery bank depends on how the battery bank is configured.

A battery bank configured in parallel results in all the positive posts connected together and all the negative posts connected together. This configuration increased battery bank electrical storage capacity but voltage remains the same. It does not matter if you connect the RV positive cable on one battery and the negative cable on another because all the positive posts are connected together and all the negative posts are connected together.

A battery bank configured in series is the opposite where (2 battery configuration) the positive post of battery 1 connects to the negative post of battery 2 and the RV negative cable is connected to the negative post of battery 1 and the RV positive cable is connected to the positive post of battery 2. This configuration increases the battery bank voltage (voltages added together) but the electrical storage capacity remains the same. In this configuration it does matter which battery you connect the RV cables too.

My two AGM golf cart batteries connected in series gives me more electrical storage capacity than using two of the same cheap 12V deep cycle batteries (in parallel) that came with my RV. Sealed batteries are also a plus.

USAF Tactical Air Command at Holloman AFB New Mexico.

**docque** · 05-24-2022, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by Corky2

Connecting the RV to a battery bank depends on how the battery bank is configured.

A battery bank configured in parallel results in all the positive posts connected together and all the negative posts connected together. This configuration increased battery bank electrical storage capacity but voltage remains the same. It does not matter if you connect the RV positive cable on one battery and the negative cable on another because all the positive posts are connected together and all the negative posts are connected together.

A battery bank configured in series is the opposite where (2 battery configuration) the positive post of battery 1 connects to the negative post of battery 2 and the RV negative cable is connected to the negative post of battery 1 and the RV positive cable is connected to the positive post of battery 2. This configuration increases the battery bank voltage (voltages added together) but the electrical storage capacity remains the same. In this configuration it does matter which battery you connect the RV cables too.

My two AGM golf cart batteries connected in series gives me more electrical storage capacity than using two of the same cheap 12V deep cycle batteries (in parallel) that came with my RV. Sealed batteries are also a plus.

USAF Tactical Air Command at Holloman AFB New Mexico.

Yup got that. I think it was the old days of a battery bank with 30 batteries that I was thinking of. The voltage drop in 18 inches of cable is not much.

I was TAC but everywhere it seemed. Germany and many states.

**Corky2** · 05-24-2022, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by docque

Yup got that. I think it was the old days of a battery bank with 30 batteries that I was thinking of. The voltage drop in 18 inches of cable is not much.

I was TAC but everywhere it seemed. Germany and many states.

My last year was at Beale AFB near Sacramento. That was back when the SR71's were still flying.

**TimtheToolMan** · 05-24-2022, 09:18 PM

The approach of just adding a second battery like the first does keep things simple. Trying to avoid extra expense before understanding how much battery will be used has a lot of value. There is a lot of wise advice from multiple above posts and they may have considered this:

One caveat is, I believe, that the current battery is more of a starting battery (Ahr not even listed but reserve capacity is) and I do not know how much is a reasonable occasional discharge level without having a short battery lifetime. https://www.interstatebatteries.com/...%20Height%209.

Should a low cost battery monitor be added to understand current use and to try to not use battery(s) beyond what makes sense, plus encourage proper battery charging? Possibly just start with the one battery? Now this idea no longer stays with a simple approach.

**Jerryr** · 05-24-2022, 10:56 PM

The usual battery installed by dealers is an Interstate 27DC deep cycle Marine/RV battery. Costco sells them for $89.

I use a simple $39 Blue Tooth battery monitoring device to verify the battery is being charged when traveling and when plugged into shore power. Great for monitoring on my iPhone remotely from truck or RV. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GP1RXYZ

I also installed a Separate Marine Battery shut off directly to the battery to totally disconnect it when in storage.

BTW 4416th Test Squadron of the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing in SC, then 432nd AMS of the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Udorn Thailand 54 years ago, then on to 416 SAC Bomb Wing at Griffiss AFB.

**Redapple63** · 05-25-2022, 12:16 AM

One school of thought is to get two GC2 6v batteries and connect them in series. That is my current setup. A bit more expensive than my original suggestion, but you end up with ac true deep cycle battery(s) worth about 220 ah of storage.

**Corky2** · 05-25-2022, 04:12 AM

Originally Posted by Jerryr

The usual battery installed by dealers is an Interstate 27DC deep cycle Marine/RV battery. Costco sells them for $89.

I use a simple $39 Blue Tooth battery monitoring device to verify the battery is being charged when traveling and when plugged into shore power. Great for monitoring on my iPhone remotely from truck or RV. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GP1RXYZ

I also installed a Separate Marine Battery shut off directly to the battery to totally disconnect it when in storage.

BTW 4416th Test Squadron of the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing in SC, then 432nd AMS of the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Udorn Thailand 54 years ago, then on to 416 SAC Bomb Wing at Griffiss AFB.

I like that battery monitor but could not find detail information. Do you know if it was manufactured in Australia?