Battery Issue

[hartcentr]

I have a 2019 Reflection travel trailer. When we bought it, I remember it only having only one battery on the dealer lot. As part of the negotiation, I demanded a second battery, which they did.

Fast forward three years. The batteries (Interstate) no longer hold a charge well, probably my fault as I did not put the battery tender on them last winter and they likely sulfated some. The owners manual says to use Group 27. The two in mine are Group 24. I have no idea what that original single battery was, but if it was Group 27, they (the dealer) found out that two Group 27 battery boxes would not fit in the cramped space allowed on the frame (see photo), so they likely took out the Group 27 and put in two Group 24's. I have verified that I am short about 2.00" in length in being about to fit in two Group 27 boxes, so I guess I am now resolved in using a two Group 24's in the future, unless I go with a single lithium Group 27 down the road. I am also going to AGM this time, because with that overhang it is a real pain to check the water level where they are...you basically have to remove them.

Anyone else had an issue with fitting two Group 27's on a Reflection Travel Trailer?

 

[USA in a Chevrolet]

I have a 2019 Reflection travel trailer. When we bought it, I remember it only having only one battery on the dealer lot. As part of the negotiation, I demanded a second battery, which they did.

Fast forward three years. The batteries (Interstate) no longer hold a charge well, probably my fault as I did not put the battery tender on them last winter and they likely sulfated some. The owners manual says to use Group 27. The two in mine are Group 24. I have no idea what that original single battery was, but if it was Group 27, they (the dealer) found out that two Group 27 battery boxes would not fit in the cramped space allowed on the frame (see photo), so they likely took out the Group 27 and put in two Group 24's. I have verified that I am short about 2.00" in length in being about to fit in two Group 27 boxes, so I guess I am now resolved in using a two Group 24's in the future, unless I go with a single lithium Group 27 down the road. I am also going to AGM this time, because with that overhang it is a real pain to check the water level where they are...you basically have to remove them.

Anyone else had an issue with fitting two Group 27's on a Reflection Travel Trailer?

Have you talked to a welder? Give him the dimensions you need. I upgraded the 2 group 27 Continental flooded batteries to 2 group 31 AGM batteries. I like the no need to add water. My Solitude had the room to install the 2 batteries. However they are very heavy.

 

[hartcentr]

Have you talked to a welder? Give him the dimensions you need. I upgraded the 2 group 27 Continental flooded batteries to 2 group 31 AGM batteries. I like the no need to add water. My Solitude had the room to install the 2 batteries. However they are very heavy.

My son is a welder. The issue is that coming any further forward there is even less room, as the frame narrows heading toward the hitch, and going backward would just put the batteries even more under the overhang. I really don't think Grand Design thought through how to get two Group 27's in there in the Reflection trailer series.

Long term, I think I will just go to a single 200 Ah lithium (Group 27, 29, or even 31), but that would entail the extra expense of changing the converter/charger in addition to the extra battery cost. However, a 200 Ah lithium is like having about 350 Ah in flooded or AGM, since you can draw them down further with no ill effects.

 

[Flip94ta]

I used to sell batteries and two group 24’s isn’t ideal but it’s not a terrible setup either. Those two batteries are still covered by a prorated warranty. If you call an interstate dealer they would be able to test them and tell you how much of a warranty credit they would give you. You might be able to upgrade to two group 24’s AGMs at that point.

OR

The two lion UT 1300’s I use would fit in there with space to spare. They weigh 23lbs each and are 105ah. I used mine for several months with the factory converter. They will still hold a lot more juice than the interstates did. Just don’t try to charge them if it’s below 32*.

After I put solar on the roof I disconnected the factory converter since the solar is enough to charge them. But without the solar I think the factory unit would be ok for general use, just not boondocking more than 1-2 nights.

 

[jkwilson]

If you go with AGMs, you’ll have some options on mounting. You can lay most of them on their sides or stand them on end. Obviously you have to figure out how to anchor them.

 

[hartcentr]

The two lion UT 1300’s I use would fit in there with space to spare. They weigh 23lbs each and are 105ah. I used mine for several months with the factory converter. They will still hold a lot more juice than the interstates did. Just don’t try to charge them if it’s below 32*.

After I put solar on the roof I disconnected the factory converter since the solar is enough to charge them. But without the solar I think the factory unit would be ok for general use, just not boondocking more than 1-2 nights.

Thanks. I looked on Amazon and I could get two 100 Ah lithium batteries that would fit in my Group 24 boxes. 200 total Ah would be about the functional equivalent as 350 Ah in lead acid, since they could be drawn down a lot further without damaging them. I already have the solar panel, so all I'd do there is switch the Renogy solar controller to the lithium setting.

My understanding is that the stock WFCO converter (Model WF-9855 in my case) won't harm the lithium batteries, it just won't charge them fully. From what I have been able to find on-line, that is about 70%...the same that the vehicle alternator would charge them to while driving. As you noted, the extra 30% would have to be made up by the solar panel and controller. And cheaper than putting in a lithium converter/charger.

Question: Did you completely disconnect the converter? If so, when plugged into AC, it would seem your batteries are powering all of the DC fixtures instead of them being powered by the converter first.