Looking for a dependable battery for Whitehawk

[dlongley]

I'm looking for a new, dependable 12v battery.

Honestly, battery talk is at times overwhelming.

I'm not handy. I'm looking for a good replacement to the one I currently have.

Right now I have an Interstate deep cycle. It expired after 3 years (yes I know, you don't really know how long they sat around in the warehouse)

We might do 2 or 3 nights of dry camping, a couple of times per year. The rest of the time we're hooked up to shore power.

I do have a 2000w generator, so I can charge it up.

Honestly, this is the first battery I have to buy. Just looking for any recommendations.

Thanks in advance

[oldmanAZ]

You didn't mention it, but I assume your current battery was OK for you at one time but is not working well for you now.

My recommendation would be to buy a digital 12v meter that plugs into a 12v port in your trailer. That is a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to keep tabs on your battery's state of charge.

Why? Because if your battery is discharged too far, it will loose capacity even when fully charged. Because you have a generator and you can plug into shore power, the key to keep your next battery longer just might be knowing what its state of charge is and charging before it is discharged too far.

[Johnny Lightning]

Actually any of the well known brand names are about the same but you'll find rabid fans for all of them. Just make sure it is a deep cycle battery, not a starting battery. Some of the names that come to mind are Interstate, Exide (they used to make DieHard, still may), Deka (made by the folks that make Duracell automotive batteries) but frankly for what limited use you have almost anything will work. The important thing is to not take them below 50% charge (12.2 volts) and don't overcharge them. You also need to make sure that the water level is maintained once a month and only use distilled water to top them up, never tap water or battery acid, it screws up the chemistry. It might be easier for you to use an AGM battery since they never need water. In that case the 50% charge is reached at approximately 12.30 volts. Now that I'm thinking about it AGM is probably your best bet. Also make sure that the clamps on the coach are clean when you put the new one in. A terminal cleaning brush can be had for around $5.00 at harbor freight. Good luck.

[Jagiven]

A true deep cycle battery is key and not running drawing it down below 40% charge. Your current battery is probably a group 27 dual purpose battery. It is the poorest preforming you can get.

If you do not want to use the generator every time you dry camp, I would recommend a larger battery size like a group 31 or 34. You would need a new battery box.

[jbrnigan]

I generally purchase batteries at "big box" stores. In the event you have a failure within the warranty period, (which is generally limited v automotive batteries) you want availability. I've had good luck with Walmart deep cycle batteries over the years.