Battery issues

[Meadows11]

This is the current battery that I have in the camper. It is our second battery. My question is is this the right size of battery that I need for this camper? 2013 Jayco x23B

[Siamese]

There's nothing wrong with that battery for your trailer, depending on your needs.

Let us know how you use your trailer...do you ever camp off the grid, or are you always hooked up to AC.

That will have a big affect on the answer to your question.

[RogerR]

That is the smallest deep cycle battery made. It will provide brakes if your trailer breaks free. It will also, if properly charged and cared for, keep the lights on at night and run the water pump for a few showers and hand washing.

It is not suitable for sustained overnight camping without hookups. A cold night and frequent use of the furnace fan will be to much for it.

Please post your Rv year and model plus the kind of camping you intend to do. Such as always plugged in at campgrounds or some or lots of camping where there is no power.

This will help with suggestions. Lots of info on how much batter you will need with a few searches. See the search function above.

[Meadows11]

I only go to the campground camping. I do not Boondock if that’s what you’re asking. The unit is a 2013X 23B.
A few questions .....
Should I disconnect the battery at a campground?
Can you please specify what size a battery that I need.
Thank you!

[2012x19h]

Originally Posted by Meadows11

I only go to the campground camping. I do not Boondock if that’s what you’re asking. The unit is a 2013X 23B.
A few questions .....
Should I disconnect the battery at a campground?
Can you please specify what size a battery that I need.
Thank you!

Do you always have power at the campground?
No, don't disconnect the battery.

[JFlightRisk]

Out TT has a group 24 battery, also. It's the original that came with it in 2012, so either I take good care of it, am very lucky, or it's on borrowed time! We don't boondock, either.

[Meadows11]

Yes, I always have power.
Should I buy a bigger battery?

[BCx213]

If you are hooked to power all the time then the group 24 will be sufficient. If you dry camp at all, meaning no site power where you have to rely on the battery, go bigger to a group 27 or 31 deep cycle. I personally went with a group 31 AGM battery for more reserve power but more specifically battery maintenance where I no longer have to worry about the battery acid. I back it up with a 120 watt solar panel and for inclement days with a inverter generator

[Stingray75]

For how you’re using the camper, you really don’t need anything larger than a group24. If you have room for it, a group27 would give you more reserve power should you lose power at the campground. You’ve been thru 2 batteries in 5 or 6 years which seems a bit premature. How often do you use the camper? Is it setting unused and not plugged in for extended periods on time? You may want to consider a battery tender to keep it fully charged while not in use. A battery tender is also a great tool for winter storage.

[Meadows11]

I am guilty of not keeping it charged when not in use. I do have a tender. On my way to purchase a new battery. Going forward, I will take the battery out with not in use and put it on the tender. Is it OK to keep the battery on tender all the time or do I take it off the tender at a certain point? Thank you for all your responses it’s been very helpful!

[Siamese]

There are two schools of thought on whether to keep the battery on a tender all the time or to simply disconnect or remove them.

Staying on a tender all the time is good. In winter, I have rv, motorcycle, and sailboat batteries in my garage, and sort of rotate my tender from battery to battery. If I think of it when I'm walking by. Being on a tender all the time is good, but not necessary.

If a battery is put away FULLY charge, and totally disconnected, there's no reason why it has to be on a tender. This holds true for many months (winter in Michigan).

While I'm at it, many believe a battery should not be stored on concrete. That's a myth from the old days of wooden batteries and porous rubber cased batteries. Today's batteries are fine on the garage floor.

From you response, it sounds like you've gleaned the essentials from the answers you've received.
-- What you have is fine for no boon docking
-- disconnect immediately after using it (if fully charged)

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by Meadows11

Yes, I always have power.
Should I buy a bigger battery?

One detail of going to a bigger battery is space. Do you have the space in that area for a larger battery?

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by Meadows11

I am guilty of not keeping it charged when not in use. I do have a tender.

That's the enemy of a battery. Just letting it run down to dead once or twice permanently hurts it. This happens frequently, and age of the battery doesn't matter. I had to put a new chassis battery in my coach, and it was only 6 months old. It seems that Ford, then Jayco, then the dealer let it totally discharge during it's early life, and it wouldn't hold a charge.

A digital volt meter is your BEST friend, In the matter of seconds, you can take a quick voltage check and know if you need to charge.

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by Siamese

There are two schools of thought on whether to keep the battery on a tender all the time or to simply disconnect or remove them.

Staying on a tender all the time is good. In winter, I have rv, motorcycle, and sailboat batteries in my garage, and sort of rotate my tender from battery to battery. If I think of it when I'm walking by. Being on a tender all the time is good, but not necessary.

If a battery is put away FULLY charge, and totally disconnected, there's no reason why it has to be on a tender. This holds true for many months (winter in Michigan).

I agree with the point that a battery doesn't need to stay on a tender all the time, but it definitely needs a "boost" from time to time during storage. Most batteries, if they are good, will hold a charge easily for a month or two.

I have a battery bank in my garage I use for power outages, and I just periodically, when I think about it, pop them on a tender. An occassional check with a load tester and volt meter tells me all I need to know.

[2012x19h]

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

Out TT has a group 24 battery, also. It's the original that came with it in 2012, so either I take good care of it, am very lucky, or it's on borrowed time! We don't boondock, either.

It's all three.
Until about a week ago I also still had the original dual 6V batteries on my trailer's tongue that came with it in 2011.
I did replace them at this time because we have a longer trip to Canada coming up and I didn't want to risk it on that trip.

[2012x19h]

Originally Posted by Meadows11

Yes, I always have power.
Should I buy a bigger battery?

You should be fine with your battery.

I have never removed the dual 6V batteries from my trailer, I just kept the trailer plugged in when not in use next to the house. Even during winters with 5ft of snow. They have lasted since 2011, and were still good when I replaced them a week ago. It was just a preventive replacement.
I did check and fill water probably 3-4 times a year. That part is important.

[bankr63]

Just to add one additional thought here.

I wouldn't bother removing the battery when not in use during the camping season. I would simply add a battery disconnect switch; lots of options online or at auto-parts stores. Hit the disconnect when you are in storage and you will stop the parasitic loads (CO/LP detector, RV stereo light) that are probably draining your battery after a few days.

I only take my battery out for the winter storage season and plug it into a tender for a couple days every month (like an OP, whenever I pass by it in the garage and think to plug it in).

I did upgrade to a group 27 when I last need a new battery. My battery box was big enough for it, and it was only about $15-20 more than replacing with another group 24. Cheap for the extra capacity it provides. You might still want the capacity if the power goes out for a while at your regular CG.

[2012x19h]

I had installed a battery switch back in 2011, and I think I have turned that switch exactly once: right after installation to try it out. Still trying to figure out why I installed it.
I guess it makes sense if you don't have power where you store the trailer, but you really don't need it if you can plug in or have solar panels.

[Gazoo]

Here’s my new battery bank :

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...tml#post890252

(I assume link works)