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Old 01-23-2016, 10:19 PM   #1
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Battery Question

I have a 2012 Jayco 29 RLDS. My Interstate battery that came with it new is not holding a charge. I always use shore power since I never dry camp. I guess when I get home and clean it up I use battery to open and close the slides to vacuum and mop the floors but that s about it. When I check the battery status on the meter in the trailer with all other power disconnected it shows 3/4 but when I open 1 slide it goes dead. I checked it with a hydrometer and it looks like 2 cells are dead. Anyway, to my point, should I go with the same battery that came out of it, Interstate SMR 24 690 amps 140 reserve, or do any of you have a better idea?
I have read some place that 3 years is about you can get from the Interstate but since this is my first time to replace a battery I have no idea.
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Old 01-23-2016, 10:35 PM   #2
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If you don't dry camp at all... Find another group 24 battery to change it with or, or you are trying to cut weight on your tongue you could always find a smaller 12 volt battery from Battery's Plus. Get a smaller SLA battery that weights 5 pounds.
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Old 01-24-2016, 05:48 AM   #3
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Lots of options. A battery tender while not in use can really improve battery life.
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Old 01-24-2016, 06:27 AM   #4
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I have had good luck with the Exide brand.
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Old 01-24-2016, 08:06 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by joe in calif View Post
I have a 2012 Jayco 29 RLDS. My Interstate battery that came with it new is not holding a charge. I always use shore power since I never dry camp. I guess when I get home and clean it up I use battery to open and close the slides to vacuum and mop the floors but that s about it. When I check the battery status on the meter in the trailer with all other power disconnected it shows 3/4 but when I open 1 slide it goes dead. I checked it with a hydrometer and it looks like 2 cells are dead. Anyway, to my point, should I go with the same battery that came out of it, Interstate SMR 24 690 amps 140 reserve, or do any of you have a better idea?
I have read some place that 3 years is about you can get from the Interstate but since this is my first time to replace a battery I have no idea.

You use your camper the same way I use mine. Every time I stay in mine, I am either on my generator or hooked to shore power. Every time I get home, it gets plugged into my shop, and it stays that way.

I hate marine/deep cycle batteries. They require too much maintenance and they don't live a long life. For these reasons and the circumstances listed above, I don't have a deep cycle battery on my camper. I've got a pair of red top Optimas.
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Old 01-24-2016, 02:32 PM   #6
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Joe since you don't dry camp you can get away with the smallest battery you want to put on there.. BUT you do need a battery just incase the trailer becomes disconnected from the tow vehicle going down the highway.. (emergency brakes)
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Old 01-24-2016, 03:18 PM   #7
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I was just going to start my own post and I saw this thread. I just bought a 2016 Jayco 25BHS a few months ago. The battery that came with it wasn't too good so on a friend's advice, I upgrade to two Interstate deep cycle 6 volt batteries.

I went camping this weekend for the first time since upgrading batteries. I plugged into electricity at the RV park. There was plenty of room so I just kept my Trailer connected to my SUV. I forgot to disconnect the power cable from my SUV to the TT. But I didn't think it mattered as I was getting electricity from the RV park.

When I got to my parking spot, I put out the two slides and brought them back in, was using the water pump a little bit but the battery was dead.

Does the batteries not get charged if you're connected to your vehicle?
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Old 01-24-2016, 04:38 PM   #8
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Thank for all the replies. I do not park my trailer at my house, but I disconnect the negative cable every time I park it in the RV lot. I guess guess I can look for a lighter battery to lighten up the tongue weight. I guess 3 1/2 years is about normal life for that battery.
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Old 01-24-2016, 04:39 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by Seann45 View Post
Joe since you don't dry camp you can get away with the smallest battery you want to put on there.. BUT you do need a battery just incase the trailer becomes disconnected from the tow vehicle going down the highway.. (emergency brakes)
Thanks, i never thought of that
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Old 01-24-2016, 06:01 PM   #10
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I was just going to start my own post and I saw this thread. I just bought a 2016 Jayco 25BHS a few months ago. The battery that came with it wasn't too good so on a friend's advice, I upgrade to two Interstate deep cycle 6 volt batteries.

I went camping this weekend for the first time since upgrading batteries. I plugged into electricity at the RV park. There was plenty of room so I just kept my Trailer connected to my SUV. I forgot to disconnect the power cable from my SUV to the TT. But I didn't think it mattered as I was getting electricity from the RV park.

When I got to my parking spot, I put out the two slides and brought them back in, was using the water pump a little bit but the battery was dead.

Does the batteries not get charged if you're connected to your vehicle?
To make sure... You connected the new 6volts in series?
You put the positive and negative wires to the correct battery posts?
Connections are tight?

Other then that, make sure you didn't blow the reverse polarity protection fuses in the converter (if your converter has them)
Or the breaker for the charging portion of the converter is off.
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Old 01-24-2016, 06:17 PM   #11
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To make sure... You connected the new 6volts in series?
You put the positive and negative wires to the correct battery posts?
Connections are tight?

Other then that, make sure you didn't blow the reverse polarity protection fuses in the converter (if your converter has them)
Or the breaker for the charging portion of the converter is off.
I assume it was all installed properly and connected in series. I had it done at the place where I bought my RV (Richardson's RV in Menifee, CA).

I'm a newbie so I don't know where the reverse polarity protection fuses is. Can you explain where the breaker for the charging portion of the converter is located?

Thanks so much in advance.
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Old 01-24-2016, 06:25 PM   #12
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If your converter has the fuses then they are with the fuses in your panel.. But they would be off to the side and not in line with all the trailers fuses. Most likely they are 30amp or bigger.
The breaker is with the breakers in the same panel. It should be labeled.
It shuts off the battery charger.
OR the charger is simply broken.
If a shop charged you to do an installation, and your not too savy with electrical then take it back to them and let them check it out.
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Old 01-24-2016, 06:37 PM   #13
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If your converter has the fuses then they are with the fuses in your panel.. But they would be off to the side and not in line with all the trailers fuses. Most likely they are 30amp or bigger.
The breaker is with the breakers in the same panel. It should be labeled.
It shuts off the battery charger.
OR the charger is simply broken.
If a shop charged you to do an installation, and your not too savy with electrical then take it back to them and let them check it out.
Perfect. Thanks a ton. I'll check it out.
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Old 01-24-2016, 07:37 PM   #14
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We also received an Interstate battery on our new hybrid and after a year and a half it stopped holding a charge. Unfortunately, the dealership equipped our trailer with a standard battery, and not deep cycle.
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Old 01-24-2016, 08:23 PM   #15
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Battery Question

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I have had good luck with the Exide brand.
My dealer equipped Exide is still going strong after 4 years, but **** that thing is heavy. I remove it after every trip because we store our camper in a "relatively secure" storage facility. When it poops out, I'm going to a much lighter battery since we don't boondock.
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