First and foremost, the 12 volt battery you get for your RV should be a true deep cycle battery. Avoid getting an automotive starting battery or a RV/Marine battery (a hybrid of the deep cycle and starting battery) as neither is designed to withstand repetitive discharges. Indeed, deep cycle batteries are designed to be discharged up to 80% or more numerous times, and still provide amperage at its rated capacity. When it comes to the battery's ratings, amp hours are the key and you want more of them. That means buying the largest battery or batteries that will fit in your battery compartment.?The typical Group-27 deep cycle battery provides about 100 amp hours of service.
What does the term "cycle" mean as it relates to your batteries? A cycle is simply one complete discharge and recharge cycle. A "deep" discharge is typically lower than 20% (11.58 volts) of a battery, while a 100% recharge is achieved when the battery's resting voltage reaches 12.7 volts. The number of times your batteries are discharged directly relates to their lifespan, so you should try to prevent your batteries from discharging more than 50% (12.06 volts) in order to prolong their life. Avoid running your batteries completely dead (10.5 volts) at all costs.
Temperature has a positive and negative effect on batteries. All batteries are rated at 77 degrees F, the optimum operating temperature. As the internal temperature of the battery increases a battery's amp hour capacity increases, as temperature falls its capacity decreases. For instance, at 40 degrees the battery's capacity in amp hours drops to about 80%, at 0 degrees F the battery's capacity falls to about 50%, and at 110 degrees F, capacity rises 20%. Battery voltage is impacted in the same manner by temperature. Anyone who has tried to start a car in freezing temperatures knows this from experience. This is why you should have temperature compensation on your charge controller, especially if your controller is inside and if your battery is in an outside compartment. If you like to camp in freezing temperatures, I recommend insulating your battery compartment and buying a quality battery warming system. Doing so will not only improve the performance of your batteries, but will also improve their life.
Six volt golf cart batteries are an excellent alternative to 12 volt batteries. They offer slightly more amp hours than a Group-27 12 volt battery, have heavy plates, can suffer more discharge cycles than a regular 12 volt deep cycle battery, and when you wire two in series you have, in essence, one huge 12 volt battery. The downside of this configuration, however, is that if one fails you won't be able to power your 12 volt appliances. I should know, I had this happen to me once. It wasn't fun.
RV owners should understand a few basic electricity rules when it comes to DC circuits and when wiring 12 volt and 6 volt batteries. The rules are pretty simple. Amp hours are additive when 12 volt batteries are wired in parallel, while the voltage remains the same. Conversely, voltage is additive when 6 volt batteries are wired in series, while the total amp hours remains unchanged. Examples of optimum wiring for 12 volt and 6 volt batteries are provided below:
In RV applications there are basically two types of deep cycle batteries from which to choose: Flooded, lead-acid (or wet cell for short) and Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM). Gel-Cell batteries simply don't work well in RV deep cycle environments, so they won't be discussed here. Let's take a look at each:
Wet Cell Battery: These are the cheapest and most common batteries found in the market today, and are available in numerous sizes. You can't go wrong with wet cell batteries, but the big negative with them is that they require periodic maintenance and proper charging. Overcharging can boil out the electrolyte and warp the plates, while undercharging will leave sulfur on the plates which reduces storage capacity. You must also carefully monitor the water levels in each battery cell, using only distilled water if it's needed. All things considered, wet cell batteries work great and are well worth the cost. With proper care and maintenance, they will provide many years of reliable service.?
AGM Battery: In sharp contrast with wet cells, AGMs require no maintenance or watering as they are sealed. AGM batteries are still technically lead-acid batteries, but the electrolyte in them is encased in a fibrous glass mat that can't be spilled. Since AGMs contain no liquid they are practically impervious to freeze damage and can be mounted on their side, an important benefit for some battery and storage compartments.. AGM batteries are true deep cycle batteries as they have very thick positive plates and can suffer more discharge cycles. More importantly, they charge up to five times faster and have a slower self-discharge rate, about 1-3% a month. Unfortunately, AGM batteries cost two to three times more than a regular wet cell, but the benefits to your solar power system make them well worth the cost.
Recharging your batteries is important to your boondocking enjoyment and to the life of your batteries. There are essentially four ways you can do it: solar power, wind power, a generator, and your truck or tow vehicle's alternator. Each method has its pros and cons. Let's take a look at each:
Solar: This renewable source of energy is becoming increasingly popular and for good reason--it's clean, quiet, and doesn't require fuel like a generator (there's plenty of free sunshine out there). The negatives for solar are overcast skies, which greatly reduces the effectiveness of the your system, shading, and high start up costs. These initial costs, however, can be reduced by doing the installation yourself. If you understand how 12 volt systems work you can install a solar power system yourself. It's not that difficult. Check out my Solar 101 article for more information on solar power.
Wind: Another clean and renewable source of energy, wind power has also seen a surge in popularity. Wind turbines can be seen throughout the west and can be purchased in a miniaturized version for your RV. For those who use solar employing a wind turbine at night helps bridge the gap between sunset and sunrise in keeping your batteries charged. The biggest negatives with this method are the high initial costs for a wind turbine and that the system must be set-up each time you want to use it and stored away before you take to the road.
Generator: Easily the most popular method to recharge your batteries. Generators work great at recharging, but not all are good for camping. Sure, industrial generators are relatively cheap and provide lots of wattage, but they are also big, heavy, and extremely noisy. Few things irk campers more than a noisy generator. Fortunately, there are several camping friendly generators on the market today--like the Honda EU2000i and Yamaha EF2400iS--which are not only light (the Honda EU2000i weighs only 46 lbs) but are extremely quiet. The negatives with generators are that they must be hauled around, generate deadly carbon monoxide, and can easily be stolen. Make sure you keep them locked up at all times when camping.
Vehicle Alternator: Using your truck or tow vehicle's alternator is the cheapest and easiest method to recharge your batteries. All you need to do is hook up your trailer or camper while you run your engine. The speed and the efficiency of the charge, however, is limited by the quality of your vehicle's alternator and the size of the charging line wire. The best alternators are those that produce a lot of amperage like those found in heavy duty trucks. This is the least effective and the slowest method to recharge your batteries, but works well on long road trips, especially when used in conjunction with a rooftop solar power system. Electricity comes in two basic forms: Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) and your RV makes use of both. Both forms have their pros and cons, but if you like to boondock out in the wild then you'll need to rely on DC power which is supplied by your 12 volt battery. Sure, you can run a noisy, smelly generator 24/7 but is that something that you really want to do when you're boondocking? No, the best way to enjoy nature and all that your RV has to offer is to go solar and install a battery bank with high amp hours. The purpose of this article is to take a closer look at the 12 volt battery, but not to the point where it gets too technical.?
First and foremost, the 12 volt battery you get for your RV should be a true deep cycle battery. Avoid getting an automotive starting battery or a RV/Marine battery (a hybrid of the deep cycle and starting battery) as neither is designed to withstand repetitive discharges. Indeed, deep cycle batteries are designed to be discharged up to 80% or more numerous times, and still provide amperage at its rated capacity. When it comes to the battery's ratings, amp hours are the key and you want more of them. That means buying the largest battery or batteries that will fit in your battery compartment.?The typical Group-27 deep cycle battery provides about 100 amp hours of service.
What does the term "cycle" mean as it relates to your batteries? A cycle is simply one complete discharge and recharge cycle. A "deep" discharge is typically lower than 20% (11.58 volts) of a battery, while a 100% recharge is achieved when the battery's resting voltage reaches 12.7 volts. The number of times your batteries are discharged directly relates to their lifespan, so you should try to prevent your batteries from discharging more than 50% (12.06 volts) in order to prolong their life. Avoid running your batteries completely dead (10.5 volts) at all costs.
Temperature has a positive and negative effect on batteries. All batteries are rated at 77 degrees F, the optimum operating temperature. As the internal temperature of the battery increases a battery's amp hour capacity increases, as temperature falls its capacity decreases. For instance, at 40 degrees the battery's capacity in amp hours drops to about 80%, at 0 degrees F the battery's capacity falls to about 50%, and at 110 degrees F, capacity rises 20%. Battery voltage is impacted in the same manner by temperature. Anyone who has tried to start a car in freezing temperatures knows this from experience. This is why you should have temperature compensation on your charge controller, especially if your controller is inside and if your battery is in an outside compartment. If you like to camp in freezing temperatures, I recommend insulating your battery compartment and buying a quality battery warming system. Doing so will not only improve the performance of your batteries, but will also improve their life.
Six volt golf cart batteries are an excellent alternative to 12 volt batteries. They offer slightly more amp hours than a Group-27 12 volt battery, have heavy plates, can suffer more discharge cycles than a regular 12 volt deep cycle battery, and when you wire two in series you have, in essence, one huge 12 volt battery. The downside of this configuration, however, is that if one fails you won't be able to power your 12 volt appliances. I should know, I had this happen to me once. It wasn't fun.
RV owners should understand a few basic electricity rules when it comes to DC circuits and when wiring 12 volt and 6 volt batteries. The rules are pretty simple. Amp hours are additive when 12 volt batteries are wired in parallel, while the voltage remains the same. Conversely, voltage is additive when 6 volt batteries are wired in series, while the total amp hours remains unchanged. Examples of optimum wiring for 12 volt and 6 volt batteries are provided below:
In RV applications there are basically two types of deep cycle batteries from which to choose: Flooded, lead-acid (or wet cell for short) and Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM). Gel-Cell batteries simply don't work well in RV deep cycle environments, so they won't be discussed here. Let's take a look at each:
Wet Cell Battery: These are the cheapest and most common batteries found in the market today, and are available in numerous sizes. You can't go wrong with wet cell batteries, but the big negative with them is that they require periodic maintenance and proper charging. Overcharging can boil out the electrolyte and warp the plates, while undercharging will leave sulfur on the plates which reduces storage capacity. You must also carefully monitor the water levels in each battery cell, using only distilled water if it's needed. All things considered, wet cell batteries work great and are well worth the cost. With proper care and maintenance, they will provide many years of reliable service.?
AGM Battery: In sharp contrast with wet cells, AGMs require no maintenance or watering as they are sealed. AGM batteries are still technically lead-acid batteries, but the electrolyte in them is encased in a fibrous glass mat that can't be spilled. Since AGMs contain no liquid they are practically impervious to freeze damage and can be mounted on their side, an important benefit for some battery and storage compartments.. AGM batteries are true deep cycle batteries as they have very thick positive plates and can suffer more discharge cycles. More importantly, they charge up to five times faster and have a slower self-discharge rate, about 1-3% a month. Unfortunately, AGM batteries cost two to three times more than a regular wet cell, but the benefits to your solar power system make them well worth the cost.
Recharging your batteries is important to your boondocking enjoyment and to the life of your batteries. There are essentially four ways you can do it: solar power, wind power, a generator, and your truck or tow vehicle's alternator. Each method has its pros and cons. Let's take a look at each:
Solar: This renewable source of energy is becoming increasingly popular and for good reason--it's clean, quiet, and doesn't require fuel like a generator (there's plenty of free sunshine out there). The negatives for solar are overcast skies, which greatly reduces the effectiveness of the your system, shading, and high start up costs. These initial costs, however, can be reduced by doing the installation yourself. If you understand how 12 volt systems work you can install a solar power system yourself. It's not that difficult. Check out my Solar 101 article for more information on solar power.
Wind: Another clean and renewable source of energy, wind power has also seen a surge in popularity. Wind turbines can be seen throughout the west and can be purchased in a miniaturized version for your RV. For those who use solar employing a wind turbine at night helps bridge the gap between sunset and sunrise in keeping your batteries charged. The biggest negatives with this method are the high initial costs for a wind turbine and that the system must be set-up each time you want to use it and stored away before you take to the road.
Generator: Easily the most popular method to recharge your batteries. Generators work great at recharging, but not all are good for camping. Sure, industrial generators are relatively cheap and provide lots of wattage, but they are also big, heavy, and extremely noisy. Few things irk campers more than a noisy generator. Fortunately, there are several camping friendly generators on the market today--like the Honda EU2000i and Yamaha EF2400iS--which are not only light (the Honda EU2000i weighs only 46 lbs) but are extremely quiet. The negatives with generators are that they must be hauled around, generate deadly carbon monoxide, and can easily be stolen. Make sure you keep them locked up at all times when camping.
Vehicle Alternator: Using your truck or tow vehicle's alternator is the cheapest and easiest method to recharge your batteries. All you need to do is hook up your trailer or camper while you run your engine. The speed and the efficiency of the charge, however, is limited by the quality of your vehicle's alternator and the size of the charging line wire. The best alternators are those that produce a lot of amperage like those found in heavy duty trucks. This is the least effective and the slowest method to recharge your batteries, but works well on long road trips, especially when used in conjunction with a rooftop solar power system.
Source: http://mellomikeswolfcreekcamper.blogspot.com/2012/11/rv-battery-power-basics.html
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