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Topic: House batteries (Read 1027 times) previous topic - next topic

House batteries

Replaceing house batteries 6 yrs old, need some input, they are 3  Gel 8d in size. Considering acid over gel. Cost for 3  gel is $1500 dealer cost. Acid is under $ 500. Don't mind spending the extra for Gel if they last longer then acid. Thanks for the help! John & Judy
John & Judy
2006 Phenix 40'

Re: House batteries

Reply #1 –
Everyone has an opinion, for me, Gel is the only choice for me. After much investigating and wisdom from baqttery engineers who also agree on the Gel over either of the other two types, Flooded or AGM.

If price is your only measure, guess the flooded acid is your only choice. NO thanks for me.
Sort of like comjparing a Hugo or Yugo to a Buick  or evern a Winnie to a Foretravel.

$1,500.00 for the 8D Gel set is not a great price. Dealer cost is in the $365.00 each area, so make your best deal.

Re: House batteries

Reply #2 –
Lead acid gas out and can be corrosive. AGM don't and I think the gel don't. Also the maintenance issues associated with the lead acid are more demanding. I would not use lead acid if they were free!
1999 U320
Mount Dora Fl

Re: House batteries

Reply #3 –
Quote from: philtravel –
Lead acid gas out and can be corrosive. AGM don't and I think the gel don't. Also the maintenance issues associated with the lead acid are more demanding. I would not use lead acid if they were free!
Double ditto.  The corrosion inside the compartment would be the one reason not to use conventional lead acid batteries.  Anything electrical near this compartment would soon be all corroded.
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: House batteries

Reply #4 –
I do whatever I can to stay away from lead acid batteries. Not worth the savings versus the headaches :o
The selected media item is not currently available.Bob & Faith Rozek
1997 U320 40'
Xtreme Remodel
2010 Scion XD

Re: House batteries

Reply #5 –
My criteria would be where the batteries are stored and how easy the access to them would be. My previous coach had the batteries in an enclosed fiberglass battery box easily accessible by opening a bay door. The house batteries on my current coach are also behind a bay door but exposed to the open air so in these coaches it just becomes a decision if you want to mess with checking the electrolyte level or not. If you don't mind the maintenance then the Lead Acid are the way I would go. You can replace the lead acid batteries three times for the cost of the Gels. Three sets of lead acid flooded cell batteries will probably out last one set of Gels by a considerable measure. However, if your house batteries are stuffed away deep in the bowels of you coach in a hard to access compartment or if I didn't want to mess with the maintenance, then I would go with the Gels.
The selected media item is not currently available.Kent Speers
Locust Grove, OK
1993 U300 SSE 40' (Restored at FOT 2009) Build 4323
720 watts Solar
6V92TA DDEC Silver Engine
2014 Subaru Outback

Re: House batteries

Reply #7 –
I got my 6 sealed Genesis at a real deal otherwise would have gone to Sam's Club for their inexpensive 8Ds or deep cycle 6 volts as they have worked really well for me before.  Since then, I have seen many dry campers go to Trogan's deep cycle 6 Volts. I had a couple of these in my 4107 for house batteries and they did a great job. Dry camped while building a house so never plugged to shore power, only charged by the 300 watt alternator on the 8V-71 and 120V from a Trace inverter day after day. See at: BatteryHouse.com Trojan T105 Group Size GC2 6V 6 Volt Deep Cycle 225 AH Battery

Sam's Club and Costco frequently have good deals on deep cycle 6 volts.
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)
 

Re: House batteries

Reply #8 –
Thanks for your input, will go with Gel. John & Judy
John & Judy
2006 Phenix 40'