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house battery question

i am working my through our coach in order to minimize issues on the road.  Our 97 U320 has three house batteries.  Two are the MK sealed style and one is a Interstate lead/acid Commercial battery.  Is there any issue with this combination of batteries.  Thanks, Tracy
Tracy Taylor
1997 U320 40'

Re: house battery question

Reply #1 –
If the Interstae battery is a wet type, there will be issues with the charging system, since the two different types require differing charging voltage and rates. All of the house and coach batteries should be the same type because they are all charged by the alternator while running down the road. At least, that is how I understand it... I am sure someone with more knowlege on the subject will chime in soon.
Don
Quote from: tltaylor –
i am working my through our coach in order to minimize issues on the road.  Our 97 U320 has three house batteries.  Two are the MK sealed style and one is a Interstate lead/acid Commercial battery.  Is there any issue with this combination of batteries.  Thanks, Tracy
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Don & Tys
1999 U270 3602 WTFE #5402
Xtreme Stage 1 w/Headlight, Step Conversion, etc.
2009 Honda Fit Sport with Navi
Freedom is NOT "just another word for nothing left to lose"... with apologies to Kris Kristofferson

Re: house battery question

Reply #2 –
yes the 3 should be the same type. Find how old the gel are and if at end of life then get 3 AGM 8D
John H
Coachless, now use aircraft. 2003 Ford Travelair TC280 class C. Super shape. Just for 1 yr .
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: house battery question

Reply #3 –
There is nothing that causes parallel connect batteries to equally share loads due to internal resistance differences. The only hope of trying to equally drain all batteries is for them to be the same size, type and age. Using individual shunts and milli-volt meters is that only way to know how much each battery is contributing.

Different battery types each have their own battery charger profile and using a too high voltage will destroy a sealed GEL & AGM battery. And charging with too low voltages will damage wet batteries. Wet batteries benefit by periodic equalization and sealed batteries are damaged by equalization, but one could disconnect sealed batteries during an equalization cycle.

You could disconnect the wet battery and run on just two batteries. Several Foretravel models come from the factory with only two house batteries.

Re: house battery question

Reply #4 –
I'd bet the prior owner took the cheap way out and replaced only one failing gel cell battery with the lower cost wet cell.  Now is probably the time to replace all three.  Look at both gel and AGM technologies.  Both have their proponents.  I went with the former.
Regards,
Brett

'99 42' Foretravel Xtreme
'14 Brown Motorsports Stacker
'05 Chevy SSR
'02 BMW R1150R
 

Re: house battery question

Reply #5 –
Thank y'all for all of your responses.  Tracy
Tracy Taylor
1997 U320 40'