Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 12, 2025 ...

According to documentation my 03 295 (oem) came with 3 Optima D34 Deep Cycle Engine batteries. They are rated at 750 CCA.
They were once replaced with other brand 795 CCA batteries. As of this writing we are testing them but my initial guess is that two of them are not good anymore. So I plan to get new Odyssey batteries (we like Odyssey) I am thinking to replace 3 with one or two and get  950 or 1150 CCA, maybe 850CCA.
Do you see any problem with going from OEM 750 CCA to a 950 or 1150 CCA? 

BTW, you really don't need deep-cycle batteries for starting batteries. Batteries designed to be starting batteries perform better than deep-cycle batteries when used in starting applications.

On an '03, at least if I'm reading our schematics correctly, there are a lot of other things on the chassis batteries than just the engine.  LP/CO monitor, aux compressor, door locks, etc.  The aux compressor especially is a pretty hefty demand item.  That's likely why FT used dual purpose/deep cycle for starting batteries in our (which is also the OP's) era coach.

That's quite interesting. I would expect nearly all of those items to be on the "house" battery system.

Extra amperage is good. The starter will only draw what it needs.

Since the salesman switch kills 12V house for most things, you wouldn't want to unintentionally shut off your ability to unlock your door or bays, keep your important CO/LP monitors protecting you, or keep your coach level/slide bladder inflated.  The locks and compressor are more chassis-related than house as well, at least that is my thought process as to why these are on the chassis batteries.

it makes sense (at least to me) to keep many items on the "house" battery bank and only have those items on the chassis battery that are directly related to starting and driving the vehicle.

Also, aren't there still keys available to unlock the entry door?

I simply offered what I believed I understood from our schematics to explain one reason FT might have used deep cycle/dual purpose batteries for the starting ones in later model coaches.  Just trying, as it is unfortunately a weakness of mine, to help 

Any suggestions for my second question:
"My second question is about small Solar battery chargers.  I noticed two of them today at Cabela's "Coleman 18W Solar Battery Charging Kit With 7A Charge Controller" and one that does not have a "Charge Controller" it just connects to a cigarette lighter. So some reason I like the one that works from the Cigarette lighter. I can set it up nicely. Where we have it covered parking, the coach does not get sun but I can position the  solar panel close by that the panel will get sun almost all day."