Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 13, 2025 ...

starting batteries

February 17, 2012, 10:13:32 pm

previous owner installed deep cycle marine/rv batteries as starting batteries for coach.at 3 years old they seem to have gone south. on a budget what would be proper replacement ....cat 3116/allison 6 speed....

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Re: starting batteries

Reply #1 – February 17, 2012, 10:21:10 pm

Two starting 12 VDC batteries in parallel.  Probably group 31, as they are more CCA and not much more $$.

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Re: starting batteries

Reply #2 – February 17, 2012, 11:39:15 pm

Wal Mart or Sams Club may have batteries with multi year warranty

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Re: starting batteries

Reply #3 – February 17, 2012, 11:53:34 pm

appreciate the help....being fairly ignorant on batteries,i don't know what group 31 is,nor do i know what cca means.  usually buy batteries at Sams.will they know that terminology? they sure didn't know which batteries to sell me.thanks for hopefully explaining further

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Re: starting batteries

Reply #4 – February 18, 2012, 12:14:43 am

Dale,

Batteries are sized by group.  This is the measurement. A group 24 is smaller than a group 31.  CCA means cold cranking amps. 

Here is a good guide to batteries:

Interstate Batteries FAQ :: Glossary

Keith

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Re: starting batteries

Reply #5 – February 18, 2012, 12:23:02 am

All starting batteries operate the same, just some have more starting capacity, which can be measured in weight of battery with heaviest having more capacity.

Measure your motorhome battery space, being aware of height also. Take your tape measure to Sam's Club and buy the largest and heaviest battery that will fit. Match your cables to the post or bolt connections on top of batteries, making sure your positive and negative cables can reach the respective battery posts.

Or take your motorhome to Sam's and have them take a look.

If more than one battery will fit, than you will need two good size (2/0, 3/0 or 4/0) cables to connect the two batteries together with one cable from positive to positive and another cable negative to negative. Cables between batteries should be the same size as the main cables connected to the battery.

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Re: starting batteries

Reply #6 – February 18, 2012, 12:30:34 am

I would add a caution here.  If you don't know what you are doing get someone who does to help you hook things up.  Batteries contain a LOT of energy and shorting things out can have spectacular and costly results not to mention hurting yourself.  I had a mechanic work for me who shorted his watch band between a battery positive post and vehicle frame.  Had a nasty scar on his wrist.  Dumb mistake that every mechanic is warned of when starting out but he just forgot.

Keith

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Re: starting batteries

Reply #7 – February 18, 2012, 06:37:00 am

     Even if you know what you are doing, don't make a mistake.  I dropped a positive terminal on to a neg. post and sparks flew and lead flew.  Trying to remove two lead spatters from bear skin makes one busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest.  It took the rest of the day to rebuild the post and the rest of the week for all the little blisters to turn brown.  My favorite nylon shorts looked like I had spent a year working in a battery locker.

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Re: starting batteries

Reply #8 – February 18, 2012, 11:03:51 am

I appreciate the info....simple subject for most,but intimidating if you have no guidlines.(SAM's,O'reillys,AdancedAuto) had no clue which batteries to sell me

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Re: starting batteries

Reply #9 – February 18, 2012, 11:19:23 am

Run the coach by Sams there in Texas City.  There is usually very little difference in price between the different size/CCA 12 VDC starting batteries. 

Get the 2 biggest, baddest that will fit that aren't a big price jump over the others.

Make sure they show you the date code and that they aren't over 3 months old.

Brett

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Re: starting batteries

Reply #10 – February 18, 2012, 12:07:57 pm

Just a cold weather starting tip from the North Slope of Alaska. It sounds crazy but it works.

Just turn your headlights on for 60 seconds, wait a minute, and then start. The batteries will warm up slightly because of the headlight draw and that gets things going.

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Re: starting batteries

Reply #11 – February 18, 2012, 12:27:13 pm

Hi Wilson,
  The headlight trick works well. Thankfully it has not been needed this winter, in Maryland. Winter is not quite finished here, but we have not had any real cold weather. It has been nice!
Raymond

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Re: starting batteries

Reply #12 – February 18, 2012, 12:34:56 pm

I had never heard of the headlight trick... great idea... almost counter-intuitive until you think it through. Thanks.

Craig

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Re: starting batteries

Reply #13 – February 18, 2012, 11:43:17 pm

Note:  For starting batteries you do not want deep-cycle batts. There is a difference.
Tell the salesman you want starting batts.

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Re: starting batteries

Reply #14 – February 20, 2012, 10:28:53 am

I had not heard of the headlight trick either but I can see how it might help....

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