Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 22, 2025 ...

Engine and House batteries

February 09, 2013, 04:58:08 pm

Good evening everyone!  I need a simple education on what type of batteries to use for engine and house batteries. I currently have 3 deep cycle maintainence free engine batteries and 2 gel cell batteries for my house batteries. All are working properly.....I just need to know what are best batteries to use. Thanks!......I will await the expert advice!

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Re: Engine and House batteries

Reply #1 – February 09, 2013, 05:16:01 pm

                     If your batteries are in good shape and doing their job I wouldn't mess with them. I changed mine out because they were done. My research told me that Lifeline batteries are regarded as the best of the best and that's what I ended up with for both start and house. But they are expensive.  Had a lot of good feedback from the real experts here on Foreforums that finally got me on the right track.

                      If you want to read my battery saga....New battery setup (was RE: House Batteries boiling)

              Dean

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Re: Engine and House batteries

Reply #2 – February 09, 2013, 05:40:46 pm

Mpst U.S. batteries are manufactured by East Penn, I believe.

Lifeline/Concord are very specific batteries and yes a bit more expensive.  I have bought Lifeline for my boat yet they did not fair any better than East Penns. (NOW! that is only and just my experience!!-- it does not speak volumes!)

East Penn "private labels" batteries.  they make them for many different resellers.  Different label, same battery.  MK? used and installed in FT's? the same battery!

good battery.  Do NOT abuse them even though they should be able to be deep cylced down to 80%, doesn't mean it is good for them.

Start batteries really do not take a deep discharge...so gells should be just fine.

House bank should be treated well, so no reason to discharge them to hard.

East Penn's tech site shows Gells have 2X the life IF they are discharged LESS.................read this as take care of your batteries and they will take care of you.

See East Penn's site for more info.

I'm now on 8 yrs. for my present set of 3, of 8D gells on my boat.

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Re: Engine and House batteries

Reply #3 – February 09, 2013, 06:22:27 pm

I'm going on 10 years on a set of two East Penn 8D gel batteries. These have been just outstanding performers. Then again, I take very good care of them.

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