Re: Cost of 8D Batteries
Reply #28 –
Be sure to adjust your charger for the gels if not already done.
I undercharge ours a bit on the non stepped charge alternator. 13.6 volts at the battery.
And use a fairly conservative charge from the charger of 1/5th C C being capacity.
So 675 amp hours is 130 amps which is what foretravel speced new in our heart freedom 2500 or what a new magna sin 2812 puta out.
Being as we do not have a battery monitor system I took the lowest charge voltage that works regardless of the temp of 13.7 volts.
You can go higher depending on the temp if your system is adjustable but would need to adjust the voltage differently in warm versus cool weather.
The mk engineer told me their older gels had a lot of 10-12 year users and the new plate charging/testing setup before installation and the new plate mounting system could double that.
After using and selling countless used rv's for many years in the biz I learned to put the best batteries possible in any coach.
Less problems. More fun.
By the cycle life your new set will probably turn out to be the least expensive over their life.
Good available power as the temps drop also