House Batteries

[mbrund]

Correction, I flipped the prices in the response below. The prices I
got where; GEL (8G31DT) = $172, AGM (8ADT31) = $151

Sorry about that...

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "mbrund" <mbrund@...> wrote:
>
> My coach came with 31DT's from the factory. So the pricing is for
> the MK/DEKA 8A31DT (AGM) $172, or 8G31DT (GEL) $151. I have a
total
> of 8 for a battery bank of 780 AH (GEL) currently. If I switched
to
> AGM it would increase to 832 AH. I have a regular RV based fridge
> and don't dry camp so the GEL battery bank is plenty large enough
> with out the added 51AH I would get from AGM.
>
> I prefer the add life that you get from GEL over AGM. Like you
said,
> the death of most GEL's comes from incorrect charging routines. So
to
> make sure that I don't incorrectly charge the batteries, I am
looking
> at either getting a Charles or Balmar 3 stage alternator regulator
as
> to not incorrectly charge the batteries while the engine is
running.
> I already have plans to replace the IOTA Converters and old Heart
> Inverter with a newer Xantrex Inveter/Charger combo.
>
> Michael Brundridge
> 92 WB40
> Georgetown, TX
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Pete Masterson
> wrote:
> >
> > Previous owner of my coach installed Deka AGMs (6 house model 4D,
> 3
> > engine (smaller) batteries). I still have the engine batteries --

> > they seem to be ok, but the house batteries were replaced since
> the
> > Link 2000 R controller had been 'reset' sometime during the 6
> months
> > the coach sat in dealer's lots between the previous owner and
> myself.
> > The batteries were being overcharged during that time and for
> several
> > months after -- until I figured out what was going wrong. The
> > overcharging seriously shorted the life of the batteries.
> >
> > I replaced my 6 house batteries with Fullriver 8A4D AGM, 216 AH --

> at
> > about $500 each. (These are big batteries -- about 150 lbs.
each.)
> > The one problem presented by the Fullriver batteries was that
they
> > were about 1/2 inch wider than the Dekas ... and I ended up
having
> > to modify the battery trays and mounting system to accommodate
> them.
> >
> > I would have gotten Deka batteries as a replacement, but I was
> unable
> > to locate them in this area.
> >
> > What model Deka batteries are used in your coach? At $151, they
> sound
> > like they're much smaller than the class 4D used in my coach.
> >
> > Pete Masterson
> > '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
> > El Sobrante CA
> > aeonix1@
> >
> >
> >
> > On Sep 23, 2007, at 10:32 PM, mbrund wrote:
> >
> > > Well it's about that time to replace batteries. The RV has
been
> over
> > > at the body shop waiting on parts from Blue Bird (seems they
> can't get
> > > parts shipped out of Blue Bird these days since the change
over.
> Been
> > > waiting 4 weeks for a dang bumper that has been sitting on their
> > > shelf). In the mean time, since the body shop does not have a
50
> AMP
> > > plug, my house batteries went to 0 volts. Well they where on
> their
> > > last leg anyway!
> > >
> > > So going to replace all 8 GEL CELLS with 8 new AGM batteries.
I
> got a
> > > qoute for 8 new DEKA AGM @ $151 each plus taxes. Anyone have
any
> > > good/bad experience with DEKA?
> > >
> > > I believe the ones I have now are MK (all though they have no
> name on
> > > them they look just like the MK with the same handle design).
> > >
> > > Michael Brundridge
> > > 1992 WB40
> > > Georgetown, TX
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>