Starting Batteries (Engine only!)

[KB9BG]

Thanks Greg for the reply, thus
the reason for the poll of members for I am very concern about the DDec
electrical issues also. My AGM batteries are Deka SeaMate & RV AGM brand
Absorbed Glass Mat Technology Deep Cycle with 198AH @ 20HR and 1110 CCA and
mention on the side of the batteries (6) that they are:

1.
Leak proof

2.
Superior Cycle Life

3.
Completely Maintenance
Free

4.
Heavy-Duty Power for
Trolling Motors, House Power and Accessory Loads

5.
Good for Engine
Starting

The above may be all advertising
issues to sell this type of battery!!!!!!!…

Now we have the issue of this
battery doing the 1110 CCA for purpose of starting the engine vs. three (3)
batteries hook together (I guess we can always use the relay switch to throw
all other House Batteries in needed situations…..).

With a split battery system the
House Batteries charge is set via my Xantrex control panels (2 panels for both
Xantrex inverter/charger units) when hook to shore power at the lowest (“Set
Incoming Breaker AMP” setting (50,30,20,15,5 AMP choices) as to not hit
the charge cycle hard for a long period of time.

Wondering cost and convenient if One
(1) of these big boys battery would be better than the three Commercial
starting batteries in the long run? I’ve measured the tray for the
three present starting batteries and NO PROBLEM on fitting one (1) of
these battery in the area tray that now holds the three (3) starting batteries
now. I guess one would have to look at the total of three (3) vs. One (1)
battery as a thought. I agree that the float charge on the starting
batteries or battery if it would be the preferred route to protect the
investment of “DDec electrical issues” as you mentioned…

The Sam Club Commercial battery
was 950CCA as I remember, but I need to do the math with having three (3) vs.
one of the Deka SeaMate AGM battery @ 1110 CCA rating. The trouble with
three (3), is if one is bad it will affect all when hooked together vs. just
one (1) battery doing the job of three (3). I probably will have to check
in to the actual weight of each selection also (tray should hold it).

Let me know what you come up in thought
if you are in the market of replacing your “Engine Batteries” soon,
for there is the issue of these coaches doing more setting than rolling till
this fuel issue settles, in my personal thought.

Regards

Gregg W. Kizer

From:
WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of Gregory OConnor

Sent: Monday, May 26, 2008 6:51 PM

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com

Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Starting Batteries (Engine only!)

I dont know if having glass mat or other types
of batteries in the

inverter storage bank should influence start battery choice when a

charger setting is used to boost both banks????

I would use regular high start amp commercial truck batteries. when

my 94 is stored for over a month I clip on a automatic trickle

charger I got at pepboys aprox $40 because the onboard chargers dont

maintain the start bank and I dont want to tie the two together at

the dash. I need to pick up a set myself. my start batteries are

wet cell /no maintenance but RobR clued me in on the hidden caps and

a hydrometer test proved uneven reading across the batteries. I

dont want to end up with electrical issues in the DDec caused by

batteries.



GregoryO'Connor



--- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com",
"Gregg Kizer"

wrote:

>

> GROUP Question:

>

> What batteries ("Deep Cycle" or "Regular Type/ with high
CCA

rating")

> are best for "Start Engine/ assignment duty" would one go with

when

> replacing all three (3)battery units. It seems time has come to

> replace out the three (3) engine batteries of which are presently

a

> Deep Cycle type (Wolverine Deep Cycle /brand of battery/ with

> ThermOil Battery Technology) when aquiring this coach . My other

> batteries (six Large Deep Cycle AGM) are AGM type for the "House

> Service". I have a splite system battery set up for this '96

coach.

>

> Does the various seating around of the coach while in storage (not

> using coach, cold winter storage, etc...) warrant and best suit

> the "Deep Cycle" type batteries vs the "Regular Type"
for purpose

of

> starting my 60 Series Detroit engine??? This might be the reason

for

> the "Deep Cycle" type batteries on the "Engine"
battery set-up

that

> is being used now.

>

> Would the Sam's Club "COMMERCIAL" type battery (@ $87.24 per

battery

> cost)= "31A 12V @ 950 CCA" work just as well and replace them

often

> as needed or would one invest into the "AGM type Deep Cycle"
type

> batteries for the over all perforamce and longivity due to the

> various storage assignments of the coach and various charging

issues

> (cyles, engine charging, shore power/inverter-charger, etc.)?????

>

> It seems that Blue Bird has the engine battery bank charging

> controled by owner (me!!) to regulate the amount of engine battery

> bank charge while sitting (shore power or generator power) and not

> runing the engine (travel time) by design...

>

> NOTE: With price of fuel, I am sure all our batteries will be

more

> in a directed storage stage of life of our coaches....Just a

thougt!

>

> WHAT WOULD YOU GO WITH when needing replacements? I am sure

> the "ThermOil Battery Technology" was applied to the batteries
to

> keep the corrision issue down in the battery compartment area vs.

the

> AGM type batteries as used in "House battery Service"...

>

> Gregg Kizer

> `96 WBSD `42

> KB9BG (ham call)

> New Castle, IN

>