recommendations for a great deep cycle battery

[universal_exports]

I am looking at getting a 12 volt deep cycle battery for my camper, it will be mounted outside, so who makes the top of the line, longest lasting most powerful batteries? thanks in advance.

[48Rob]

General thoughts in the RV world is that two 6 volt deep cycle golf car batteries wired together make the best 12 volt battery for Amps available, longevity of batteries, and cost.
It generally makes the most sense to do some serious studying to determine how many Amp hours of power you will use/need, and then size your system and choose a battery to suit.
Some people need mega systems, and some can get by with a very small capacity battery.

Rob

[Shadow Catcher]

Two of the best sources for information are www.batteryfaq.org and http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm
Because I wanted a trouble free battery that I did not have to water and could leave for months at a time with out having to put it on a charger so I chose a Lifeline AGM.

[jonw]

Check out Optima yellow top batteries. Sealed AGM, deep cycle...

[steveyos]

You also may want to look at an Odyssey Battery

[Shadow Catcher]

The Optima while listed as a deep cycle, well any battery that lists cold cranking amps and that I have this much trouble finding the amp hours, It really is not a true deep cycle. and at 55 amp hours this is not a good choice. Ideally you do not want to go below 50% depth of discharge and 27 amps does not go far.

[asianflava]

I have an Optima Blue top, had it for years now and I'm happy with it. I've heard that the newer Optimas aren't as good as the older ones. I don't know if they have resolved this. I'd probably get another since the spill resistance is more important to me than all out power.

[GuitarPhotog]

-snip- and at 55 amp hours this is not a good choice. Ideally you do not want to go below 50% depth of discharge and 27 amps does not go far.

How far a 55 Ah battery will take you depends entirely on your energy budget. I can go off grid for 5 days on my 55 Ah Interstate deep-cycle AGM battery. I use nothing but LED lights, a computer fan for ventilation, and a USB charger for my phone. At the end of 5 days, my battery was still above 70%.

I don't spend much time inside my teardrop, so I don't run television, stereo, heat, refrigeration, running water, or any of the other electrical luxuries that some do. I calculated my energy budget carefully before I bought the battery, and bought the best I could find in the size I actually need.

Your mileage may vary

<Chas>

[jonw]

Well said, Chas

[Shadow Catcher]

Compass Rose has all LED lights Computer case fans (.28A on low), but it also has a 6 gal DSI water heater Espar heater and yes we do have a radio and Sirius receiver as well as a Recom weather warn radio and a TV should we want it (handy during bad weather). 150AH AGM battery 345 W solar. I have tent camped for 58 years and wilderness canoe camped, (the canoe over the portage gains about 5# a year). We are for the most part through roughing it.

[bdosborn]

..... I don't run television, stereo, heat, refrigeration, running water, or any of the other electrical luxuries that some do.....

Yup, I run all those as well as satellite TV/radio, a heater, 120V inverter, coffee maker, laptop, cell phone, ipad and the wife's hair dryer. I love electrical stuff! Two golf cart batteries works great for us.

Bruce

[prohandyman]

I have used several "wheel chair" batteries on my builds. They are great deep cycle units, light weight as compared to marine types, but do cost a little more.