Deep cycle batteries...I'm pissed!!!!!

[Phil Reed]

Last summer, Candy & I were in central Texas for Hayden's birthday. We had an extra day so drove down to San Antonio to look at new toy haulers. Sure enough, we found one we liked....brand new and brought it home. This was June 2018.

Fast forward to yesterday....tried to raise the front end of the gooseneck so I could drive the dually under it to take it in get winterized and nothing happened!!! Called dealership, and they said maybe the batteries need to be charged. Took both in today and found out that neither one will hold a charge!! WTF!!!!!! These are AC Delco batteries.

For all you campers....is this normal???? Buying new batteries every year or two???
Is there a preferred brand that is better than others??? I left the power cord plugged in all summer when it was parked here at the house.

Is this normal???????

 

[1958 delivery]

Luck of the draw and you lost this time. Feel your pain.

 

[Fathead Racing]

i bought a new deep cycle battery from Auto Zone in June before Thompson, fast forward to Dragway 42 in August, the battery was DOA. the same battery that it replaced was six years old. I now have a new battery in place. one thing you can look at is your on board charger. make sure that it is a battery tender type that will not over charge. In my case I have to think the battery was junk. we‘ll see how this one holds up. i’ve always had good luck with the Duralast batteries from the Zone.

 

[Ishiftem]

Not normal! Odyssey batteries are supposed to be the best right now. Pricey though. I have an off brand in my trailer and it has been good for six years now. It gets charged when I'm pulling it and I bring it inside for the winter and charge it once.

 

[rstreet]

Not normal if using a real deep cycle battery and correct battery maintainer. Yes this is an issue with the RV’s
Robert

 

[blkblk63ss]

So whats the warranty time period on those batterys??

 

[rstreet]

I’m not sure of warranty span on a true deep cycle. Interstate makes one 12 volt model and Trojan makes several. It seems many RV folks are using 6 volt true deep cycle not hybrid “marine” 12 volts. With the correct maintainers
One thing I am sure of a true cycle AH battery is heavier and more $.
Robert

 

[409gang]

Boats & RV's=WORK! My dad had RV's from when I was in high school until he died in 2013 all he ever did was work on them, and yes he did change batteries frequently. Me on the other hand had boats and they are just as much WORK as a RV.

 

[Don Jacks]

If your charger is of the "Battery Tender type,it's likely just substandard batteries,if it isn't you cooked them by leaving the charger on too long Phil.

 

[Phil Reed]

Thanks Don. Guess I need to find where the tenders are.
We had the toy hauler in storage all last winter....and I had a normal extension cord with the correct adapter on the camper.....and everything started up fine this spring.
I dunno.......

 

[La Hot Rods]

Did you call the people you got it from?

 

[Phil Reed]

I called the dealer here at 5PM and they were already closed. I try again Monday morning and will also call the manufacturer.

 

[pvs409]

My brother‘s new trailer had his single battery go bad after one year, he took the battery ( interstate) back to his dealer and got a new battery for free. Phil his trailer is 38 ft.

 

[La Hot Rods]

Have you tested the outlet that you had it plugged into?

 

[Barry Taylor]

Phil what Don said. Find out if you have a converter that cuts back the charge rate if there isn’t a load on it or the type that’s 55, 65 amps all the time. This will boil them dry quickly and possibly ruin your converter because it’s being overworked. No need to leave it plugged in. If you disconnect a good charged battery, it should still have a good charge when you turn it back on. The Interstate battery’s that dealers get for trailers are crap.

 

[409newby]

I've always went with 6 volt deep cycle batteries and a battery tender but most deep cycle battery life span is at best 4 yrs just from my experence with my motor home I've owned since 1999

 

[Fathead Racing]

My battery was covered under warranty and they swapped it out no questions. When your (me) plugged to shore power and you know the battery is at full charge there is a battery disconnect switch, at least on mine, and I disconnect the battery since I think I may have fried the last one. This coming season I am going to investigate further and see if my charging unit is working properly.

 

[dm62409]

used a Optima yellow top deep cycle battery from 2008 in the Motor Home coach to run the water system , interior lights ,and start the generator until this year. Replaced with a Optima blue top deep cycle & starting battery. We'll see how long this one lasts. I always disconnect the ground cable when setting and not using.

 

[Don Jacks]

Those batteries may have said AC Delco on them,but they make a cheaper line and the good[better any way] line.It wouldn't be a bad bet to say that the RV manufacturer did not put the best stuff in there.

 

[Jim Sullivan]

We just had to replace our 27 series deep cycle battery. We only used it for the winch on our trailer, which wasn't very often. It was a NAPA battery, I believe made by Exide? It was ten years old and I would normally recharge it with a trickle charger / maintainer left on for a couple weeks. Every once in a while I put it on a regular charger. Now we have an Interstate battery, we'll see how this one lasts.