Month: February 2021

To get to all the places you need to go, it’s important to have the right battery for your RV travel trailer. While you can stay at campsites and travel centers on the road, you often need to rely on your trailer as an alternate source of power. Having the right battery on hand ensures a safe and reliable source of power on demand. The experts at Northeast Battery will gladly provide recommendations.

Types of Batteries

In order to get the right battery for your travel trailer, you will need to understand your vehicle’s electrical system and the different battery options available.

Chassis

Chassis batteries, otherwise known as Starting batteries, power the engine on your RV. They are similar to the battery in a car, but they have higher Cold Cranking Amps (CCAs) due to their larger size. Any replacement Chassis battery that you get should have a CCA rating equal to or higher than your current battery’s levels.

Deep-Cycle

Deep-Cycle batteries are used in an RV to provide power for accessories. They are used as a source of electricity for your water heater, refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, and other appliances. Deep-Cycle batteries generally come in two configurations, which are 6V and 12V, although 12V batteries are the most common battery size. Deep-Cycle batteries are used fairly frequently, which means they generally need to be charged more often than Starting batteries. They can be recharged using shoreline power or even solar panels depending on your RV’s electrical configurations. There are several kinds of Deep-Cycle batteries that you can get for your vehicle, including:

• Conventional Flooded Electrolyte
• Gel
• Absorbed Glass Mat(AGM)

Conventional Flooded Electrolyte batteries are the most common. They are the most affordable and provide reliable power. These batteries require more maintenance than other types, and they are not the best for hot weather. Gel batteries are fast-charging and require minimal maintenance. They also last for a while. AGM batteries last longer than traditional batteries. They also charge more rapidly, but they generally cost more.

Marine

Despite the name, Marine batteries are perfectly suited for use on land, including your RV. Marine batteries provide a source of power that’s somewhere in between the household-style power capacity of Deep-Cycle batteries and the start-up power of Charging batteries. Marine batteries, therefore, are frequently used as an alternative to either type of battery. They are less expensive than many Deep-Cycle batteries, which makes them an appealing choice for those who want to save money on the road.

If you’re considering a Marine battery, you’ll want to consider its power ratings to ensure you have the best fit for your trailer.

• AH Rating
• RC Rating

The AH rating, or “Amp-Hours” rating, measures the maximum amps that your battery can produce over a period of 20 hours. The Marine battery’s RC rating, on the other hand, means “Reserve Capacity.” This number indicates the length of time that the Marine battery can sustain a 25-amp load.

If you are looking for the ideal battery for your RV, contact the experts at Northeast Battery today to help you find the right solution.

Selecting the right marine battery charger for your boat is important. There are several different types of battery chargers that you can get, including portable and onboard battery chargers. You can even get a hybrid inverter and battery charger for your boat. Batteries are made for boats of all sizes and styles, which means you’ll want to keep certain considerations in mind to make sure you get the right one.

What is the Ideal Charge Curve?

The “Ideal Charge Curve” is a general charging schedule followed by most marine battery producers. The concept of the charging schedule is that batteries will last longer and charge more quickly if they are charged in multiple phases. One consideration to keep in mind is that gel-based batteries charge at lower voltages and different rates than AGM and flooded-type batteries.

Consider the Temperature

Another key to choosing the right charger involves considering the battery’s operating temperature. The recommended voltages for marine batteries are largely dependent on surrounding ambient temperatures. Most boats operate in a temperature range between 50°F and 90°F. Batteries that are operated in higher temperatures have lower charging voltages, while batteries that are operated at lower temperatures have higher charging voltages.

Finding the Right Size Charger

Selecting a charger of the right size depends on a few different factors, including:

• The type of batteries that you are working with and their size
• Whether your boat has an intermittent or constant supply of AC power
• How often you use your boat
• Any additional continuous loads

Getting a charger that’s the right size is important to make sure that it supplies the boat with sufficient amounts of power but doesn’t waste energy. Knowing how much AC power your boat gets helps you figure out if it has enough power to operate the charger. The frequency with which you use your boat is also important. A boat that is out on the water daily needs a larger charger than one that is docked for most of the week. Finally, you’ll want to consider any other items on the boat that consume battery power, such as lights and a refrigeration system. If you’re going to be offshore for long periods of time, it’s important to get a battery charger that can recharge your battery in a sufficient amount of time. After charging your batteries, most chargers simply monitor the battery’s remaining charge and provide maintenance charge only as necessary, which reduces power consumption while supplying adequate amounts of power.

Charging Times

Most experts recommend operating a house bank between 50% and 85% of its capacity. The battery should also be recharged once daily every time you use it. Following these recommendations, you should be able to recharge a battery by 35% using the correct charger with a charge time of an hour.