How long on your batteries

Post your general and technical information, questions or responses in this forum. Viewing messages is open to all with no registration or log-in required. Prior to posting a new message or a response to an existing message, registration or login is required. Please do not post FOR SALE or WANTED ads in this section!

Moderator: bfadmin

John S.
Posts: 477
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:01 pm

How long on your batteries

Post by John S. »

I ran the inverter the other night. The only thing on was a fan and two CPAP’s. The batteries lasted less than 6 hours. How long do yours run?
2015 Royal Splendor on Ford 550 none slide version
Former owner 2007 24foot rear bath painted and 2006 22 foot built for two
Former owner 1994 34 foot 2000 36 foot and 2001 42 foot FORETRAVEL's.
montir
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2015 8:37 pm

Re: How long on your batteries

Post by montir »

John,
I haven't tried a test quite like that but if you were using the humidifier on both CPAPs that was probably somewhere around a 120 Watt load. That will drain your batteries pretty fast.

When I use my CPAP on 12 V, I turn the humidifier off but put water in the tank so that I do get some humidification. We can watch TV for 3 hours in the evening and run the CPAP for 7 hours and still have plenty of battery power left in the morning. Since my CPAP will run directly on 12 V, I don't use the inverter for it as that would be less efficient. It has been long enough since I have used it that way that I don't remember exactly how much battery power was left in the morning but I think it was over 70%.
Monti
2015 Triumph Royal RB 4X4
User avatar
whemme
Posts: 2110
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:05 pm

Re: How long on your batteries

Post by whemme »

John, you did not say what type or capacity rating are your house batteries nor their age. My experience with the Interstate deep cycle batteries is that once they are 5 years old they are basically done with little charge capacity remaining.
Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
John S.
Posts: 477
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:01 pm

Re: How long on your batteries

Post by John S. »

Mine are the originals so 4 years old. No humidifier running either. I will look at replacing them soon.
2015 Royal Splendor on Ford 550 none slide version
Former owner 2007 24foot rear bath painted and 2006 22 foot built for two
Former owner 1994 34 foot 2000 36 foot and 2001 42 foot FORETRAVEL's.
User avatar
whemme
Posts: 2110
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:05 pm

Re: How long on your batteries

Post by whemme »

John,

Also, repeated discharging your house batteries below 50% level will shorten their life.
Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
User avatar
bcope01
Posts: 1290
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:55 pm

Re: How long on your batteries

Post by bcope01 »

What I did was replace my two 12v Interstates in parallel with two 6v Trojan batteries wired in series and never looked back. Always considered the Interstate battery to be a hybrid starter/deep cycle battery, whereas the Trojan battery is a true deep cycle.

I know I will get a strong debate from Bill Hemme on this. :D But I was well beyond 5 years on the Trojan batteries when I sold my coach and they were still performing as new.

Bill Cope
Attachments
A7EC4D6E-82DA-4122-B8FC-D36D9F075790.jpeg
A7EC4D6E-82DA-4122-B8FC-D36D9F075790.jpeg (163.13 KiB) Viewed 9317 times
Barb & Bill
2004 Born Free 22' Built for Two (Sold)
no longer towing a 2008 Smart ForTwo

Escondido, CA
User avatar
whemme
Posts: 2110
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:05 pm

Re: How long on your batteries

Post by whemme »

Bill, no I agree with you that the Trogan golf car deep cycle batteries are better and longer lived than the original Interstates originally installed by Born Free.
Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
John S.
Posts: 477
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:01 pm

Re: How long on your batteries

Post by John S. »

Will look into those
2015 Royal Splendor on Ford 550 none slide version
Former owner 2007 24foot rear bath painted and 2006 22 foot built for two
Former owner 1994 34 foot 2000 36 foot and 2001 42 foot FORETRAVEL's.
perleys
Posts: 117
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2015 3:45 pm

Re: How long on your batteries

Post by perleys »

So do the two 6v Trojan batteries wired in series take up the same space as two 12 volt batteries and give the same amount of power over time? Can the modification be done from the pull out battery drawer or is more wiring or work needed?
User avatar
bcope01
Posts: 1290
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:55 pm

Re: How long on your batteries

Post by bcope01 »

perleys wrote:So do the two 6v Trojan batteries wired in series take up the same space as two 12 volt batteries and give the same amount of power over time? Can the modification be done from the pull out battery drawer or is more wiring or work needed?
The Trojan batteries fit in the existing tray that held my Interstates. Used existing wiring to wire the Trojans in Series. You end up with one short cable extra. Look at my photo above and you can see the extra red cable in the foreground of the tray.
Attachments
B0695C25-6010-43E5-98A0-D641CC154CB8.jpeg
B0695C25-6010-43E5-98A0-D641CC154CB8.jpeg (41.02 KiB) Viewed 9230 times
Barb & Bill
2004 Born Free 22' Built for Two (Sold)
no longer towing a 2008 Smart ForTwo

Escondido, CA
tomzleapin
Posts: 485
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 9:15 am

Re: How long on your batteries

Post by tomzleapin »

The Trojan T-105 batteries are taller than the Interstate 12 volt, so measure the height of the opening to make sure they will fit.
Tom
2005 24' RB
Towing 2016 Mini Cooper convertible on tow dolly
New Hope, MN
User avatar
bcope01
Posts: 1290
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:55 pm

Re: How long on your batteries

Post by bcope01 »

tomzleapin wrote:The Trojan T-105 batteries are taller than the Interstate 12 volt, so measure the height of the opening to make sure they will fit.
True
Barb & Bill
2004 Born Free 22' Built for Two (Sold)
no longer towing a 2008 Smart ForTwo

Escondido, CA
perleys
Posts: 117
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2015 3:45 pm

Re: How long on your batteries

Post by perleys »

Thanks for the info on the 6 volt. I have a bit of time before I need to worry about it. Was thinking about plans for when I need to buy batteries again!
tomzleapin
Posts: 485
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 9:15 am

Re: How long on your batteries

Post by tomzleapin »

Here's a link to a thread on how some folks installed Trojans in a newer coach:
https://www.bornfreervclub.org/bulletin ... lit=trojan
Tom
2005 24' RB
Towing 2016 Mini Cooper convertible on tow dolly
New Hope, MN
lafons
Posts: 97
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:05 pm

Re: How long on your batteries

Post by lafons »

2 Trojans for me too. Both are now 9 years old and are still strong. When they do weaken I’ll definitely replace them with the same. They have been well taken care of over the years. I also use a Cpac machine, two nights will leave me at about 70%
Steve,2001 26rsb
East tennessee
Post Reply

Return to “General and Technical Information, Questions, and Responses”