Any recommendations for a new van battery?

[cygvan]

Originally Posted by BrianW

Sam's Clubs on the east side of the country are now carrying "Duracell" batteries, which are made by East Penn batteries (Deka's manufacturer). They seem to be priced well and have really good warranties. I bought a set of three of their AGM deep-cycle batteries for my house battery, and also one for my van's starting battery.

pardon thread diversion....

im using deka solar 4d purchased locally...

was curious as to which battery at sams club you saw...id like to compare the price of their 4d agm to the deka i have...

i saw a few they have via google search but im confused as to the type of batteries they sell actually...

i keep seeing rv/marine and rv/marine with starting .... i want a true deep cycle solar or re battery like i have...does sams club carry one?

[Scalf77]

What year is your van? Amusing it was done by Sportsmobile. Like Dave said, a Isolator and a Separator are different things to do the same thing. That said, they behave differently. If you have a isolator you should not have seen any voltage increase on the house battery when charging the van battery. You would see this if you had a separator, Sportsmobile started using separators in 2004. Below are instructions for testing a isolator.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR TESTING A SURE POWER ISOLATOR WITH OHMMETER*:
1. Remove all wires from the isolator.
2. Using a needle movement ohmmeter RX-1 scale or a digital ohmmeter diode scale, hold the Red* probe on the terminal "A" and with
the Black* probe touch terminal #1 and #2, and the "E" terminal for 3A isolators (group 2), and the "R" terminal for (group 3) isolators.
A good isolator will show a current flow from "A" to #1, #2 and "R", and no current flow to "E".
3. Next, hold the Black* probe on the "A" and with the Red* probe touch terminal #1 and #2 (terminal "E" and "R", if used). A good
isolator will allow no current flow from "A" to #1, #2 or "R" and will show current flow from "E" to "A".
4. Hold one probe on the aluminum heat sink, being sure there is contact by scratching through the protective coating. Then touch
with the other probe, terminals "A", #1, #2 (the "E" terminal for 3A isolators [group 2] , the "R" terminal for group 3 isolators). A
good isolator will show no current flow.
5. Colored terminal indicates "E" post on group 2 isolators and "R" terminal on most group 3 isolators.
*On some import ohmmeters, the red and black probes are reversed for these tests.
**If using a digital ohmmeter, a diode scale MUST be used.

-greg

[daveb]

Originally Posted by cygvan

pardon thread diversion....

im using deka solar 4d purchased locally...

was curious as to which battery at sams club you saw...id like to compare the price of their 4d agm to the deka i have...

i saw a few they have via google search but im confused as to the type of batteries they sell actually...

i keep seeing rv/marine and rv/marine with starting .... i want a true deep cycle solar or re battery like i have...does sams club carry one?

It's kinda new and no reports out about it, but Interstate has a new battery out there. Cheap? No way but according to the company info it's an AGM that can be used as a deep cycle or starting battery yet can handle a discharge rate of 80% as compared to 50% that most AGM's have It might be a keeper. If they produce what the company states, I'd look them over when they produce a 4-D
31-AGM7

[carringb]

I went with Optimas on my van. I do deep cycle my batteries from time to time (inverter use mostly, sometimes also for camper power), so lead acid batts never lasted long, no matter which brand. I was also tired of the batteries spilling acid during off-road adventures. The Optimas have been flawless so far, and also maintain winch power for MUCH longer.

[daveb]

Overall I've had good success with Optima. I'm using them in my bass boat and they have lasted for over 5 years. I did like that Costco had them for a very reasonable price. One battery that was used as a power source for my telescope camera did fail for no reason at all and I don't know why. Maybe it was just a bad battery. Even though I kept a lite charge on it the thing failed. Its counterpart (an older yellow top) is still in great shape. I'm also using yellow tops to run the trolling motor on the bass boat and have been fantastic to date.

[REF]

Swapped out for an Optima yellow for my starter too, seems to be holding up better than the last batt to the demands of diesel starting, Deka 4D house.

[cygvan]

Originally Posted by daveb

It's kinda new and no reports out about it, but Interstate has a new battery out there. Cheap? No way but according to the company info it's an AGM that can be used as a deep cycle or starting battery yet can handle a discharge rate of 80% as compared to 50% that most AGM's have It might be a keeper. If they produce what the company states, I'd look them over when they produce a 4-D
31-AGM7

not looking at grp 31 size but thank you for the link. i will jump from there to watch out and see if they make a 4d. if they can get 80% DOD in a pure deep cycle im all over it.

i have no interest in a batteries ability to be used for starting (based on all the reading ive done, marine/rv deep cycles made with starting ability are to be avoided when desiring solar off grid performance)...but being able to regularly go to 80% DOD in a solar off grid cabin application without giving up # of cycles is attractive. thats what i was wondering about the sams club duracel....

[cygvan]

...i guess what im trying to say is its a little confusing the way some manufacturers label and market batteries....seems like some batteries are like swiss army knives...providing all needs but not all need well. so for off grid solar...ive been guided to batteries that excel at that function. the big box stores like sams, bj, costco carry batteries for boats rvs and trucks which always seem to be the swiss army type rather than the pure solar type..

but to put post back on track i can definitely recommend deka solar...i have 4d size in van...just searching for some cost savings on this type for when i build my cabin this spring

[BroncoHauler]

Originally Posted by cygvan

...just searching for some cost savings on this type for when i build my cabin this spring

Cost savings,... SMB,...

“You keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... 2y8Sx4B2Sk

[cygvan]

Originally Posted by BroncoHauler

Cost savings,... SMB,...

“You keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... 2y8Sx4B2Sk

hahaha!