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Optima or What?

Yahoo Message Number: 15493
Looking to add a second set of batteries to my truck, wondering what the go to brand is these days are. Optima are pretty popular but I have heard others have started to go away from them to other brands for less money or better performance.

The goal of these two batteries are to be the starter for the generator and run the truck stereo system, inverter, and provide Aux 12v. They also will become backup to the trailer battery, as everything in my trailer is 12v.

Kendrick

Re: Optima or What?

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15494
Optima's are great batteries. Especially if you need to install them in a area that does not have proper ventilation. Beyond that they are expensive and will not have the same amp hours that a good set of deep cycle batteries. I would recommend a set of true deep cycle batteries. A pair of 12 volt deep cycle golf cart batteries would be the best. They are also expensive. A pair of Costco 6 volt batteries would be much cheaper. The big draw back to 6 volt batteries is if one fails you only have 6 volts to start generator.
Are you going to have a converter/charger attached to the generator?
Best
Ron Hall

Re: Optima or What?

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15495
I have two Optimas (12 and 11 years old) in my Gulfstream Endura ---they never miss a beat---on a maintainer when at home. Take care.
Peter

Re: Optima or What?

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15496
House Batteries - On a tip from this forum (blame Russ Hill!) - In 2014 I switched over to Lifeline AGM batteries (12v) and they have been a dream. Expensive, but great capacity and really hold a charge when not in use. Work great while boondocking and charge very quickly - so less generator time. I understand the Trojan AGMs have come up to the same level, but no personal experience.

Storage - I have stopped using a minder on the house batteries since switching to the AGMs. They hold a charge really well, and you can decrease battery life by cycling too deep - OR by constantly charging. So since they hold so well, I just use the battery disconnect when not in use.

For radio work I have moved to U1 form factor for portability - these things are HEAVY.  Clearly I am not taking the Ron Hall brand of Vitamins, so I am unable/unwilling to lift these big boys constantly. ; - )  But the AGMs work well there. Also move these to the jeep where they share the air with the occupants, so that is a big plus for AGMs.

I guess the best thing are no maintenance, no spilling, share the air. The downside Cost.  Unfortunately I don't have 5 or 10 years with these batteries to speak to their longevity. But so far so good.

I replaced Everstart Marine Deep Cycle Batteries that I had picked up in 2009 and had been starting to corrode (see lovely photo). Downsides - Hard to maintain, needed a minder, were rated the same as the Lifeline batteries, but you could not prove it during use. The main benefit was they were comparatively inexpensive. (Everstart is a WalMart Brand I believe.)

.Corrosion on Everstart
For hooking up multiple batteries - make sure you do so on the "diagonal" - so that charge and discharge are balanced (see diagram below). Folks that daisy chain batteries loose an immediate 10 to 15% due to DC resistance in connecting cables.
Diagonal connection

BEST

Kevin (Real) McCoy [@KF5FUZ]
("Roscoe Ventura" Jayco Seneca HD SS 34 Diesel 2006;
"Toad" Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 2007)
 

Re: Optima or What?

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15499
I had not planned on adding a converter to the generator, I could look into that too.

Kendrick