Jump to content

How long does your RV and vehicle battery last?


Recommended Posts

In most cases, batteries do not just suddenly reach the end of life and fail, but they actually begin to slowly loose the ability to recharge to full capacity at the first moment of use and very, very slowly continue to do so until eventually, the owner starts to notice a shorter useful charge period. Just how long that will take depends upon how the batteries are used, how well they are recharged and how often, if electrolyte levels are carefully maintained, and a host of other factors. I have had wet cell batteries that lasted as little as 3 years and as much as 9 or 10 years. 

The best way to get an idea of what the condition is would be to have them load tested.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If they're still okay at year 7 as you indicate and the truck still starts good, sure there's a good chance they will be good for year 8 as you asked. Its when their performance starts slipping and she don't crank as fast or as long as she used to, it may be time to replace. If they are full charged and subjected to a "load test" that is a good indicator of their condition and I wouldn't expect it to be as good as when new. A good charging and voltage regulation circuit coupled with adequate levels of electrolyte can extend battery life. I've often had batteries last over 8 years  but if they aren't kept charged and/or electrolyte gets too low too often you're lookin at short life spans. Put them under a good load test and then make your decision.   

 

  John T

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep, a load test could tell you... 

Me? I'd go ahead and just pro-actively replace the truck battery. And then load test the battery in the camper. I like having work done on my schedule and purchase the battery I want - not just what might be available. 

I also pay more for better quality batteries. Perhaps not the best or largest or most powerful or longest warranty battery available - but one in the solid B to B+ side of those criteria... As I have an opinion that say paying 25-35% more for a battery that moves you from B to B+ up to A- to A level - is not an effective expense. 

(A bit of an irony from me, as I know that say wet cell Trojan L16's would have been just as effective in the above criteria then the Lifeline L16's I went with, for about 30% higher cost over the Trojan's. But I wanted maintenance free, and faster re-charging times - thus I justified that higher cost, amortized I hope out over 8-10 years:)!

And another factor of replacing batteries before they fail, is we look at our RV as our Earthquake/Fire emergency vehicle... So keeping things healthy for 'Just in case.' is also a factor for us.

Best to you,

Smitty

Be safe, have fun,

Smitty

04 CC Allure "RooII" - Our "E" ride for life!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are actually two modes of battery failure.

The first is as Kirk describes, the battery gradually loses capacity due to sulfation in the cells.  The material that becomes sulfated becomes inert, so with less active plate material the battery gradually loses capacity.

Letting the battery run low on water instantly sulfates the exposed cell surfaces as they dry out, which is why letting the water level drop below the plates can permanently degrade or kill a battery.

The second failure mode is vibration loosening the soft plate material until enough flakes off and falls to the bottom of a cell and shorts it out.  This causes sudden battery failure as that cell can no longer hold a charge and becomes a high series resistance, blocking current flow from the rest of the battery.

This is why diesel submarines carry jumper bars to bypass failed battery cells while at sea so the battery can continue functioning on the remaining cells until the bad cells can be replaced in port.

Vibration caused sudden cell failure can be significant in an RV that bounces down the road, especially if you regularly take the RV down bumpy roads.  If your battery quickly goes down to 10 volts after a recharge and stays there, you've lost a cell.  If it stays at 12.6 volts or more until it's used and then quickly drains down when you use it, your battery is simply wearing out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guarantee though that if you go to a battery place to load test your batteries they will suggest you replace them. They are after all in business to sell batteries.

<p>....JIM and LINDA......2001 American Eagle 40 '.towing a GMC Sierra 1500 4X4 with RZR in the rear. 1999 JEEP Cherokee that we tow as well.

IT IS A CONTENTED MAN WHO CAN APPRECIATE THE SCENERY ALONG A DETOUR.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A couple of years ago I took my 1993 Nissan Sentra toad into Wal-Mart for an oil change.  While it was there one of the employees brought out a new, computerized battery tester and proceeded to load test the 8 year old starting battery, which had replaced the one that came with the car.

With a shocked look, he said that it was the worst battery he'd ever seen, in fact it only had half of the capacity it was supposed to have and I needed to replace it right now!

I smiled, thanked him for his time and said having half a battery was fine with me, after all it was only cranking half an engine (4 cylinders with 1600 cc or 97 cubic inches).

The battery continued to perform just fine until I sold the car last year with over 340,000 miles on the odometer - towed miles not included.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Jimalberta said:

I guarantee though that if you go to a battery place to load test your batteries they will suggest you replace them. They are after all in business to sell batteries.

 

While that has not always been my experience, it could happen. The report should give a percentage of design capacity, as did the one Lou got. Of course, the shop may suggest replacing any battery as they did with Lou but not all of them do so. Like Lou did, you do then need to decide at what capacity you wish to replace the battery. I suspect that many batteries still serve well for a long time when below 50% capacity and that Lou's guy was pushing sales (probably paid a commission) but battery capacity is what a load test determines and just when it is time to replace one is pretty subjective except for catastrophic failure such as shorted or open cells. 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  Over manyyyyyyyyyyy years of many battery shop load tests (do my own nowadays) its also been my experience if you have a shop load test your batteries and they are anywhere near borderline low, sure they will advise replacement lol

 That being said, if I had batteries that were say 7 years old and/or they load tested anywhere near 50% capacity, I would replace them as a mater of course and be done with it. Reason being by that time deposits in the bottom may be near the plates (potential shorting) and plates have become sulfated and even if they continue to provide some degree of service they are less efficient and store less energy.

 I'm a believer in a smart charger which has an automatic occasional equalization cycle (higher charging for limited time period to reduce sulfation) plus at least an annual or semi annual manual equalization cycle.  I believe the Trojan and other web sites have instructions regarding the voltages and currents and time if you want to perform your own maintenance equalization.

 

 Best wishes and safe travels yall

 

  John T        Temporarily "back home again in Indiana"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I replaced my MH 2 chassis batteries last time when they started to slow down cranking. They were 9 years old at that time.

Replaced the House 2 6V batteries when their charge wouldn't last over 3 hours when electric power was loss. They were 7 years 11 months old.

My toad battery started to bring up on the car computer that they were shut down to protect the battery. And it had to be jumped to start. That happened a couple times, then I had enough and took it to Sears for a new battery. At sears they put a load test to it and then told me it was OK and I didn't need a new battery. I told them to go ahead and install a new with more reserve. No problem since. That battery was 2 years 11 months old. But it had went dead a couple of times in the past while towing it.  With a charge line that the fuse broke.

Before that I changed out the chassis at 7 years 9 months & house 7 years 11 months just because I thought it was time on age.


Now I will let them let me know when their time is up. Besides if the chassis batteries quit I can always start the generator with the Aux switch, keep driving to the next campground and then take the toad to get replacements.

Full Time since Oct. 1999
99 Discovery 34Q DP | ISB
Datastorm | VMSpc | Co-Pilot Live | Pressure Pro
2014 MKS Twin Turbo V6 365 HP Toad
369070033.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In all of my years of travel with an RV, only one time did we suffer what I consider to be a catastrophic battery failure. We used to dry camp a great deal and at that time I put much more effort into battery care and maintenance because we depended upon them so much, taking hydrometer readings and equalizing. When we bought our motorhome that was our only home, Pam informed me that she was not moving into an RV with all amenities without using them at will, so as a result we seldom dry camped and never more than 2 consecutive nights. As a result, I concluded that the cost of replacing clothing with holes from battery acid was more than the savings in battery life so I cut back on maintenance and only checked electrolyte levels and that may have contributed to the problem that we had. 

Our motorhome came with Thermoil house batteries(2~12V). The batteries were under the step inside of our motorhome and easy to check. -_- We were driving on a CA highway when those batteries were about 3 years old when we began to get an odor that was similar to the black tank, but a much more arcid odor.  When I could, I pulled to the side and investigated, eventually figuring out where it was coming from and under the step found that one battery was not only hot and stinking, but the case had swelled slightly. I removed it from the circuit and after airing the RV we went on down the road, then bought two new batteries at Sam's that night. As a side note, the Thermoil batteries were the shortest lived batteries we ever had. 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It seems some batteries are lasting for along time. Our 2003 Ram diesel that we bought new in June of 2003, I finally changed out the originals in 2011, only because in our summer travels we have a tendency to stop in some off the wall places and I really didn't want a hassle. So off to Wal-Mart in Twin Falls, ID. and replaced the two originals in September 2011. A month ago they seemed to drag a little when cranking, so off to Wally again here in Yuma and two new batteries again. So 5 1/2 years on those two Wallys and I have no problems with that. Had we been in Yuma 100% of the time, I'd have left the originals in just to see how long they would have lasted. Talking with some friends with diesel pickups, many folks are getting many years service on them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

RVers Online University

campgroundviews.com

RV Destinations

Find out more or sign up for Escapees RV'ers Bootcamp.

Advertise your product or service here.

The Rvers- Now Streaming

RVTravel.com Logo



×
×
  • Create New...