I like the Duralast Gold series from Auto Zone. I always get the biggest one I can put in and they come with a 8 year warranty for a good price.

 

I have noticed that when my Travel Trailer is connected to my D that the house battery voltage is reduced due to the lower voltage coming from my starting battery. While I don't typically leave the TT and D connected, my TT will charge all of the Batteries when the D is connected and I have it plugged in or the generator running. My D also charges itself, and the TT while driving. I can also tap into the D Battery if the TT batteries are dead and need to keep the electronics running in the TT until I am able to get a charge on the TT batteries. BTW "dead" on my TT batteries is 50% of capacity so I don't damage them.

So If I was to be replacing my battery in the D with one that is more compatible with the Deep Cycle TT batteries, the what might be my options?

Can I start the D with a Deep Cycle Battery? Are there combo Deep/Starting batteries available that are not outrageous $$? Can I make one fit in the D without major modifications?

Thank you in Advance!

 

I`ve run Optima`s since they first appeared in everything i `ve owned.Never a problem with any of them ,even is -35 and below.I have a yellow top in my D , and it never has giving me a reason to bitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

You can definitely start an engine with a straight deep cycle battery. A great many people do exactly that in their boats. I used to do it myself in my boat.

However, it's not ideal. After switching to a combo deep cycle/cranking battery, the motor would crank at a higher rpm and start much more easily. Straight deep cycle batteries are really better at providing a long steady supply of juice, as in running trolling motor or your boat lights, they're not great at providing that short, strong burst that you want when starting a motor. That's where the combo batteries come in. (That's what the Optima yellow top is. Red top is their starting battery, blue top is their straight deep cycle.)

You can find them at pretty much any place that sells batteries. I used to spend about a hundred bucks each on my boat batteries. Had plenty of space, so I always bought the biggest that they had in the store. One that would have actually fit in the Durango would have been a bit cheaper.

I eventually went to a different setup in my boat, though. One regular starting battery and two large deep cycles, seperated by a battery isolator. This allowed the alternator to charge all 3 batteries, but prevented the load on the deep cycles (lights, radio, etc...) from draining the starting battery. The regular car battery provided better cranking and easier starting over the combo, which in turn did a better job than the straight deep cycle.

So, it's a bit of a trade-off, but you can definitely do what you're talking about.

 

coreybv,

Thank you for that, Much appreciated!

I like the Idea of having the Engine start quicker VS a straight Deep Cycle.

I know that Interstate makes a combo battery. I already have 2 Interstate Deep Cycle batteries in the TT, but is the Optima my only real option for a battery that I can start with and cycle? Can a Duralast Gold be cycled to or is the Optima special in that way since it is an AGM? If that is the case, can the Interstate combo be any better at it than a Duralast Gold?

Thank you,

 

Nope, the Optima is most definitely NOT your only option. I just listed those as an example of a manufacturer that has all 3 types of batteries. And since they color code them, it seemed like a good example to use.

IMHO, stay far, far away from Interstate batteries. I used to love them, but something's changed. In the past 5 years or so they've given me nothing but headaches. Was getting 2 to 6 months of life out of them in my old Jimmy. Switched to an el-cheapo that I picked up in a pinch when the Interstate left me stranded and got 2 years out of it and it was still going strong when I got rid of the truck. The Interstate was still under warranty and I could have gotten it replaced for free, but I was sick enough of being left with a dead vehicle that I finally decided I'd rather pay for a different battery than put in another Interstate, even a free one. Went through a total of 7 Interstate batteries on one purchase, so I bought one, and got six under warranty. The store definitely went above and beyond in honoring the warranty, but after being stranded in cold weather, late at night a few times, honoring the warranty just isn't enough any more. One of those times the Interstate let me down was coming out of the movie theater shortly after midnight, on a first date, in a blizzard. Pretty much the WORST time imaginable to have your vehicle embarrass you. I must have made a good enough impression in other ways, though, 'cuz I'm still married to her today.

I've never used the Duralast Gold (yet), but Hydra seems to like them, and he's given me enough good advice that I'm willing to trust his opinion. My next battery will be one, based on his recommendation.

 

The Duralast Gold is indeed IMO the best bang for your buck. Its definitely one of the best out there and very reasonably priced.

I actually had the same thing happen with an Interstate battery in my Durango. Now on the other hand, I don't trust anything except Interstate in my diesel engines. Don't know why, they just work great for diesel engines.

 

That's just really, really weird.

I'm not real familiar with diesel vehicles. I wonder what's different about the electrical system that would make a battery that is crap in a gas vehicle work well in a diesel. Also wonder what happened with Interstate. Like I said, I was a big fan for a long time, then it seemed like all at once they just started selling crap batteries.

 

Interstate Batteries and Optima Batteries are both made by the same people BTW. Johnson Controls owns both brands.

IndyDurango

 

Well, yeah, as long as you get one that's designed to be cycled. I don't know specifically if Duralast has one or not. The "combo" batteries will commonly be labeled as "Marine Cranking".

I was thinking about your situation a bit. I'm not convinced that you're taking the best approach. I see that you live in New Mexico, so being in a warm climate you could get away with the decrease in cranking power that a combo battery will give you, but I personally still wouldn't make that sacrifice. If you do much travelling to cold climates, then I would say definitely don't do it.

I do a lot of camping, so I do understand the concern about making too much noise late at night in the campground.

If it were me, I would simply add additional battery capacity to your camper. A good welding shop could take a few feet of angle iron and build you mounting locations for a few more batteries on the tongue of the trailer. Then you could still hook up to the Durango, with the D running, to put a charge on the camper batteries. Just don't go installing loud exhaust on the D. Also, if you're relying on your Durango to supply power to your camper and charge all those batteries, go out right now and put the biggest, baddest alternator you can find in there.

I'm also concerned about the wiring. It's certainly nice to know that the camper batteries are being topped off while you're driving, but that wiring isn't all that heavy. If you get those batteries down to 50% and want to charge them back up with the D, I wouldn't do it through the wiring harness. I'd be much more comfortable with jumper cables (and top them off with a battery charger at home before you leave). You're talking about a lot of juice that needs to be pumped into those batteries. The wiring harness between the truck and the trailer just doesn't use heavy enough gauge wire for that purpose.

You also mentioned that you had a generator. I don't know which specific one you have, the cheap ones are really loud and the high end ones are nearly silent, but you might look at options for modifying the exhaust on your generator so it will run quietly. I spent a night camping in a tent right next to a guy who had a high end Onan generator on his camper. I did hear it go on and off a few times, but it was no more noisy that when my refrigerator kicks on in the kitchen. Just a slight, barely noticeable "hum". My family slept perfectly fine through the night with it going.

You can do it the way you're thinking, but I really think the better approach is to take a good look at your camper and find extra space for batteries so that you can get enough capacity on board to last you all the way through quiet hours at the campgrounds. Then during daylight you can use the generator or the D to get the batteries topped off again. This way you don't have to compromise the starting power in your truck.

Also, I know that 50% is the recommended limit to get maximum life span out of deep cycle batteries, but in practice you can take them down to about 35% and only shorten the life a tiny bit. If you let them go to, say, 40%, that might buy you the extra hour or two until the sun comes up and you can fire up your generator.

I was almost ready to suggest you just stick to camp sites with electrical hookups, but as a camping enthusiast myself, I realize that some of the most fun places to camp don't necessarily have that available, so I do understand your desire to be "self powered".

Another thing that could help you out would be too go through your camper and see what you can do about making it more energy efficient. Are there incandescent light bulbs that could be replaced with LED lighting? Could you use coolers full of ice and leave the refrigerator turned off? Do you have a tube TV that could be upgraded to an energy efficient LCD TV? I'm definitely no tree hugger (I drive a Durango for cryin' out loud), but when you're spending a weekend living on battery power, all of the new "green" technology out there can really help out.

(Yeah, I realize this is getting way, way off topic, but hey, it was my thread in the first place. I got the info I was hoping for and I'm perfectly happy with the conversation going off in this direction. )