Quote:
Originally Posted by Both2Retired
Our 12 volt coach battery died, therefore I need a replacement. Please recommend where in central PA and what (model) to buy. Because I do so little boondocking and I have a 2000i generator, I am not interested in two 6 volt batteries.
Thanks!
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I'd stay away from an RV dealer for this. Their prices will be much higher for the same products.
Instead, decide which brand you want, and check with your local auto parts stores. If there is an AutoZone, Auto-Quest, Pep Boys, Advance Auto, or NAPA near you, they all carry good brands of batteries. Sears, of course, carries the famous Die-Hard series.
The Optima that Jon recommends is certainly a good choice. Another brand that is good is Interstate. Duracell has a product line just coming out, and and there is also the Energizers to consider.
I am guessing that your current battery is a Group 24F in size. The original batteries were. The size is marked somewhere on the top of the battery so you can look at yours to be sure. Your plastic battery case may also have the size marked on it. There is a larger size battery called a Group 27F, but it won't fit in a Group 24 battery case.
You want an RV/Marine deep cycle battery with the largest capacity that your budget can afford. CA@32 degrees around 685, and CCA at 0 degrees of 550 are both good capacity ratings. In both cases, those are cranking amps.
Time was you had to let your battery source know a day in advance so they could charge up the battery. These days, batteries come fully charged. If you purchase a non-sealed battery, the only thing you'll want to do is to verify that each cell is full. It won't hurt to also verify the specific gravity of each cell. If you have the tester, you can do it yourself. If not, the store should have one and be willing to check this for you.
My boat was limping along on an old car battery for several years. It finally died when we were way up near Tupper Lake in the Adirondacks. Luckily there are two different auto parts stores there: NAPA and Auto-Quest. We bought the largest NAPA Group 24F battery they had and when we got back to camp, we found that it was a larger capacity battery than the one in the Sunline. So I swapped them out and put the slightly smaller capacity battery in the boat. That one is only a year or two old so it's just fine for the boat.
A lot depends on your budget and how much travelling you are willing to do to get a replacement battery, and that is something you'll have to decide.
Last thing... Take the old battery with you when you get the new one. There is a discount for a trade-in.