The Interstate Batteries brand...
The Interstate Batteries brand promise is to deliver outrageous dependability. Nowhere is that more important than in an RV. Interstate's SRM line of marine/RV deep cycle batteries have the right balance of reserve capacity and cycling ability to let RV enthusiasts enjoy the comforts of home, even when beyond the convenience of electricity.
Batteries are one of the most important items in an RV. Without batteries you won't be able to power your lights, water pump, fans, or other 12-volt devices. When dry camping they can be used to power an inverter to provide 120-volt AC power. Yet they are one of the most least understood items by most RVers. Batteries live in a tough environment and can be a source of aggravation and maintenance. We'll attempt to describe how batteries work, how to maintain them properly, and how to extend their life spans.
Six-volt batteries are typically...
Six-volt batteries are typically found as a four battery array with series-parallel connections.
A battery is really nothing more than a storage chamber. You fill it up, just like a fresh water tank, and then gradually use its contents. Except it's electricity, rather than water. Batteries function by way of a chemical reaction. The electrolyte inside the battery, which is basically sulfuric acid, reacts with the lead plates inside the battery to produce power by transferring electrons from the electrolyte to the battery plates. In the process of giving up these electrons, the electrolyte undergoes a chemical process that transfers sulphur to the battery plates and turns the electrolyte into water. When you recharge the battery, the sulphur recombines with the electrolyte, changing it from its water state back to acid again.
AGM batteries do not outgas...
AGM batteries do not outgas explosive hydrogen and can be mounted in non-vented compartments.
There are two general classifications of batteries: Starting batteries are what you will find on your vehicle. They are capable of passing a temporary large current to crank a starter motor, then slowly recharge over time. Deep cycle batteries are designed to provide smaller current discharge rates, but over a much longer period of time and are what you will find in your RV.
Life Cycles
Batteries are rated in life cycles. You can fully discharge a battery a given amount of times and then fully recharge it, quite likely in the 50 to 80 cycles range depending on the battery. After that it will have exceeded its service life and will no longer perform the work it was intended to do. If you do not discharge the battery fully it will last much longer. This is graded on a curve, so discharging a battery to 50-percent charge level won't double your life. It'll more likely quadruple the life.
Matco's battery load tester...
Matco's battery load tester determines: battery voltage, battery cranking, battery charging volts and good/bad battery test.
If you use even less of the battery it'll last even longer because the life chart is exponential as you reduce the amount of discharge. For this reason it's best practice to never discharge a battery below 40 percent of its charge level. If you exceed that the voltage will be much lower and won't provide much power plus you really stress that battery. To determine exactly where your battery is refer to the voltage drop chart in this story. Note that these voltages are what you will read when the batteries are connected in your RV. A battery that is disconnected from the system and has been at rest for a few hours will have slightly higher readings.
Flooded batteries do require maintenance. When the batteries are recharged the sulfate recombines with the electrolyte. If the charge continues after the battery is charged out-gassing will occur when the electrolyte boils. This produces explosive hydrogen gas and acidic vapors that will escape the vent caps on the batteries. The acidic gasses will corrode the battery terminal connections as well as hold-down bolts or anything else in the battery compartment. For this reason it's important that flooded batteries always be placed in a vented compartment to prevent the buildup of explosive hydrogen gasses.