How to Pick the Best Camper Battery System for Your Needs?

Posted by My Generator on September 20th, 2019

You might already be familiar with car batteries, but RV batteries may seem foreign to you, and you could even be wondering if they are the same. All campers have their own batteries for lighting, heating, and powering other 12-volt devices and appliances. Multiple batteries can be wired together to create one power source. However, keep in mind that they are different than the batteries used in a conventional car’s engine. The camp battery system is a separate entity from the engine and the RV battery responsible for starting the engine, or the chassis. Starting batteries in motor homes are similar to that in cars, but typically with bigger cold cranking amps (CCA) ratings to suit the larger engine.

Selecting the best RV battery involves ensuring sufficient CCA to make sure that it can effectively power the whole camp battery system. That means replacing your battery with a similar battery or something with a bigger CCA rating. Here are more pointers for picking the best camper battery system:

• Do not settle for regular batteries – Car batteries are typically cheaper, but your RV’s regulator will need to keep it fully charged to function well. After a few days, it may be depleted.
  
• Mind the number of cycles - Caravan batteries come with deep discharge cycles, which is indicated in numbers. They can differ from one battery to another. Cheap or flooded batteries can achieve around 20 to 400 cycles. Gel batteries can achieve 400 to 500, and AGM Deep Cycle batteries can go for 600 to 800 cycles, and possibly higher.

• AGM and gel batteries may be best – When in doubt, consider an absorbed glass mat (AGM) deep cycle camper battery system, which is rechargeable using a charger or solar panels. This type of battery is designed to draw power from your preferred power source over an extended period of time. Gel batteries can be an alternative if you require sustained power without producing any gas during charging, making them suitable for motor homes or caravans.

• Choosing a lithium battery – Lithium deep cycle camper batteries are highly efficient and lightweight. They can reduce the entire weight of the battery bank by around 40 percent, making them practical if you want to lighten your travel load.

• Go for well-known brands – Make sure that you are buying a camper battery system from a good brand, such as Enerdrive, Baintech, Mastervolt, and Victron. That way, you can count on their proven performance and receive good warranties.

About The Author

Steve Reynolds, Power Product Expert at My Generator is a small engine specialist with particular expertise in Generators, Water Pumps, Pressure Washers and other Outdoor Power Equipment products. Outside of work; an avid caravan & 4WD enthusiast who enjoys time on the road and has gained years of familiarity with Caravan & Camping 12V products also. A passion for power products used for work, home and leisure!