Hi again. Easy to see we are getting ready for the big trip. We are wanting to add a second battery to our c/van and have been told that the second battery needs to be not only the same brand but also the same age. We realise it needs to be the same amp hours so will need to find a very strong young fellow to lift it in to the boot as we already have a 120ah Full River battery purchased in 06/2015. Your valued opinion will be welcomed again.
Kim (also Gary) Better not leave him out.
Aus-Kiwi said
05:19 PM Jan 10, 2017
Possibly be ok .. It's not like it's 5 or 6 years old . Not worth the $$ to buy two new ? Besides the hell are going to do with one 12 months old ? Just make sure you have enough solar to charge both by say 1pm or the extra battery won't help .. Like having two cars ..
JayDee said
05:24 PM Jan 10, 2017
I am not a great adviser re this thread, suffice to say that everything that I have read and googled claims that if you put a new battery in your set up and run it parallel the old battery will bring the new battery down to the old battery level.
So "Don't doo itt" a waste of time and money.
We just had to replace our 100 amp battery and did so with two by 130 amp batteries.
Use the search button up in the top middle of the page and you will see what I mean.
Good travels.
Jay&Dee
macka17 said
07:20 PM Jan 10, 2017
Hi.
Original batery still good for a lot of yrs,
Providing you keep fully charged.
preferably with solar OR\AND GOOD Smart charger.
Alternative.
Which coverds both age. AND battery size.
X2 or 3 battery's.
Some GOOD Chargers have MULTI output Outlets.
IE Mine has 3.
I can have 3 separate battery's charging at once
Drawing. Individually, each to it's own requirement.
UP TO the Chargers MAX outlet. Preferably get one of MIN 25a.
Mine is Marine. old, like around 15 yrs, and still fine.
Plugged in garage nowadays for multi battery's as needed (boats and van)
I have a 45a 3 stage. Heavy duty (basic).
Which I can\do use for bulk charging normally.
Stick them on Multi to top up, and then float on coupla old panel\s
I have on Carport roof when we away.
4x boat battery's, 2 are over 5 yrs.
Still floating and not used for over 4 yrs. Still holding full charge.
One day I'll brush cobwebs off hey. Or sell it.
Last boat. Sorta reluctant to admit so...
Aus-Kiwi said
07:40 PM Jan 10, 2017
Yep define "old" battery ? If in top nick ? You'll be fine !!
Craig1 said
09:21 PM Jan 10, 2017
Calcium batteries as fitted to some heavy trucks will drag down one new one, but std or agm should be fine.
Brenda and Alan said
11:02 PM Jan 10, 2017
Don't worry about same age, same brand or same size. The only important thing you must do is buy the second battery with the same chemistry as existing. That is both AGM or both Glass Mat etc. Provided that your original battery is not in its death throes you won't have any problems.
Alan
gandk said
09:25 AM Jan 11, 2017
Hi all
Thanks again. We always have our van plugged in at home to trickle charge so battery has always been kept topped up and while away always in c/van park or on our solar. By the way we bought van second hand and have no idea the size of the panels eg: watts. The fellow we bought it from didn't know either (or didn't care). I have looked all over them and cannot see any hint. It is a 2011 van and by the look of the paperwork didn't have panels to begin with and no paperwork indicating the size they put on.
Kim
Aus-Kiwi said
10:43 AM Jan 11, 2017
A battery of 12 chooks doesn't work for example !! Pretty foul ð
aussie_paul said
11:45 AM Jan 11, 2017
Aus-Kiwi wrote:
A battery of 12 chooks doesn't work for example !! Pretty foul ð
H ha, lol AK.
Aussie Paul.
Onedodger said
11:55 AM Jan 13, 2017
As Brenda & Alan said ,if the battery is an agm as most full rivers are, just get another agm and install it.
From what you have said you have a pretty good charging regime so it should go well.
I hav 2 agm in my van of different ages and differenr amp hrs. (One 100 & one 120) and have had no problems in the 4 years they have been installed. They are charged by 240 when on power, from the tug by dc to dc charger when driving and also by 180watt solar when camped.
Hi again. Easy to see we are getting ready for the big trip. We are wanting to add a second battery to our c/van and have been told that the second battery needs to be not only the same brand but also the same age. We realise it needs to be the same amp hours so will need to find a very strong young fellow to lift it in to the boot as we already have a 120ah Full River battery purchased in 06/2015. Your valued opinion will be welcomed again.
Kim (also Gary) Better not leave him out.
So "Don't doo itt" a waste of time and money.
We just had to replace our 100 amp battery and did so with two by 130 amp batteries.
Use the search button up in the top middle of the page and you will see what I mean.
Good travels.
Jay&Dee
Original batery still good for a lot of yrs,
Providing you keep fully charged.
preferably with solar OR\AND GOOD Smart charger.
Alternative.
Which coverds both age. AND battery size.
X2 or 3 battery's.
Some GOOD Chargers have MULTI output Outlets.
IE Mine has 3.
I can have 3 separate battery's charging at once
Drawing. Individually, each to it's own requirement.
UP TO the Chargers MAX outlet. Preferably get one of MIN 25a.
Mine is Marine. old, like around 15 yrs, and still fine.
Plugged in garage nowadays for multi battery's as needed (boats and van)
I have a 45a 3 stage. Heavy duty (basic).
Which I can\do use for bulk charging normally.
Stick them on Multi to top up, and then float on coupla old panel\s
I have on Carport roof when we away.
4x boat battery's, 2 are over 5 yrs.
Still floating and not used for over 4 yrs. Still holding full charge.
One day I'll brush cobwebs off hey. Or sell it.
Last boat. Sorta reluctant to admit so...
Don't worry about same age, same brand or same size. The only important thing you must do is buy the second battery with the same chemistry as existing. That is both AGM or both Glass Mat etc. Provided that your original battery is not in its death throes you won't have any problems.
Alan
Thanks again. We always have our van plugged in at home to trickle charge so battery has always been kept topped up and while away always in c/van park or on our solar. By the way we bought van second hand and have no idea the size of the panels eg: watts. The fellow we bought it from didn't know either (or didn't care). I have looked all over them and cannot see any hint. It is a 2011 van and by the look of the paperwork didn't have panels to begin with and no paperwork indicating the size they put on.
Kim
H ha, lol AK.
Aussie Paul.