Your RV Battery: What You Need to Know

The RV battery system is a vital part of your RV’s internal setup. Everything within the RV’s coach is powered by the battery system, including the HVAC system, the refrigerator and even the vent fan.

Here are the eight things you need to know about your RV battery:

1. Choices
On the market, there are lots of different choices for your RV battery. The two key options are deep-cycle batteries or lithium batteries.
The deep-cycle batteries are lead-acid batteries and are the same ones that you might get in a boat or golf cart. They come in a variety of subtypes, including absorbed glass mat (AGM), gel-type and flooded wet-cell.
As an alternative to lead-acid batteries, lithium batteries are lighter, smaller and don’t need as much maintenance as other batteries. They also have a much longer lifespan and normally last at least 5,000 cycles.

2. Battery Banks
When you join two or more batteries, you create a battery bank that can be used to increase the voltage or amps when you need more power. The batteries are connected using jumper wires.
You can create a parallel RV battery bank to improve the current, but keep the voltage the same. A series parallel bank, on the other hand, will let you increase both voltage and amps. This requires a minimum of four batteries and you can join as many batteries as you wish, but you will need an RV battery box to keep your cells separate and safe.

3. RV Battery Maintenance
The maintenance that you will need to carry out will depend, partly, on what type of batteries you have. Lithium batteries, for example, require a lot less work than other types.
For any battery type, you should check them monthly and make sure that they have a full charge before you do any maintenance. Try to recharge your batteries regularly.

4. RV Battery Storage
“Most recreational vehicles are stored away for a long time over the winter months,” says Addison Green, a travel writer at BigAssignments and OXEssays. “They can naturally discharge over time, so if you are not careful to look after it, your battery may go flat.”
A flat battery can impact the overall life of the battery. This is because freezing can damage flooded cell batteries, but a charged battery cannot freeze, so provides protection from this damage. An AGM battery is more likely to resist damage from freezing, so this is a factor to consider.

5. Battery Monitors
Without access to a battery monitor, you will find it challenging to determine to real state of your RV battery. A monitor will let you know exactly what is going on with your battery – measuring the energy going in and out of the battery, as well as checking the state of charge or discharge.
There are lots of different brands of RV battery monitors and you can install them into your RV after purchase. Most modern brands have an LCD display that tells you all of the critical data about your RV battery.

6. Charging
“Your RV’s battery will charge when it is connected to an electric outlet,” says Adam Linnane, a RV expert at Boomessays and University assignment help. “The charger converts the power from the grid into a 12-volt DC. This is then challenged into the adapter within the RV.”
The battery is also charged when the motor of your RV is running, or when you are operating the generator.

7. Cost
The cost will depend a lot on which type of battery you choose. A single, 12-volt wet-cell battery will cost a few hundred dollars, but a lithium battery could be into the thousands.
What you should consider is that the lithium battery will have a significantly longer life span, so they can be more cost effective over the long term if you can afford the initial outlay.

8. Installation
For installing, you will need to first turn off anything that draws power from the battery within the RV, including all appliances and lights. Keep a note of where the battery is currently located and then disconnect all cables, starting with the negative first. Take time to clean the cables and the terminals on your new battery and then insert and reattach the cables. Finally, install any hardware that comes with the battery and then test it out!

As an avid RV traveller, Beatrix Potter has crossed the United States with her husband in their RV. She writes about her travels at Academic Writing Service and UKwritings and works as an online tutor at Essay Writing Service.