[jimmbomb]

My 2014 136" came with a Sept 13 battery. (Which was dead when I first sat in the van in May 2014).
Im wondering when to buy a new one before it goes dead.
4 years? 5 years? Id like to change it out during the fall instead of winter with cold fingers and tools.
How long do youse figgure our batteries will last?
Thank you

 

[MsNomer]

Mine is same age, similar history. Dies if van sits 6 days. Will replace soon.

 

[tgblake]

Mine was replaced under warranty after 16 months. Similar story. It was dead when I first took it for a test drive. Bought it 3 months later and asked the battery be tested. They said it tested OK. It was dead a couple of times after sitting for a few weeks. Next time I took it in, (different dealer), I had them test it. They said it had a bad cell and replaced it, no charge.

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

Yes it can be tested with a load and meter. I’d think one that sat dead for a while probably won’t make the van start the 5th winter. Change it in the fall? I was gone for nearly 5 weeks this winter and put a trickle charger on it and put it on a timer so it ran 1 hour per day. Nice and charged when I returned.

 

[Swoop]

In my experience, I've always had a little warning (difficult starting) when my batteries were about to die. When it gets to that point, you may just have a few more starts, unless you nurse it along with a trickle charger, before the dreaded non-start. The last time it happened, I actually bought a new battery while the vehicle could still be started . . . (barely).

 

[MsNomer]

Fortunately, our separator is two-way. We've started from house batteries once.

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

Mine is too but fused at 80 amps. I might try connecting them and let the larger coach battery charge the start battery instead of using it to turn over the van directly and blow those fuses.

 

[seapro]

Vehicle starting batteries, both flooded and AGM, have large numbers of thin plates and are designed to produce large current for a short time and be immediately recharged. Some when totally dead are hard to revive especially when dead twice; and they will often not last long. A good rule even for apparently good batteries is to replace after 4 winters as the chance of failure on a cold morning is high during the fifth winter.

Proper house batteries, both flooded and AGM, are "deep cycle" having fewer but thicker plates designed to put our small currents for a long period before recharge. From the get-go they lose capacity every time they are cycled. Manufacturers have various tests using standardized tests (rate of current draw over time periods) to determine the number of cycles (typically 500) before the battery is effectively useless. Battery usefulness is extended by keeping discharges shallow and recharging as soon and as often as possible. The user decides when to replace when capacity seems to be insufficient for the service needs. I am personally knowledgeable of a large bank of quality deep cycle house batteries lasting over 10 years on a boat.

Re post 7 above: I fully agree as I am also fused at 80 amps from the van battery to the combiner. Starting current is likely to blow that fuse so it is best to connect the two and see if over a period of a few minutes the van battery can receive enough charge to start after disconnecting the bypass. This can be especially effective if the van can be plugged in so a shore charger can boost both batteries. Many of us have house batteries near the seats and reasonable length jumper cables could allow connection out the open door to the under hood jumper points. Although more difficult shorter jumpers can be used to go from the house battery to the van battery under the floor.