It's time to buy a new battery for my travel trailer. It's a 1990 20' Nomad. Anybody have any preferences? Sears has batteries on sale.

 

i picked up two from walmart. if i remember right free replacement for first two years then they pro rate after that. fair price.

 

Name brand or generic?

 

i picked up their brand-ever start. group 24 deep cycle trolling. i have a 32' quad bunk trailer for me,my wife and three kids. so to say the least we use them and knock on wood they've been real good so far. i think i payed $75 each w/$5 core charge. brand new my dealer installed interstate deep cycle starting batteries. they did'nt last half a season. i'll go in my trailer later to check the receipt.

 

I've had the Wally World's in mine 5er for about 4 years now....I'd recommend 'em.

 

Thanks guys!

 

The Ever-Start batteries at Wallyworld have a good warranty and they really do stand behind the warranty. In fact most stores don't have a clue how to test the battery so if you bring in a battery and say it needs to be replaced all but one store I have seen just do the exchange.

One shortcoming of the Ever-Start is that they don't seem to survive being run down, especially if the battery isn't fully recharged immediately. I generally get their top of the line battery which have a three year full replacement warranty (then prorated after that). I rarely have one survive to get into the prorated part of the warranty but I don't mind as long as they keep doing free replacements -- and they restart the three years each time they replace the battery!

The EverStart batteries that I am familiar with are automotive starting batteries, they are not meant for deep cycle service (which certainly agrees with my experience). I'm not sure how long they would last as a trailer battery, but then again, with the full replacement warranty who cares?!?

By the way, if you lose the cash register ticket (or it becomes unreadable which they always do) they go by the manufacture date on the battery, so be sure that the one you get is freshly manufactured.

 

They do have the deep cycle batteries in stock at most any WalMart..at least at the Super W-M.

 

Thanks again. I'll hit the area Wally-World this weekend!

 

+1 thats where i got mine.

 

I have had 2 from Wallyworld with not as much luck. Mine only had 0-12 months free replacement and then 12-24 months pro rated.

this is a problem because most of my use of my camper is Memorial Day through Labor day (Most). I went out a week ago to find a dead/bad battery that is now 22 months old. SO I only get a couple bucks for pro rating because it only has 2 months left.

I am trying out the Duralast one this time from Autozone. I had great luck on my boat with these and had 1 in a car that was good after 5 years when I sold the car.

 

I've had the best luck with Interstate but that is not to say the WM ones are no good either.

 

The solution is to bring the battery in for warranty replacement at 10-11 months, not 22 months.

I don't know about your area, but here I have four Super Walmarts and one ordinary Walmart with my normal driving-around space. Of those five, I have only found one that ever tries to test a battery brought in for replacement, and that store only tests if one guy happens to be working (apparently he is the only Walmart employee in the entire metro area who knows how to run their battery tester).

 

Trailer batteries have been hashed over in a number of threads here...
so at risk of repeating...

1) Deep cycle batteries hold up better than automotive for trailer use.
2) All batteries are manufactured by one of 3 companies, regardless of name on it (barring imports).
3) The more expensive longer warranty batteries are built heavier than the cheaper ones, and normally last longer. (you get what you pay for).
4) If running 2 - 12 volt batteries, replace both at the same time, with identical batteries.
5) Don't ever let set discharged, especially in freezing weather.
6) If running 2 batteries, consider 2 - 6 volt batteries in series, deep cycle, golf cart, etc.
7) Use a "maintenance" trickle charger to keep batteries charged when not in use.



America is at that awkward stage; it’s too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the ba$tards. Claire Wolfe

 

good list but i just want to add to your list. get deep cycle trolling batteries not starting batteries. there is a difference.