Advice Please Lead Acid RV Batteries

[laker1]

Our dealer says charge 2 amps overnight before first time use. Then as I understand it use the 10 amp charger in future charging. The 2 amp charging is to support the 12 volt level at first use. My last (brand new 12 volt battery) would not charge beyond 11.8 volts. So I returned it for the replacement.  It was mentioned that  these batteries drop voltage daily.  Looks like I need a three bank charger now instead of my 2.  Using now a dedicated battery for my Humminbird . Wonder how much voltage is used to charge these RV batteries?

Would appreciate any thoughts about all of this.

[rolmops]

Battery life is limited as we all know.  This doesn’t seem to matter to stores that sell them. This June, in a Napa store, a sales associate told me that Napa has one year old batteries sitting on the shelves despite the fact that a three year lifespan of a battery is normally acceptable. They still have to sell them at full price even though it has lost 35% of its life expectancy.

make sure to check the production date before purchasing.

[laker1]

Thank you rollmops. I had the same concern. I wasn’t shown the production date or given an opportunity - here it is. Hope the second battery works out. I have been charging it @ 2 amps overnight as recommended. If not I have learned a life lesson. I wonder where on the battery I can find the production date? Always trying to learn.

[rolmops]

2 hours ago, laker1 said:

Thank you rollmops. I had the same concern. I wasn’t shown the production date or given an opportunity - here it is. Hope the second battery works out. I have been charging it @ 2 amps overnight as recommended. If not I have learned a life lesson. I wonder where on the battery I can find the production date? Always trying to learn.

The production date is either heat pressed into the side of the battery or it has a sticker with that date. The sticker thing is a bit tricky ,because it can also mean the last date that the battery was charged. The heat pressed number is the date when the battery was made.

 

Edited August 17, 2025 by rolmops

[laker1]

Thank you again Rollmops,

 

I purchased a group 31 12 volt Interstate in Winnipeg after having the retailer show me 13.6 volts on his multimeter.

Something  the Kenora retailer would not do - lesson learned. Later I further confirmed it at my dock after a day of  fishing when charging was completed.