AGM Filliment Question for Outback Model

Fatman1966

I'm thinking of supplying my own battery when I pick up my unit. What ADM ( I think it's s group 24) will fit into the factory battery box in the Outback front tub without modifications? If any? 

Tabaz

The Outback tub is larger than the plastic tub.  I have a Group 27 dual purpose battery with room to spare.  I also believe a Group 30 would fit.

Nomad

But, doesn't the frame still just accomodate a 24 Frank? Or is that battery bix frame bigger also?

Tabaz

PXL - the bottom of the Outback box is aluminum - not open like the plastic tubs.  Therefore, one would simply position the bigger battery box within the tub and bolt it down.  I know one of the screws holding the bottom of the plastic battery box is drilled directly into the trailer frame.  Here's a photo.

Nomad

Ahhhhhh

Photomom

My battery is a group 27 and the dealer mounted it just like OutbackAZ's. And there is still a lot of room in there.

The bottom is so solid that I drilled a few drainage holes after noticing that water collects during a rainstorm.

Nomad

So, for those with the std tub, what's the largest battery that will fit with no mods?

Ratkity

It's not the size of the tub, but the size of the brackets that hold the battery box. I think someone put a piece of wood in it so the group 27 battery box would fit slightly sideways while still having something to tie the box to - also I think the sewer hose pvc found in some tubs was removed (just rivets - easy to drill out).

Nomad

Am aware of that, that's why I said "no mods" :-)

Ratkity

Hrm.. my redneck version would be to squeeze a group 27 battery box in sideways and use a rachet strap to tie it down. You could balance the box if it teeters some with a scrap piece of wood. How's that for no mods?

Nomad

"No Mods" - No rednecking ;-)

Ratkity

*gasp* No rednecking?! That's the solid foundation of all my mods!!! *faint* *thump*

RZRBUG

I put in a group 30 AGM, 150 ah, by anchoring pieces of 2X6 in the bracket, then screwing a battery box to the wood.  I am proud of my rednecking skills, dutifully learned by growing up on a farm.

BTW, it is very difficult to find a box that will accommodate a group 30.

ScottG

No mods, no rednecking, I'd say you are stuck with a group 24, as that's what fits in the existing bracket. My group 27 box (in a modified bracket) is a pretty tight fit (and I did have to move the sewer hose PVC pipe).

The box I installed is 1"-2" longer (and a tad wider) than the battery it houses--don't know if it's big enough to house a group 30, though.

Nomad

What's the largest ah 24 one can get? Saw mention of a 100ah, what's the std one that's usually installed?
Sorry I'm using you guys/gals for research but have limited bandwidth at the moment.

Ratkity

PXL, I've seen group 24s as low as 65 Ah. The one my dealer put in was 80 Ahr. The group 27 I put in front of my new bin and attached to the tongue is ~110 Ah and is a good brand name. It's not an AGM, but flooded lead-acid. 

vtfrank

Hi new to forum have a beautifull 2007  cs.battery box is in hanging closet.fit a group 31, 122AH.am very pleased. Frank

ScottG

Mine came with an 80 Ah group 24 flooded cell. In contrast, the same battery in a group 27 is 100 Ah.

Nomad

vtfrank - Have no idea how the earlier Dutchmen models were set up - Even with the new ones there's a multitude of ways people have made mods to accommodate larger single batterys as well as dual golf cart batteries both inside and out. The standard on the newer ones - and the one that fits without mods - is a Group 24. There are different amp hour versions of that.

Ratkity

Battery sizes: Keep in mind that the boxes are about 0.5 inches bigger all the way around (my 24 box was a little longer). There are also battery trays that hold battery's in place for all sizes.

Hope this helps with your limited bandwidth, PXL. All the batteries listed are good quality, so you'll see the average amp hours listed. Keep in mind that the weight of the battery goes up as you get bigger batteries. Some of the 6 volts alone weight 68# each. That's a lot of weight to lift inside a bin. That's pretty much why I opted to put the battery in the front of the bin instead of inside. Just hefting the 47# 24 out of the bin was hard for me. Now I just keep both 20# propane tanks in the bin and have the battery box outside. I know you didn't want mods, but it was the only way I could do it. The extra propane tank is an exchangeable is is held steady by a plastic holder and strapped to the other tank (with padding). It hasn't moved and I can lift it out if I need to for campfire-in-a-can or other propane appliance. The battery box is held on by #8 bolts that have a narrow flat bar inside the box from bolt to bolt and also outside on the bottom with lock washers. All I needed was a drill, screwdriver and ratchet. The only thing that killed me was getting a grommet inside the hole I cut so the wires could reach the new battery. There is plenty of extra wire to reach it.

Deep Cycle:

BCI GROUP NUMBER: 24
Lifeline Battery #: GPL-24T (AGM) 
Universal Battery #: UB12750-45821 (AGM) 
Trojan Battery #:T24-GEL (GEL) 
Universal Battery #:UB24GEL-D5872 (GEL)
DIMENSIONS IN INCHES*: 11.13" 6.60" 9.25" LxWxH
Amp Hours (AH): 80

BCI GROUP NUMBER: 27
Universal Battery #: UB12900-45826 (AGM) 
Lifeline Battery #: GPL-27T (AGM) 
Universal Battery #: UB27GEL-D5873 (GEL) 
Trojan Batter #: T27-GEL (GEL)
DIMENSIONS IN INCHES*: 12.00" 6.63" 9.06" LxWxH
Amp Hours (AH): 90

BCI GROUP NUMBER: 30H
BatteryStuff Part #: UB121100-40603
DIMENSIONS IN INCHES*: 13" 6.8" 9.5" LxWxH
Amp Hours (AH): 110

BCI GROUP NUMBER: 31
Lifeline Battery #: GPL-31XT (AGM) 
Lifeline Battery#: GPL-31T (AGM) 
MK Battery #: S31SLDG (GEL)
DIMENSIONS IN INCHES*: 12.9" 6.75" 9.27" LxWxH
Amp Hours (AH): 125

6Volt:

BCI GROUP NUMBER: GC2
Trojan Battery #: T-105 (WET) 
Universal Battery #: UBGC2 (AGM) 
Lifeline Battery #: GPL-4CT (AGM) 
MK Battery #: 8GGC2 (GEL)
DIMENSIONS IN INCHES*: 10.38" 7.13" 10.88" LxWxH
Amp Hours (AH): 225

BCI GROUP NUMBER: L16
Lifeline Battery #: GPL-L16T (AGM) 
Trojan Battery #: L16RE-B (WET) 
Trojan Battery #: L16RE-A (WET)
DIMENSIONS IN INCHES*: 11.64" 6.95" 15.73" LxWxH
Amp Hours (AH): 400

- See more at: https://www.batterystuff.com/kb/tools/bci-battery-group-sizes.html#sthash.zBWr2Z2Q.dpuf

lapowers57

Trojan Grp 24 100ah   11.30x6.73x9.8
Trojan Grp 27 115ah   12.80x6.73x9.8
Trojan Grp 30 130ah   13.92x6.75x9.95

The Grp 24 NOCO battery box in my 2016 T@B has an exterior foot print of 7.2x10.5.  Cameo makes a box for Grp 27 and 30 that is 13.87x7.87x10.9

It was hard to measure the frame for the battery with the box in place.  I think the Camco Grp 27 box would be just to long.  While the Trojan Grp 27 has the same foot print as the Grp 24 finding an off the shelf battery box could be tough.  I think the Grp 30 is just too big.  

Based on limited experience in good weather with Zamp 160 panels the 100amp hour battery is working well for me.  If I decide I need more battery power in the future I don't think I would bother with the Grp 27 battery as it is only an incremental improvement.  I think there may be room to stack two of the Grp 24 batteries in the tub although I might need to have a special frame welded in.  If I really needed a lot of power I would get the metal platform and put two 6 volt batteries on it.  This is a lot of power but also a lot of weight on the tongue so I don't think I would ever go that route. 

I see a lot of mention of Gel and AGM batteries I believe that in general Wet cell batteries will have a higher AH capacity for less money then a Gel or AGM of the same group size.  Unless you need to put the battery inside I wouldn't consider the Gel or AGM batteries.  

PXLated - How much power do your panels deliver on cloudy days?

Ratkity

One rule of thumb I was told (dunno if true or not - could be a solar-myth) is that for every AmpHr of battery, you should have equal wattage of solar. So approximately 100 AHr battery should be perfect for 100W solar setup. YMMV. As in today - 100% chance of rain!! *sigh*

Nomad

Wozer Ratkity & lapowers57 - Info City... Thanks!

Nomad

lapowers57 - I've actually never measured ... Days very so much - from dark, dank skys to thin overcast so the charge varies alot.

lapowers57

Zamp says that the 160's are perfect for a single or pair of Grp 24's or a single Grp 27 battery.  And that they are pretty pretty good for a pair of Grp 27's.  That kinda of lines up with your rule of thumb.  It would depend on the total size (AH) of the batteries you are using but also your total draw each day.  

Ratkity

PXL doesn't have the entertainment center and I think only cooks and sleeps in there. He's out doing awesome photography most the time! I think he could get away with a 27 or dual 24s.

Nomad

What got me wondering on this is that I had a three day period where powerwise eveything was in the dumper. Everything thing (other than power) was normal as was my routines yet I woke up on the second day in the middle of the night to the Alde cycling on and off, red light blinking and a battery reading 10.5 - what the? Of course this was at 3am (nothing ever happens at a reasonable hour for me). Hooked up to the TV and got it back up to 12.0 and went back to bed.
Battery gone bad? Too many recharge cycles over two years of full-timing it? New battery time?

Now yesterday, the fourth day, everything went back to normal. Full charge during the day. Enough to use the inverter to charge the computer, camera batteries, devices. After sun down a 12.8 reading. At bedtime (late) a 12.6. A middle of the night check at 12.5. This morning 12.4. This is with Alde running all night. All normal. In fact a little higher than I'd expect.

So, have no idea what the heck was going on or why over those three days when everything was whacko.

Photomom

I suspect Pxlated's biggest needs for electricity are for charging camera batteries and for running Photoshop!

Verna

@PXLated, I had a 2012 Ford Escape and after only two years, the battery acted like your T@B's symptoms. The lights were sporadically crazy, bulbs burnt out, and one day the battery was dead. I jumped it, and it was dead two days later. After I replaced the battery with one just a bit more "power" (or however they rate car batteries), I had no more problems.

My opinion...a new battery should take care of your sporadic problems. I like Interstate for their great knowledge and service, but YMMV. 

Nomad

See what happens here the next 2-3 days. Will be closer to a bigger town later this week.

Photomom

Perhaps someone snuck up in the night and made use of your outside outlet?