Dear Dave,
I think I need to replace my chassis batteries. Can you tell me which battery/part number I should be looking for? Not much information on the current batteries. Thanks. —Richard, 2017 Fleetwood Pace Arrow 36U
Dear Richard,
From what I can tell, your 2017 Fleetwood is on a Ford F53 chassis with the Triton V10 engine. According to the specifications from Ford, the chassis is available in several GVWR models starting with 16,000 pounds up to 26,000 pounds, and all have the same chassis battery listed. It states: 78 Amp Hr – 780 CCA, maintenance free. I would believe the brand was Motorcraft, as this is a subdivision of Ford.
Cold cranking amp (CCA) defined
There are two different types of batteries used on motorized vehicles: deep cycle house batteries and engine batteries. The deep cycle batteries are rated in amp hours and designed to provide prolonged 12-volt power for interior lights, vent fans, and appliances. They are designed to be drawn down and recharged often, which is the “deep cycle” terminology. Cold cranking amps are the number of amps the battery can supply for 30 seconds at zero degrees F to turn the engine over and start it.
Everyone has their favorite brand of batteries, and there are a ton to choose from. I see a lot of owners that replace the original engine battery with Interstate brand. They are probably the most popular brand available at dealerships and service centers across the country. However, I personally don’t feel they are the best, just the most popular. Also, they do have a great service network around the country.
NAPA batteries
Several years ago, Winnebago did extensive research on batteries for both engine and house applications and have gone with NAPA batteries for the house batteries. Since the chassis is supplied with a battery, they don’t swap that out but do use NAPA for any aftermarket replacement in their Customer Service Department.
I talked with the local parts manager and NAPA has a “good, better, best” series of batteries with their “Pro, Legend, and Commercial” Series. I would recommend the Legend Series and stay at 750 CCA or higher. They have an 850 CCA, part # BAT 7565. However, make sure it will fit in your existing tray and the posts are in the same orientation. If not, the cables might not reach the posts in your configuration.
As I stated earlier, there are several brands to choose from and some are better than others. We replaced the start battery in the 2015 Thor Challenger with an O’Reilly Auto Parts battery. Three years later it had to be replaced. However, I believe the issue was letting it sit all winter without a charge, as well as limited use in good weather. Longevity will depend on proper maintenance with any brand battery.
Let’s hear from our readers on what battery brand they have had success with.
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RV’s house and chassis batteries drain fast during storage. What causes this?
Dear Dave,
I went out to move the motorhome and discovered all three batteries were dead: the chassis (at 4V) and coach (both at 9V) batteries. The RV had sat for about two weeks (since last trip). We did not notice anything out of the ordinary when we had the RV out on our last trip. We were connected to shore power. The battery switches were set to “off” when we parked the RV at home. I currently have all the batteries isolated, hoping to see if I can recharge them one at a time and save them. Any ideas as to the cause? The RV is still under warranty but the dealer is 300 miles away. Thanks! —Jack, 2022 Winnebago Adventurer 29B
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”
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Replaced my engine battery with NAPA AGM battery. 3 year, no questions warranty.
Ordered on line, picked up at slightly local NAPA store and received a $50 discount.
Works for me.
I just replaced the original Alliance brand (Freightliner) starting batteries in my 2013 Newmar, which was built in mid-2012. Twelve years of service…hard to beat that! You can get them at Freightliner service centers, which are all over.
https://www.dtnapartscap.com/parts-categories/electrical/batteries-alliance/
But as Dave said, good battery maintenance is key.
I’ve switched to Walmart’s AGM batteries for both starting and deep cycle uses. So far each has well exceeded the warrantied life. And Walmarts are generally easier to find than specific automotive part stores. I buy the highest capacity batteries for the needed group size.
If a battery is going to sit for more than a couple weeks, I will hook up a battery maintainer – be it AC or solar powered.
Thank you, Dave! 🙂 I’ll have to see what brand of batteries are for the chassis and the house. At the moment I have no idea. Thanks again and safe travels! 🙂
It’s a Group 65 battery. You can get those anywhere. 5 second google search.
NAPA batteries are too expensive. Might as well buy an Odyssey battery.
I went with a Group 65 Interstate AGM start battery from Costco. The RV is stored in a lot with no place to plug in a maintainer, so I wanted AGM because they don’t self-discharge as much as regular FLA batteries.
As a side note, Costco does not stock this battery locally, so I ordered it online. It was delivered to my door the next day. Took the old AdvancedAuto FLA (which was 10 years old) to Costco to get the core charge credited. The whole process couldn’t have been smoother.