Adding a second 12v battery - Event Date: 08 Sep 2017 - 08 Dec 2017

Purchased a used 2015 R pod 178 with a single 12v battery.  The battery is practically brand new (2 months old). 

If I want to upgrade to two 12 volt batteries do I need to buy 2 brand new batteries at the same time or could I buy another battery of the same brand that matches my existing 2 month old battery and connect the two?

I have read that you should connect two brand new identical batteries.  That would mean my existing almost new battery would go to waste and I would be out the cost of 2 more batteries.

What do you think?

Thanks

I recently purchased a new RP-178 and decided to install a second battery as well, to allow more dry camping time. I bought a second battery, installed both in an aluminum battery box (rvlockbox.com) and wired the two batteries through a selector switch (blueseasystems.com). This allows me to run one battery at a time, both in parallel, or both turned off, for storage. If you do not run the two batteries in parallel, you do not need to be concerned whether they are the same age. Just run one until it gets low, then switch to the second. Even if you buy two identical batteries at the same time, the chances of them needing replacement at the same time are slim, so you will be faced with the "identical batteries" issue again in the future.

Originally posted by stevo220 Purchased a used 2015 R pod 178 with a single 12v battery.  The battery is practically brand new (2 months old).  If I want to upgrade to two 12 volt batteries do I need to buy 2 brand new batteries at the same time or could I buy another battery of the same brand that matches my existing 2 month old battery and connect the two? I have read that you should connect two brand new identical batteries.  That would mean my existing almost new battery would go to waste and I would be out the cost of 2 more batteries. What do you think?

What do I think? Add it and forget about it!

No really as long as they are the same type of battery in parallel since your present battery all will be okay. After charging your batteries will balance out to the one with the lest charging capacity be it your two month old one or the new one.