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Adding a 2nd battery |
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MnMRhoades 
Newbie 
Joined: 22 Mar 2026 Location: Colorado Spring Online Status: Offline Posts: 7 |
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 Topic: Adding a 2nd batteryPosted: 29 Mar 2026 at 11:06pm |
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If you need more battery when boondocking, it is relatively cheap and easy to add a 2nd battery to your R-Pod.
The wife and I just bought a new RP-185. It is equipped with a 220W solar panel. It is also equipped with a 12V only refrigerator but only has a single 12V battery. We decided that because of the 12V only fridge, we needed an additional battery a larger dual battery box. Adding the second battery and two battery box was extremely easy. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact me. Mike
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M Rhoades
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gpokluda
Senior Member 
Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Location: East Idaho Online Status: Offline Posts: 470 |
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Posted: 30 Mar 2026 at 7:07am |
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We added a second battery shortly after we bought ours back in 2015 and you right, it's easy and makes a difference. Is your refrigerator a compressor or absorption type?
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Gpokluda
2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023) 2022 Escape 5.0TA 2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB Honda SCL500 |
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jato
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3415 |
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Posted: 30 Mar 2026 at 9:23am |
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Good decision. We usually boondock and one of the first mods we did to our 177 was to add a 2nd battery, that was over 15 years ago. Even now we can go 6 days off-grid with our pair of 12v lead acid batteries when night temps are in the 40's, and that is without the use of solar panels or a generator. Batteries: 15 year old Interstate deep cycle and 5.5 year old Trojan T-1275.
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God's pod
'11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
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gpokluda
Senior Member
Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Location: East Idaho Online Status: Offline Posts: 470 |
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Posted: 30 Mar 2026 at 10:10am |
That battery should be ready for its own drivers license and high school graduation.
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Gpokluda
2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023) 2022 Escape 5.0TA 2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB Honda SCL500 |
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GlueGuy
Senior Member
Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2765 |
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Posted: 30 Mar 2026 at 11:43am |
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These days LFP batteries are amp-hour to amp-hour price competitive with SLA batteries, and have roughly twice the watt-hour capacity. So swapping a 100AH LFP battery for a 100AH SLA battery pretty much doubles your watt-hour capacity. Also, a LFP battery should last many times longer than a SLA battery.
Food for thought.
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
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jato
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3415 |
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Posted: 31 Mar 2026 at 6:12pm |
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That battery should be ready for its own drivers license and high school graduation. [/QUOTE] It has been a 'model student' over the years! Wish I kept track of how many times it has been charged. Maintenance is key to everything. I wonder how much longer the batteries in both my 2017 vehicles will last, they are both original, but by comparison are young compared to the Interstate. |
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God's pod
'11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
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gpokluda
Senior Member
Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Location: East Idaho Online Status: Offline Posts: 470 |
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Posted: 01 Apr 2026 at 7:12am |
Couldn't agree more. Even in just the last 3 years, LiFePO4 batteries have become more affordable and have the ability to almost quadruple the amp hours in the same footprint of AGM or Flooded Lead Acid.
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Gpokluda
2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023) 2022 Escape 5.0TA 2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB Honda SCL500 |
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poston
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 28 Mar 2018 Location: Nevada Online Status: Offline Posts: 207 |
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Posted: 01 Apr 2026 at 3:15pm |
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I just bought a 153 at Xtreme RV in Twin Falls. I asked how much they'd charge to put on (2) LFP batteries. I just wanted to get a price, I figured I would buy & install them later. They quoted $600 for Renogy's, installed, for the pair. I was surprised. I didn't think they had dropped that much.
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-- Jim Virginia City, Nevada 2023 R-pod 153 BEAST MODE! 2015 Nissan Xterra |
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MnMRhoades
Newbie
Joined: 22 Mar 2026 Location: Colorado Spring Online Status: Offline Posts: 7 |
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Posted: 03 Apr 2026 at 11:29pm |
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I believe the newer 12V only are compressor type of refridgerators.
Edited by MnMRhoades - Yesterday at 9:39pm |
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M Rhoades
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MnMRhoades
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Joined: 22 Mar 2026 Location: Colorado Spring Online Status: Offline Posts: 7 |
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Posted: 03 Apr 2026 at 11:30pm |
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I believe the newer 12v only fridges use a compressor since it does not use gas.
Mike
Edited by MnMRhoades - Yesterday at 9:38pm |
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M Rhoades
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