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DEEP CYCLE BATTERY CARE AND MAINTENANCE

Review

Once again Mark Polk crams hours of study into his 35-minute video that covers just about everything you'd ever want to know about RV batteries. Mark points out that 85 percent of RV batteries never reach their full life potential simply because they are poorly maintained. In the time it would take you to sit down and eat lunch, you can learn how to double the life of your batteries with proper maintenance and storage.

In a tight economy, tips like these can save you hundreds of dollars in battery replacement. This video also provides valuable information to help in choosing batteries with the right amount of power supply for your needs-not too much, not too little.

Mark compares, in detail, the different kinds of batteries used to power your Motor Home, compares deep cycle batteries to marine batteries, explains how they are designed, and how they work.  He covers different types of batteries, which ones need maintenance, which don't, and how to maintain each kind. Along with all this, he gives you a pretty thorough list of pros and cons about the different types of batteries. This is great information to help you choose the best ones for your RV, your level of use, budget, and RV lifestyle.

Batteries are measured in amps, which, in turn, power devices whose output is measured in watts. What you really need to know is just how long you can expect your batteries to run your array of devices. Using some pretty simple math, Mark shows how to convert those amps and watts into hours of usage. I'm far from a math wizard, but, even I can understand this simple calculation.

In this information-packed video Mark answers questions like:

How long should my batteries last?

Can I run my TV, air conditioner and appliances all at once?

How do I prioritize my appliance usage?

How do I recharge my batteries?

How do I know when to recharge my batteries?

Knowing what devices you use, and how long you run them, you can figure out how long your batteries will last, and how and when to recharge them, and never be surprised by suddenly losing power.

Packed into this lesson are tips on avoiding the two most common reasons why battery life is shortened, using batteries in parallel or series, using 6 volt and 12 volt batteries, how cable length affects voltage, and two methods to measure your batteries' level of discharge. He points out little tricks that we often overlook until it's too late, like labeling things before they are disconnected, as well as other techniques and facts you might not know.

Throughout the program, you will learn subtle-and not-so-subtle-safety tips that take the risk out of battery care. You will learn how batteries are constructed and what makes them work. Knowing this you learn how to protect yourself from injury while maintaining batteries. He covers how to maintain RV batteries, how to recharge them, what kind of charger to use to recharge them, how to prepare batteries for long-term storage, and how to maintain RV batteries during storage.

Mark uses a chart that shows the level of discharge, and the measurements for two different methods of determining this level. He goes into great detail about these measurements, the tools you need to measure this, and what each value might indicate. He spells out the steps to measuring the degree of discharge, explaining in great detail the exact conditions that will give the most and least accurate readings.

Predictably, Mark gives a thorough lesson on the care and maintenance of RV batteries, valuable safety tips, detailed explanations and demonstrations for each step of each aspect of battery care and use. I learned much from this video, and highly recommend it, especially if you are relatively new to RVing.

You can watch Deep Cycle Battery Care and Maintenance anytime, day or night. RV Education 101 offers options for one-time or unlimited viewing of their RV education videos, as well as on DVD. DVDs are available individually or in sets.

Online videos can be viewed from your computer if you are running Windows XP or Vista and Windows Medial Player 11. If you are a Mac user and happen to use Boot Camp for one of these operating systems, you can view online, too. Otherwise, visit RV University for a description of DVDs available.

 Here is Sample of Video