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Scottybdivin · 11-21-2015, 02:59 PM

As I mentioned in another thread, I am upgrading from 6 to 8 batteries. My rig has a 6V system that as far as I can tell, only powers the puck lighting on the LOW position. I have changed all but 2 of the pucks with LED bulbs and they will not work on 6V. None of the other lights in the coach have the two-way switches, just on/off. I'm trying to decide if I even need to re-instate the 6V system after I do the battery upgrade.

If I am interpretting this correctly, it gives me 3 6V batteries in parallel for 675 Ah @ 6V. The two odd parallel cables in the middle; one POS - POS, one NEG - NEG; are what keep the top 3 batteries isolated for the 6V system. You can see the small wire with a fuse holder on the lower right battery. This is my 6V system power. What threw me off is it is actually attached to a NEG terminal, but it is essentially the same as a POS on the 6V side, due to the two crossover cables complete the parallel loop. It's a little easier to see it in the diagram. I hope I have this right because it has me scratching my head.

Spk64 · 11-21-2015, 03:22 PM

Are you sure you have a 6 volt system?
2 6volt batteries wired in series = 12 volts
If I understood the diagram. Looks like the batteries are connected in 2 sets of parallel which is then in a series which = 12 volts.
Wiring in parallel is same voltage just higher capacity.

Scottybdivin · 11-21-2015, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spk64

Are you sure you have a 6 volt system?
2 6volt batteries wired in series = 12 volts
If I understood the diagram. Looks like the batteries are connected in 2 sets of parallel which is then in a series which = 12 volts.
Wiring in parallel is same voltage just higher capacity.

Yes. I am aware that the whole system is 12V. I think there is also a 6V sub system. The tag (factory) on the wire says 6V SYSTEM. If you look closely at the diagram in the 2nd photo, on the right side it says "6V Power". I've been told that the 2way switches on the puck lighting is 12V/6V. LED bulbs will not work on the LOW setting, even though they are "dimmable".

azSkier · 11-21-2015, 05:03 PM

On my Essex, I have a 6V system. It powered the low setting for the old halogen lights. My lights are now LEDs and do not work on 6V. Except, sometimes, the LEDs would slightly glow when the switch was in the low position. That annoyed me, so I pulled the 3 fuses in the 6V fuse block. I haven't noticed any adverse loss of function.

The 6V system gets its power from that wire that attaches to the positive terminal of a battery. The next time I clean my battery terminals, I will remove the 6V cable.

The 6V cable is easy enough to hook up or detach. I don't think you will have any problems not connecting the cable, but I am not certain enough to suggest you permanently destroy the cable.

Scottybdivin · 11-21-2015, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azSkier

On my Essex, I have a 6V system. It powered the low setting for the old halogen lights. My lights are now LEDs and do not work on 6V. Except, sometimes, the LEDs would slightly glow when the switch was in the low position. That annoyed me, so I pulled the 3 fuses in the 6V fuse block. I haven't noticed any adverse loss of function.

The 6V system gets its power from that wire that attaches to the positive terminal of a battery. The next time I clean my battery terminals, I will remove the 6V cable.

The 6V cable is easy enough to hook up or detach. I don't think you will have any problems not connecting the cable, but I am not certain enough to suggest you permanently destroy the cable.

Thank you. That's good news. I think I will leave the wire usable, but I will not install the two parallel cables between the batteries. It would be easy enough to come back later and add them if necessary. The slam dunk would be to retro all the 2 Way switches to 12V dimmers. That will take some doing.

azSkier · 11-21-2015, 10:35 PM

>> but I will not install the two parallel cables between the batteries.

I strongly recommend you connect those 2 wires. I think they are very important to support the required currents.

Looking at your diagram, you will notice there is the lower 6V bank and the upper 6V bank. Per the diagram, the POS terminals of the Lower bank are all connected. In addition, the NEG terminals of the upper bank are also connected. Furthermore, all those lower bank POS and upper bank NEG terminals are connected together... basically forming a big connection bar.

I suspect This big connection bar is necessary to support the large current flows of the battery bank. I have 8 batteries and I see the charger pushing up to 150Amps into the batteries.

Not connecting those cables could be problematic in weak battery / high current situations.

PS
When I mean lower bank, I am talking about the voltage. The top bank (in the diagram) is the 0-6V bank (lower) while the bottom bank(diagram) is the 6-12V bank (upper).

Mr_D · 11-21-2015, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azSkier

On my Essex, I have a 6V system. It powered the low setting for the old halogen lights. My lights are now LEDs and do not work on 6V. Except, sometimes, the LEDs would slightly glow when the switch was in the low position. That annoyed me, so I pulled the 3 fuses in the 6V fuse block. I haven't noticed any adverse loss of function.

The 6V system gets its power from that wire that attaches to the positive terminal of a battery. The next time I clean my battery terminals, I will remove the 6V cable.

The 6V cable is easy enough to hook up or detach. I don't think you will have any problems not connecting the cable, but I am not certain enough to suggest you permanently destroy the cable.

Friend of ours has a 2007 Essex. He replaced the lights with LED's and they don't work on the 6V setting either.
Not sure what the difference is but I replaced our halogens with LED's but our 5 or 6 step dimmers still work, but not as well as with the halogens. Guess that even on the lower settings too much voltage is getting through, but there is a difference, just not as much as the halogens provided.

Scottybdivin · 11-22-2015, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azSkier

>> but I will not install the two parallel cables between the batteries.

I strongly recommend you connect those 2 wires. I think they are very important to support the required currents.

Looking at your diagram, you will notice there is the lower 6V bank and the upper 6V bank. Per the diagram, the POS terminals of the Lower bank are all connected. In addition, the NEG terminals of the upper bank are also connected. Furthermore, all those lower bank POS and upper bank NEG terminals are connected together... basically forming a big connection bar.

I suspect This big connection bar is necessary to support the large current flows of the battery bank. I have 8 batteries and I see the charger pushing up to 150Amps into the batteries.

Not connecting those cables could be problematic in weak battery / high current situations.

PS
When I mean lower bank, I am talking about the voltage. The top bank (in the diagram) is the 0-6V bank (lower) while the bottom bank(diagram) is the 6-12V bank (upper).

I believe the only purpose for the two oddball cables in the center are to create a 6V parallel system using the top 3 batteries. The standard 12V setup doesn't include those cables. My cables are all 3/0, which is the same size as the cable cable feeding the inverter. They should handle any current in/out of the system.

shaman52 · 11-22-2015, 07:32 AM

Scotty, your are right about a 6 volt sub system. There are four six volt circuits fused with 20 amp blade fuses in your inside fuse location. These four 6 volt circuits are for the puck lights. You can disconnect at battery and have a dead position on light switches or make the circuit 12 volts and have two on positions on light switches. as I have three 12 volt house batteries in my MADP I chose to have two on positions at light switches. Both on are hi light. Hope this makes sense.

Scottybdivin · 11-22-2015, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaman52

Scotty, your are right about a 6 volt sub system. There are four six volt circuits fused with 20 amp blade fuses in your inside fuse location. These four 6 volt circuits are for the puck lights. You can disconnect at battery and have a dead position on light switches or make the circuit 12 volts and have two on positions on light switches. as I have three 12 volt house batteries in my MADP I chose to have two on positions at light switches. Both on are hi light. Hope this makes sense.

Makes perfect sense. So you just connected the same wire to your 12V battery and all is good? Mine has a 30A fuse just off the battery. I think I like that better than having a dead position.