Batteries

[gmfryer]

I notice that I have two batteries, both 8D's, I think, that seems fine for a cranking battery but I don't believe that it is a good deep cycle battery. Has someone installed the wrong type or is this standard?
Thanks

[gmfryer]

I notice that I have two batteries, both 8D's, I think, that seems fine for a cranking battery but I don't believe that it is a good deep cycle battery. Has someone installed the wrong type or is this standard?
Thanks

[Doug, K4FI]

My 99 had 8D's, but my 2000 had 2 12's in parallel for starting and 4 6 volt batteries in series/parallel for the house. Alpine has since starting 6 6 volt house batteries in but your frame will will not hold more than 4 plus 2 12's
By the way I see your are in Simpsonville. I am in Columbia.

Doug, ACA & ACAE, 04 36mdds

[Wil Rathke]

I have a 99 with 2 8D batteries. I recently replaced the house battery with a Trojan 8D deep cycle. The chassis battery is a cranking type. The advantage of the 8D is a minimum number of connections. I considered using golf cart batteries but the tray would have to be enlarged to provide a larger capacity than the 200+ amp-hour capacity of the 8D.

[Pollo man]

Just increased the battery compartment in our 2000. We now have 6 Trojan 105's. Great for dry camping. Also installed a buse bar to take the load off the first battery. If interested have details and pictures.
Gary

Polloman

[gmfryer]

So in theory it is better to have multiple 6v batteries than to have one 12v. I understand the limitations of the battery tray so I want to make the right decision before I continue. Can someone compare the two types and give some estimated durations on dry camping based on a given load?
Thanks

[Danny Gayhart]

I agree with Gary, the best setup is to go with the 6v's. I researched batteries a year ago and installed six Trojan 105's with Hyrdo caps. The buss bar upgrade is worth the effort. If dry camping is your goal, you will need solar panels. I installed two 120-watt panels with a 30-amp controller.

I have nearly 700 amps of capacity now. My wife and I can dry camp without running the genset indefinitely if we do not use the microwave for more than a few minutes a day. We watch TV at night, make coffee in the morning and she dries her hair with a hairdryer.
When we are full daytime sun, our batteries are fully charged by early afternoon. I monitor the battery voltage in the morning to make sure we stay above 12.25v.

Danny

[Gary RVRoamer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> So in theory it is better to have multiple 6v batteries than to have one 12v. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't think so - just the opposite, in fact. More batteries means more connections, with attendent corrosion and resistance. 6V is not inherently better than 12V, but golf cart batteries are an excellent deep cycle design and better quality deep cycles than most of those typically sold through Rv stores and battery shops. But Trojan, for example, makes a 12V deep cycle that is every bit the equal of their 6V golf cart deep cycles and all other things being equal I would opt for the Trojan 12's over the 6's every time. Chances are, though, you can find better prices on the 6's if you are in an area where golf carts are common, e.g. the Southeast or Southwest. And the gold cart 6's sold in Sam's Clubs, for example, are also fine and a pair of them is usually priced much lower than a Trojan 12, which you will probably have to special order through a full line Trojan dealer.

Just my $0.02...

Gary Brinck
2002 Dolphin LX - W22 chassis
2003 Chevy Tracker ZR2 4WD
Homebase in the Ocala Nat'l Forest near Ocala, FL

[Trehcub]

If you have tight and clean connections you are better off with the 6 volt batteries. You will have a more reserve with the 6-volt. There are some 12 volt Trojan batteries that have almost as much reserve as the 6-volt trojan 105, but the plates are heavier in the 6-volt battery and will last longer.

[Gary RVRoamer]

It's true you have to go to the Group 31 size to get as much capacity in a 12V as in the T105 6V, but all Trojan deep cycles have heavy duty plates designed for repeated charge and discharge cycles. They are not at all the flimsy plate construction of the typical 12V adapted from a car starting battery.

Gary Brinck
2002 Dolphin LX - W22 chassis
2003 Chevy Tracker ZR2 4WD
Homebase in the Ocala Nat'l Forest near Ocala, FL

[bikedoc]

Gary,

So if I now have 4 6v Trojan 105's and I replace them with 4 12v Trojans of comparable dimensions I will have greater overall capacity for dry camping usage?? Can you tell me what the comparison would be?? ie--- 4x6v Trojans give me about 440amps now would 4x12v Trojans give me 880amps or somewhere thereabouts?? Might be worth the price difference if thats the case and I can fit them into my application! Thanks in advance for your reply.

Clint

[Trehcub]

The group 31 batteries have a 225 Reserve, the t-105 have a 447 Reserve. When you connect batteries in parallel you add the reserve. You will still end up with 900 reserve capacity with 4 12-volt or 4 6-volt.

[dgerstel]

Gary,

I would like to go to 6 Trojan 105's, Would love to know how you did it. I have a 2002 34fdds.

thanks

Dale Gerstel
dndgerste

[Pollo man]

Dale,
I have a picture of the install and willing to share it with you. But how do you insert an image on this Forum?
Gary

Polloman