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Kathryn · 10-18-2012, 12:59 AM

I know ZERO about the batteries and wiring ... been reading a couple of threads about changing from 12v batts to 6v, which then have to be wired together for 12v ...???

Which is better? Why would you change to the 6v if you need the 12v power?

Kathryn

Dunner · 10-18-2012, 01:12 AM

For the higher ampere hour of 6 volt batteries.

Kathryn · 10-18-2012, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dunner

For the higher ampere hour of 6 volt batteries.

LOL! Remember the "zero"?

Explain higher ampere hour plz.

I know things take varying amounts of amps to operate, and that you can't exceed certain limits based on your capacity - like 30amp service vs 50amp, or needing more batteries for an all electric coach ...

Thanks Dunner.

Kathryn

Dunner · 10-18-2012, 04:49 AM

Explain the "zero".

I'll try.

When you add the 6 volt batteries together, you double the voltage, but the amps stay the same, but there are more of them, so they last longer.

**CLIFFTALL** · 10-18-2012, 04:59 AM

Try this.

http://www.rvdoctor.com/2010/08/rv-b...at-is.html?m=1

Cliff

Dunner · 10-18-2012, 05:16 AM

That's a good site Cliff. Bookmarked it. Everything is Subject-101, without writing a book for every question.

Kathryn · 10-18-2012, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clifftall

Try this.

The RV Doctor: RV Batteries - 6 or 12 - Volts, That Is

Cliff

THANK YOU!!! (Both!)

Simple and clear!

I love IRV2!

Kathryn

Ed-Sommers · 10-18-2012, 09:30 AM

Actually, there are no 6-volt batteries, as far as RVers are concerned anyway. They are just two halves of a 12 volt battery that would be too heavy to handle if not built in halves.

Ed

jcthorne · 10-18-2012, 09:42 AM

It also depends on space constraints.

Our coach has room in the stock rack for 3 group 29 batteries. Using 3 12v batteries yields more capacity than 2 6v batteries. 6v batteries must be installed in pairs.

Dunner · 10-18-2012, 11:33 AM

Actually, there are three 2 volt batteries per case to make up a 6 volt battery. Six for a 12 volt battery.

DznyFan · 10-18-2012, 02:30 PM

Google "The 12 Volt Side of Life". Good reading.

Forest Grump · 10-18-2012, 02:52 PM

Like Jcthorne said it really depends upon your space available. If you can only fit three batteries you are better off with 12 v if you have room for 4 then you might want to consider six volts. At 12v higher amperages deep cycle batteries are now available. Remember it takes two 6's to make the amperage of one 12 at 12v. 6v deep cycle became popular because they were readily available for golf cart use but now a days high amperage 12 v batteries are also available since they are often are used to power indoor floor machines, fork lifts and man lifts. I use three 215 ah 12 volt batteries for 615 ah of 20 hr capacity at 12 v. I don't have room for 4 batteries. They are Trojan's and weigh about 115 lbs. each. I can go 5 days without running the generator. We have a 3,000 watt inverter to run the toaster, hair dryer and TV and DVD player Amon other things.

Gary RVRoamer · 10-18-2012, 04:25 PM

There is no advantage in 6v over 12v. The "advantage" is that the particular 6v batteries we get for RVs are designed for golf cart use, which is very severe duty, both mechanically and electrically. Thus they are one of the sturdiest and highest energy batteries you can buy in that physical size. And since there is a substantial market for golf cart batteries, there are several brands and numerous sales outlets, which helps to keep prices down.

There are 12v batteries built as well as the GC2 golf cart batteries, but they are sold in low volume (compared to golf cart batteries, anyway), so tend to cost quite a bit more for the same performance. Trojan Battery makes excellent 12v deep cycles that perform every bit as well as the typical pair of 6v, GC2 (golf cart) batteries. But if you only have room for three batteries, for example, then 12v is what you need and Trojan is probably your best bet.

In any case, compare the amp hours (AH) of whatever brands and types of batteries you are looking at. AH is the measure of capacity - the amount of battery tun time you are buying. More is better.

wa8yxm · 10-18-2012, 06:22 PM

Relative advantages of 12 v or six V batteries:

A battery is a collection of cells,, For 12 volts you need SIX*N cells (N is an intiger)

That is 6, 12, 18, 24 etc

Two Six volt GC-2 batteries in series gives 12 volts at around 230 amp hours. these days (Used to be 220 but they improved them some)

You can get there by parallelling 12 volt too (That would be about a G-29 and a G-31 in parallel)

And there is NO advantage of one over the other technically... HOWEVER Read on.

The common six volt GC-2 is a DEEP CYCLE battery, It can be run down to the half full point and recover rather well.. Starting batteries INCLUDING the popular Marine/Deep cycle do not really like going that low.. Their ability to recover from repeated deep cycles is not nearly as good.

That said: Though they used to be rare in reasonable sizes, 12 volt deep cycle batteries are becomming easier and easier to find (I could alwys find 'em but you might need a fork lift to pick 'em up and no I am not exaggerating, They were industrial batteries (Used to power said fork lift in fact)).

The BIG advantage to the six volt pairs was, and still is, COST. Thousands and Thousands of golf cars on golf courses across the country use those batteries (Though more and more those are going to 12 volt which is why it's becomming easier to get 12 volt deep cycle) and thus golf courses buy 'em by the pallet load.. This makes it just about the most popular Lead Acid rechargable out there. and thus the unit-cost is lower due to less frequent re-tooling.

And it's all about cost.

But technically 230 amp hours of deep cycle battery is the same no matter how you get there,, One 8-D for example (Though I can pick one of those up,,, Id' rather not.)