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Old 06-28-2018, 06:08 AM   #1
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Installing 4 6Volt house batteries tomorrow.

Hi,

Tomorrow I will be installing 4 lifeline gpl 4ct batteries in my Itasca Latitude.

I will be getting Napa to make up 2awg cables for me.

Am I better off putting the batteries in place and measuring the cable length needed or getting longer cables and allow slack?

Thanks,




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Old 06-28-2018, 06:22 AM   #2
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Find the longest jumper and make them all that same length, if possible.

Add a few inches just so they are not tight and tugging on the battery posts.

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Old 06-28-2018, 06:44 AM   #3
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Thanks Twinboat,

Should I go black and red or just one colour?

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Old 06-28-2018, 08:29 AM   #4
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Red for positive and black for negative would be best or use coloured electrical tape at the ends so there is no confusion. For the series connections (positive to negative on a set of 6v batteries) I would make them only as long as necessary (with a little slack) but make both the same length. For the parallel connections on each 12v battery only make as long as necessary (with a little slack) but both the same length.
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Old 06-28-2018, 09:01 AM   #5
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You don't want them to be short but if they are too long they can be hard to handle also. Get a piece of rope and snake it between the posts. Use that for your measurements and don't forget the terminals take up an inch or so on each end.
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Old 06-28-2018, 09:17 AM   #6
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Thanks,

Best to install them in the bay first so. Great idea about using rope.

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Old 06-29-2018, 08:02 AM   #7
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Hi,

My coach is not back from Big Foot leveling yet. I am hoping to get it back tonight or tomorrow.

I lined up the batteries as they qould go in the bay and the longest cable run is 12 inches.

Should I go with 16inches or 18inches?

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Old 06-29-2018, 07:51 PM   #8
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My best buddy John installed the batteries, he is a physicist and an amateur electrician. The shunt is mounted to wood. I still got to hook up my solar charge controller.

Payment was my old Progressive 30 amp EMS and Trimetric for his TT.

I managed to mount the Victron inside the coach by using the hole that Big Foot had used to mount the new jacks.

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Old 06-29-2018, 08:04 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twinboat View Post
Find the longest jumper and make them all that same length, if possible.

Add a few inches just so they are not tight and tugging on the battery posts.

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Why all the same length?
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Old 06-29-2018, 09:01 PM   #10
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Are those batteries secured? It looks like they're just sitting on the floor of the bay without any type of tray, strapping, or hold-downs. You'll definitely want them secure - that's a lot of weight to have loose in the belly of your beast! :-)
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Old 06-29-2018, 09:06 PM   #11
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They are not tied down, I need to figure something out.

Had to take a hacksaw to the existing tie downs as the bolts and nuts were badly rusted.

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Old 06-29-2018, 09:09 PM   #12
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Why all the same length?
Every wire has some voltage drop, although it would be slight, almost immeasurable, in short thick cables.

To keep every battery charging or discharging evenly, keeping the cables even lenghts is best practice.

It also looks better and easier to follow the layout.

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Old 07-07-2018, 05:22 AM   #13
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Are those batteries secured? It looks like they're just sitting on the floor of the bay without any type of tray, strapping, or hold-downs. You'll definitely want them secure - that's a lot of weight to have loose in the belly of your beast! :-)
My mechanic reckins he can secure them with angle iron. Maybe he was thinking about a lip of some kind, I will ask him Monday.
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Old 07-11-2018, 03:01 PM   #14
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The mechanic is making up the same kind of tray and fastening used for OTR truck batteries.

Will post pics when its done.

After that I need to hook up the starting battery to my Victron and mount and hook up the solar charge contoller.
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