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Old 03-12-2020, 08:58 PM   #1
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Bigger batteries?

The house batteries in my coach are 4 to 5 years old and seem to go dead pretty quick. Water is good inside. They are the 24 series ( if that's what it's called). I'm wondering if I should go to the bigger 27 or 31 series batteries. I got a price on replacements and they range from 79 dollars ea. to 168 for the big commercial grade ones. I would have to remake the bracket that holds them in place but I think the big ones would fit. Has anyone bothered to go up in size on the batteries?
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Old 03-12-2020, 09:05 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by dirt40 View Post
The house batteries in my coach are 4 to 5 years old and seem to go dead pretty quick. Water is good inside. They are the 24 series ( if that's what it's called). I'm wondering if I should go to the bigger 27 or 31 series batteries. I got a price on replacements and they range from 79 dollars ea. to 168 for the big commercial grade ones. I would have to remake the bracket that holds them in place but I think the big ones would fit. Has anyone bothered to go up in size on the batteries?
Sure whatever will fit and go AGM.
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Old 03-12-2020, 09:09 PM   #3
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A pair of 6 volt GC2 batteries have the same footprint of 24 batteries but 2 1/2 inches taller.

If they fit, you will just about double your capacity, and possable life, for about $90 each.

They get hooked in series as one bigger 12 volt battery and are designed for deep cycle use.
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Old 03-12-2020, 11:58 PM   #4
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So I measured the available space then used this site (which is also where I go them from) to try and work out what the greatest "energy density" I could get in the available space.
The site is good as you can filter by size in each of the dimensions.
https://www.tayna.co.uk/Leisure-Batt...html?stype=cat
From there I worked out that unless I wanted to jump to Lithium the batteries that were already in it (4x Trojan 6v T125's) offered the highest Ah for the space available I'm sure there must be a similar site with search functionality in the US.

Since then I have had another tray built below the first tray (and the starter battery that was in the lower tray moved to the rear chassis rail) and added another 4.

I keep looking at the dimensions of cells from various sellers on Ali express and the like which would probably more than double my useable capacity but at the moment just can't justify the cost, not least because my Lead Acid batteries are still so new.
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Old 03-13-2020, 07:20 PM   #5
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A pair of 6 volt GC2 batteries have the same footprint of 24 batteries but 2 1/2 inches taller.

If they fit, you will just about double your capacity, and possable life, for about $90 each.

They get hooked in series as one bigger 12 volt battery and are designed for deep cycle use.
I am not familiar with 6v systems, guess i will have to do some reading. The charging system doesn't have to change does it?
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Old 03-13-2020, 07:30 PM   #6
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I am not familiar with 6v systems, guess i will have to do some reading. The charging system doesn't have to change does it?
Two 6 volt batteries are installed in series so the voltage doubles and the amps stay the same. So it's treated as a 12 volt system.
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Old 03-13-2020, 07:30 PM   #7
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You just connect 2 -6V in series and you have a 12V batty bank. GCs are a great choice.
https://marinehowto.com/wp-content/u...le-Battery.jpg

https://marinehowto.com/what-is-a-deep-cycle-battery/
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Old 03-13-2020, 09:15 PM   #8
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You just connect 2 -6V in series and you have a 12V batty bank. GCs are a great choice.
https://marinehowto.com/wp-content/u...le-Battery.jpg

https://marinehowto.com/what-is-a-deep-cycle-battery/
That was some good reading. Thank you guys for the suggestions.
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Old 03-13-2020, 09:49 PM   #9
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I have 3 house batteries in there now. How would I hook those up if I wanted to go with 6v?
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Old 03-13-2020, 11:18 PM   #10
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For each 12v battery you replace it will take 2 six volt batteries connected together + to _ creating one high amp hour 12volt battery.
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Old 03-14-2020, 02:57 AM   #11
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If you only have room for 3 batteries, you will have a choice to use 3, 12 volt type or only 2, 6 volt batteries.

You still may get more capacity with 2, 6 volt batteries, if you get 200 AH GC2s. Two 200 AH 6 volt batteries wired in series gives you 200 AH at 12 volts.


Some gp24 batteries are only 65 AH each. Three of them will add up to 195 AH.

If you can fit gp27 or gp31 batteries, then you can get up to between 85 and 105 AH batteries each, or. 255 or 315 AH total.

Keep in mind that unless spicificicly built as deep cycle ( expensive ) , most 12 volt batteries will not last as long as 6 volt gc2 batteries.
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Old 03-14-2020, 05:09 AM   #12
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If you only have room for 3 batteries, you will have a choice to use 3, 12 volt type or only 2, 6 volt batteries.

You still may get more capacity with 2, 6 volt batteries, if you get 200 AH GC2s. Two 200 AH 6 volt batteries wired in series gives you 200 AH at 12 volts.


Some gp24 batteries are only 65 AH each. Three of them will add up to 195 AH.

If you can fit gp27 or gp31 batteries, then you can get up to between 85 and 105 AH batteries each, or. 255 or 315 AH total.

Keep in mind that unless spicificicly built as deep cycle ( expensive ) , most 12 volt batteries will not last as long as 6 volt gc2 batteries.
Too add to this above..

1. Budget.
2. Usage or need
3. Space

IF Budget is large then NO Question get Lithium...
smaller in size per AH, lighter in weight, can be recharged many more times (100s more) before they are junk. The bigger thing is use capacity.. You can run them way lower for more AH use.

If you have a medium budget then AGM , either 6V or 12V depends on space, They are said to charge faster than flooded, they dont need water and last a bit longer than flooded.. Size and weight the same as flooded..

On a budget or use batteries sparingly or as more of a back up.. Then Flooded lead acid is the typical battery .
groups 24/27/29-31 Amp Hr 60-75/85-100/105-110
Group GC2 Golf Cart.. 6v will have 180-240 AH depends on brand. 220 seem the norm.. They are smaller like a Group 24 in foot print but almost 2 in taller.. so if under a step compartment , watch..

You need 2 6V and you wire + to - on battery with a jumper, then your house = and - to the other 2 remaining terminals.

The 6V will give you the most AH or any of the lead acids for the footprint if you have the hieght,, There is also 4GC that are like 9x9 by 20 ish, 390-420 AH, 2 of those will power you for a while

Charging for the Flooded are all the same 6 or 12.. just check water..

The OTHER Caveat is the Lithium at 210 AH will allow a steady power draw of 170 AH before you will notice voltage drop off rapidly... and then recharge pretty quick
AGM/Flooded at 210-220 AH will draw steady to 100-120 AH then voltage will fall, lights will glow and work for a while but inverters and our heater fans will stop alot faster..

In My Real world use of comparing 2 24 and 2 27 . My use window is 8pm or 9pm til 7/8am.. so 10-12 hours...
I run my inverter 2000w.. TV is on 6 of those hours, a small fan a few lights for 4-5 hours.. A mid size dorm refrig.. phone chargers ..
my watt meter tracks an average of 6-7 AH..
SO my 2/24 with 140ish AH will usually let the Keurig run fine at 6am.. The 2/27 will let me run the Keurig at 6am and the wife at arounad7am before I hear the beep beep on inverter.. Some times we are good and some days one coffee LOL..
NOW in my other RV, the Minnie, I tried same batteries.. Tried the Dometic Fridge on Electric thru inverter.. same TV a porch light, nite light... etc..
The 2/24 will konk out from 9pm to 5am.. no coffee.
I just tested the same 2/24s . the day, 2 lights on, TV and heater running on a 20-30 degree day. set to 60 inside.. 8am till 7pm before the chirps. shut of inveter nad heat ran till 9pm but it was about done..

The 2/27s give me another 1.5 to 2.5 hrs depending...

I want to try and fit 2/28-31 and a 3rd 27 next to inverter.. I would then have plenty..

YES I type long storys.. forgive me..
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Old 03-14-2020, 07:10 AM   #13
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Thank you for the replies. I have a little extra room in the battery compartment and can go a little taller. I'll have to measure to see if I can get 4 of them in there. Or maybe 2 of them would be plenty. I mainly want the fans to be able to run all night. We are mainly camped at the racetrack all night and there aren't any noise restrictions so we just run the generator. But that's fuel.
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Old 03-14-2020, 07:38 AM   #14
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Thank you for the replies. I have a little extra room in the battery compartment and can go a little taller. I'll have to measure to see if I can get 4 of them in there. Or maybe 2 of them would be plenty. I mainly want the fans to be able to run all night. We are mainly camped at the racetrack all night and there aren't any noise restrictions so we just run the generator. But that's fuel.
If running an absorption fridge on gas, no worries. If running a dorm or residential fridge your electrical demand will increase sharply.
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