Community Forums

jrd22 · 10-15-2021, 04:30 PM

Just bought a 2019 21 RBS (love it) and I need to replace the Interstate group 24 batteries. I want to go up to group size 27 (or 31) but don't know if there is room on the standard two battery rack and the trailer is two hours (by boat) away to go measure. Want to order for in store pickup but want to make sure the wider batteries and boxes will fit. Does anyone know if there is room for either 27s or 31s?
Thanks very much, searched this forum but didn't find the width of the tray.

Howard Burger · 10-15-2021, 05:35 PM

The tray in our '19 21RBS is 8 in. wide, 25 in. long between angle iron cross pieces.

Can't help you on 27s or 31s, but last year we replaced ours with 2 6v Rolls GC2 batteries and put them in a Century Plastics box.

jrd22 · 10-15-2021, 05:44 PM

Thanks, I'll check out the Rolls batteries and going 6v might give more AH.

Howard Burger · 10-15-2021, 06:13 PM

Our Century Plastics GC2E box and the GC2 batteries. Remember on 2 6v batteries you're going to have to connect them in series for 12v.

Century Plastics Ltd. - Totes, Bins and Containers

ttavasc · 10-15-2021, 06:29 PM

If you are going to stick with a FLA battery I'd go the 6v route. The Rolls batteries Howard Burger has are top of the line. Unfortunately nobody had them locally around here so I settled for a pair of Trojan T-125's (240ah) in the same Century Plastics battery box. So far I am quite pleased with them. If those Interstates are the HD24-DP model they are only 64ah each, so not much to work with.

jrd22 · 10-15-2021, 09:12 PM

Thanks for the pics, those are both nice installations. The box makes a nice neat package instead of the two individual boxes. Thanks very much, I'll start searching for what's available locally and get the box ordered. I plan to add at least one solar panel before long so the extra battery capacity will be a big help. 230 AH 6 volt is equivalent to 115 AH 12 volt, right? So the two batts would give me 230 AH?

Howard Burger · 10-15-2021, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrd22

230 AH 6 volt is equivalent to 115 AH 12 volt, right? So the two batts would give me 230 AH?

Yes, in your example two 12s wired in parallel give you the same AHr as two 6s wired in series:

In series, amperage stays the same and voltage is additive, so two 6v @ 230Ahr each nets 230Ahr, but voltage is 6v+6v or 12v.

In parallel amperage is additive but voltage stays the same, so two12v batteries @115AHr nets you 115+115 or 230Ahr, at 12v.

The difference, I understand, between the 6v golf cart batteries and 12v batteries has to do with the thickness of their plates inside and the number of cycles of charging they can sustain in their useful life. There is a wealth of information on the internet about this.

hwd

ttavasc · 10-15-2021, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrd22

Thanks for the pics, those are both nice installations. The box makes a nice neat package instead of the two individual boxes. Thanks very much, I'll start searching for what's available locally and get the box ordered. I plan to add at least one solar panel before long so the extra battery capacity will be a big help. 230 AH 6 volt is equivalent to 115 AH 12 volt, right? So the two batts would give me 230 AH?

Here is a link to the Century Dual 6v Battery box from All Battery Sales in Everett, WA:

Century GCE-G Dual 6v Battery Box

jrd22 · 10-15-2021, 10:41 PM

ttavasc- thanks for the link, had no idea they were in Everett

Howard- thank you for the explanation, I had planned to just replace the two 12v batteries with same.

LearningMore · 10-15-2021, 11:50 PM

I have purchased, but not yet installed two 6V batteries to replace my 2 12V Interstates that came with the trailer. I agree with everyone here that the 6V is the way to add power and durability as a good price point.

My batteries should fit into the dual Camco battery box that I already have, so it should be an easy swap. Note that the 6V batteries are heavier. They have heavier plates so more weight - 68 lbs each. I could not get Trojan T-105 (out of stock for months), so got a pair of US Battery 2200 XC2 which is the competitor.

I am adding an inverter and solar also and have found that BatteryCablesUSA.com is a great source of high quality, extremely flexible battery cables. They will make them any length you need. I need 0/2 wire for my project and I am super impressed with their "extreme" cables that are amazingly flexible, especially for the size cable. The company is in Kentucky and my custom cables were made and delivered in 3 days.

Bigfin · 10-16-2021, 10:13 AM

When we got our new to us trailer, it had group 24's also, which I soon learned were dead. I removed the existing boxes for the 24's and replaced them with 27's boxes and deep cycle flooded batteries from Costco. With my solar array and batteries, if I have decent sun exposure I never drop to over 30% or so discharge. If the sun is not shinning or there is too much cover, I might have to run the genny 2-3 hours a day. BTW, the group 27 boxes fit tight between the rails, the tops required a little surgery and Gorilla duct tape "bandages".

Dave Pelletier · 10-18-2021, 10:01 AM

I went with four GC6's in a Century plastics box on top of the ORV battery tray which required only minor modifications.

jrd22 · 10-18-2021, 05:20 PM

I've located two Trojan 125s and a Century box for them and picking them up tomorrow. Big increase in AH's over the group 24's. Should work well with one or possibly two solar panels.
Thanks for all the help, advice, etc!

ttavasc · 10-18-2021, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrd22

I've located two Trojan 125s and a Century box for them and picking them up tomorrow. Big increase in AH's over the group 24's. Should work well with one or possibly two solar panels.
Thanks for all the help, advice, etc!

I've currently got a 200 watt home-made portable unit consisting of 2 -100 watt Renogy panels, 30 feet of Renogy 10awg MC4 cable and a Victron Energy 100/20 MPPT controller connected to the Zamp side-port. So far this does well, especially when we are camping in more forested areas and need the flexibility of being able to move it around for optimum sun. And it fits nicely in the front passthru taking up very little room.