6v Batteries Finally Installed!

[WWFan]

After a whole week of honey-do's I finally got some time to get my 6 volts installed in the SLC...the total amp hours is 450.

If you want to see a great Inverter FAQ page, here's one: How Long can I Runn Off My Batteries.

[WWFan]

After a whole week of honey-do's I finally got some time to get my 6 volts installed in the SLC...the total amp hours is 450.

If you want to see a great Inverter FAQ page, here's one: How Long can I Runn Off My Batteries.

[56Nomad]

Sean,

Nice work you do.... King Salami is gonna
do the same as soon has his rig gets here.

I like the web site. I just figgered out my
total amp hours at 225

Next time I need batteries, they'll be 6volts
as you've done.

[high desert]

That'll keep you powered for a good long time.

Looks like we've got a "mod squad" around here.

Looks good.

[melon]

I dont want to sound dumb here, but why the 6 volt bank of batteries? What the advantage over 12 volt.

[C.CARNEY]

Sean,

Looks great. Now comes the inverter install?

Hope you had a great fathers day!!!

Clark

[Vette Racer]

Sean

Educate me! Tell me why I should put in 4-6volts VS 3 12volts with a cost difference of $60 more for the 6volts along with the fact I can only use the 6volt ones in the trailer and I can swap the 12's around between boat and trailer. 3 12volt deepcycle's last a long time.

[56Nomad]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by melon:
What the advantage over 12 volt. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Rod, check this link: 6V vs 12V

[WWFan]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Vette Racer:
Sean

Educate me! Tell me why I should put in 4-6volts VS 3 12volts with a cost difference of $60 more for the 6volts along with the fact I can only use the 6volt ones in the trailer and I can swap the 12's around between boat and trailer. 3 12volt deepcycle's last a long time. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Tom:

Hummm...it really depends on what style/Mfr of 12v Deep Cycles you've got (Group 24 or 27?). My coach came with a very nice set of Interstate Group 24 12 volts, but at that, I've only got 170 a/h of power. By going with the Trojan T-105 6 volts, I've got 450 a/h.

As far as interchangability between a boat and a trailer, batteries are really made for a specific purpose. And I'd be weary of all the talk about Costco or Sam's Club or Walmart batteries- this is DEFINITELY a good example of 'you get what you pay for'. Some mfrs say their battery is a Deep Cycle, but you really don't have any way to really know unless you can mike out the plate thickness.

I've done quite a bit of checking on this subject, and have decided for myself that the increase in amp hours is significant- if you have Group 24's, each battery has a 20hr rating of 85 a/h, so 3 of them gives you 255 a/h total. Using the url above (here...I'll try it again How Long Can I Run My Inverter? you'll see your batteries will last 2.54 hours @ a 1000 watt load- mine will be 4.5 hours. The downside to 6 volts, are you have to have 2 batteries in a set to get 12 volt, so you have to buy in pairs. Also, there is a weight factor there, but cost wise, 6 volts tend to run a little less than 12's, and if you get good ones, the difference even means more.

There is another great website that explains the different types of batteries called The 12volt Side Of Life... check it out. And if you want to compare apples & apples between types, try this Trojan site Trojan Tech Library.

In the end, I really do believe it comes down to this: no matter which way you decide, the only difference will be how often you want to change out your batteries- just like the cost factor argument- I truly believe that I will get a minimum of $60 worth of more time outta my 6v system than you will out of your 12v. system, which equates to approx 1 year's worth of use.

Sean

[Vette Racer]

Thanks for the reply and the links. Gotta decide shortly which way to go. I usually get about three years out of the 12V ones but usually use them back and forth between whatever I need. I keep new ones in the trailer and rotate the older ones to the boat for the trolling motor.

Too many options!

[FatDog]

Sean has done a lot of research, and plus has a pretty decent need for electricty with his sound system and boondocking,
but strictly from an impurist's side of things, i think those 12V's have just a bit of a bad reputation these days.
I think that for a while the 6's were the batteries that had the DEEP Cell option, which clearly made them preferential for us boondockers. But I see a lot of DEEP 12's now and I wonder if the playing field for just the general recreational enthusiasts is getting more even between the two batt's?
Those Trojan 6's seem to be the battery that all battery manufacturers compare themselves to, and i have a couple deep 6's now,
BUT on my last Warrior I had 2 sets of batteries - a pair of trojan 6's and a Deep 12. I would charge them and swap off between the two sets of them, usually depending on if I had remembered to charge the 6's before taking off. But those 12's can run good as well. And my last Deep 12 lasted for the several years i beat the dickens out of it and finally sold it with my last trailer and it was still working great and holding a good charge.

So in the case of a multi tasking, 'too many toys-not enough time' guy like Tom, and since trolling on a boat is a similar draw on a battery as RV trailering, is maybe buying deep 12's that can be swapped around a decent idea?
Now I know to a purist like Sean, who even though he has a disclaimer in his signature stating that he has NOT won the lottery lately, the DEEP 6's are preferential, but can you imaging loading 4 DEEP 6's into your little bass boat every weekend and having to accordingly leave that much beer behind??

[WWFan]

Mike:

You bring up a very important point that goes with my point of different uses...was your 12v for just the genset I wonder? Because I had thought of leaving one of the 12's for the genset just in case the 6r's when all the way down...hummmmm...you know- the Onan 5.5kw probably doesn't need a fullsized 12v battery- I wonder if it's a good idea to get like a motorcyle battery and use it just to start the generator?

And your last point is just, well, darn good! If 6 volts get in the way of my beer-haulin' capabilities, then the heck with 'em!!!

Gawd...glad to have 'ya back!

Sean

[FatDog]

Sean
And did your WW come with a seperate battery for the ONAN? I guess you just didn't have your dealer DELETE the house battery.
My 12 volt was aquired just because at that time i didn't think of cancelling it when i bought that trailer years ago. So i then realized my error when i picked up that trailer, no big deal, i went out and still bought the DEEP 6's i knew i wanted, and i had what i thought was this P.O.S. 12 volt that i then missused for those several years. But like i said, the darn thing was still running strong and holding a good charge 3 years later. So in retrospect, I really got a lot of use out of that OEM 12 deep battery that came with my old trailer.

Me personnaly, i would just run the ONAN off the battery bank, and just make sure you don't run them dry while boondocking in the middle of the desert. Fire up the ol' gen when its time to revive the batts, because as you could guess it is probably harder then the dickens to push start a 35' trailer.

And the first thing i thought to myself when I saw your battery compartment picture, is that it is a great solution to what in mine has always been wasted space. I never would put anything on top of the batteries but as soon as i saw that pic i thought 'now theres some good space for hoses and stuff like that'.

[Vette Racer]

Sean

You don't really need another battery for the Onan. Everyone always has jumper cables when boondocking. If you run them completely down just jump them to get the gen going. Besides, too many batteries limit your CCC, (in beer terms).