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Virago-Rider · 05-30-2014, 06:08 PM

How bad is it if of the two house batteries, one is a deep cycle battery and one is a "normal" cycle battery?

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trackman · 05-30-2014, 06:22 PM

Both should be deep cycle. The drain on the regular cell battery will ultimately pull the other down and you will be continuous charge which will only cause more problems

dennis45 · 05-30-2014, 06:34 PM

That's a no no. These batteries will accept charge at different rates and will result in either failure of your converter to cause one of the batteries to overcharge damaging the battery or possibly even explode. A good 6V Deep Cycle battery is about $100. When you change one, you change them all.

Virago-Rider · 05-30-2014, 07:08 PM

Mine are 12 volt, not 6 volt.

The batteries in there when we bought it..used.. Were mixed. One deep cycle, one normal. Wired in parallel. The deep cycle battery was empty.. Took almost a gallon of distiller water to fill it. Now it does not seem to take a charge. Needle on the charger stays on zero. I am guessing it is toast.

So, given the other battery (normal cycle) is still good, do I just buy a normal battery to replace the dead deep cycle? I can't afford to replace both at the same time. Or do I get a deep cycle?

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LVJ58 · 05-30-2014, 07:13 PM

It's best to use 2 6v deep cycle golf cart batteries connected in series to provide your 12volts.

If you have room and do much dry camping I would install 4 6v golf cart batteries with each pair connected in series, then use a parallel connection to combine the two banks for the 12v supply to your coach.

Good luck & safe travels..

Rich-n-Linda · 05-30-2014, 07:27 PM

If the deep cycle battery was dry, it is toast.

You will have to replace BOTH batteries. You need deep cycle batteries for the house. It will ultimately cost more in the long run if you do not do this. If you replace the dead deep cycle with another "normal" battery, they won't last anywhere near as long as two deep cycle batteries. You will just have to replace them again in a year or two.

Try to find a way to replace both batteries. You won't regret it.

Rich & Linda

OLYLEN · 05-30-2014, 07:35 PM

The 12 volt 6 volt is getting to be a myth anymore with the new 12 volt deep cycles. You can match all but side by side two 6 volts and one 12 volt and get very near the same out of both. The weight of the 12's is right at double a single 6 vpolt so the lead is the same with 2 6 volt and 1 large 12 volt. All that said to the OP you can get a single 12 deep cycle of a given rating and then later pick up an other of the same size/rating to get about the same as the 6 volts which many including myself prefer. But do not wait too long as you will get into the old and new battery thing. Go to the Trojan sight and check for your self and compare all their batteries.

LEN

Virago-Rider · 05-30-2014, 07:37 PM

With dad's health I don't see us doing any dry camping. Have to have AC power for his oxygen concentrator.

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Ed_G · 05-30-2014, 10:26 PM

The deep cycle battery that was dry is almost certainly toast. Remove it immediately. The only thing it is doing is sucking down the other starter type battery. If you are truly real tight on funds, after removing that bad battery, just give the remaining battery a real good charge and see if it will suffice for your meager needs. It may do the job......or it may already also be ruined by having that bad battery across it for a period of time. If it is bad too, you can probably replace it with a single new 12V battery.....but in any case, make sure your new battery is at least a marine type deep cycle type. Ideally, you should pull both batteries out and replace them with two deep cycle golf cart type 6V batteries in series, but I understand your needs are meager and so are your funds. PS, the previous poster's comments about two parallel modern 12V batteries being as capable as two 6v golf cart type batteries is not correct.

vsheetz · 05-30-2014, 11:54 PM

Both battery should match in type and capacity. Your battery that ran dry is likely bad, the other questionable/unknown. For your described usage consider a pair of Walmart marine batteries. $150-200, good battery, good warranty, good service most anywhere you travel.

njs42 · 05-31-2014, 04:26 AM

My opinion. One good new 12v deep cycle may fill your needs. If that is your capacity financially right now then it is the least harmful route for your system. Costco, Sams Club and Wal Mart will have perfectly good batteries at a very good price point and if they are kept charged and wet they will last a long, long time. Maintenance and good charge is the key to battery life.

If there is anyway at all possible get two batteries (about $85.00 a piece). Two 12v in parallel or two 6v in series take your pick. Deep cycle. This is the best option to get you back to "normal". If your system was designed with two 12v then why abandon that set up?

Finally if you can only get one new battery now then as soon as possible get another hopefully within just a few months. When you add a battery make sure both the older and the newer are fully charged to the same voltage before adding one to the system. Good luck.

marcham · 05-31-2014, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vsheetz

Both battery should match in type and capacity. Your battery that ran dry is likely bad, the other questionable/unknown. For your described usage consider a pair of Walmart marine batteries. $150-200, good battery, good warranty, good service most anywhere you travel.

Most marine batteries are hybrids, not true deep cycles and should be avoided for the rv house batteries.

A true deep cycle flooded battery will not have a CCA rating.

PushedAround · 05-31-2014, 06:48 AM

We have a number of scissor lifts that get used everyday and use 4 deep cycle 6V batteries. Sam's Club carries either Energizer or Duracell golf cart batteries (depends on your store) and they have proven to be an excellent replacement for the OEM ones. And for $85 a battery they are a bargain. We got a company membership just for that reason.

Moxy · 05-31-2014, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OLYLEN

The 12 volt 6 volt is getting to be a myth anymore with the new 12 volt deep cycles. You can match all but side by side two 6 volts and one 12 volt and get very near the same out of both. The weight of the 12's is right at double a single 6 vpolt so the lead is the same with 2 6 volt and 1 large 12 volt. All that said to the OP you can get a single 12 deep cycle of a given rating and then later pick up an other of the same size/rating to get about the same as the 6 volts which many including myself prefer. But do not wait too long as you will get into the old and new battery thing. Go to the Trojan sight and check for your self and compare all their batteries.

LEN

Care to provide an example of a 12 volt that has the same capacity as two say interstate 2200's or even Costco's 6 volts golf carts battery's, and sorry but who could handle a 12 volts that weighs the same as two 6 volts golf carts batteries.

I find it hard to believe but I am willing to learn

Moxy