Community Forums

workingman · 05-15-2025, 05:55 AM

Advice needed on what I need to keep a maintenance charge on 2 - 6V Duracell golf cart batteries that I replaced in our 5th wheel. Trailer is in storage and I’m not sure what kind of Solar powered battery tender will work to just maintain these 2 - 6V batteries. Do I need a 12V or a 6V tender and what solar panel wattage size would suffice? Plenty of sunshine availability. My last trailer (pull behind) had solar maintainer setup, and it worked perfectly. Also, should I leave the power in the on or off position ? Thank you!!!

SafariBen · 05-15-2025, 06:04 AM

Your two 6v batteries are combined to make one 12V, every load and charge should be applied equally as if it were a 12V battery. no different than if you had six individual cells making up the 12V battery. You can measure the voltage of each 6v, but that's only telling you when one is beginning to fail, and allows you to narrow down which cell is failing.

I'm not aware of any premade solar maintainer that I'd trust. Better to get a cheap used/surplus commercial panel, $.20-40/w and a cheap PWM controller if you get a cheap enough panel, or a MPPT controller if you get a 40V higher power panel that will put out enough power to be useful when dry camping. I have three 40w panels that came off my 95 Safari, added two more PWM controllers for $7 for both, and they charge batteries great. The cheap plastic 12" square maintainer that was on the Safari for the chassis battery probably didn't last a year.

workingman · 05-15-2025, 06:27 AM

I’m just looking to keep these 1 year old batteries from discharging and going bad. It’s just such a pain in the ass to remove these and charge at the house and then bring them back and hook them up repeatedly. We have the trailer cleaned out and up for sale in the storage area. So we’re not planning on using it again before it sells. We fulltimed for the past 6-7 years. So we’ve had our fill, enjoying the sticks and bricks life again in our retirement years.

workingman · 05-15-2025, 06:30 AM

So I’m taking your reply as I should get a 12V solar tender and not a 6V tender, correct?

workingman · 05-15-2025, 07:14 AM

Does anyone else have any input on a solar panel with integrated tender/maintenance? Wattage size, etc.?

Mark_K5LXP · 05-15-2025, 07:27 AM

A solar or mains power tender is generally for longer term storage, like 4 months or more. For less than that you really don't need to do anything at all provided you ensure there's no load on them. So my take on it would be to disconnect a terminal cable and leave them be. Self discharge on new-ish batteries is pretty low. Come time to fire it up reconnect your cable and your batteries will be north of 90%. If you want to absolutely keep them at 100% then my vote would be a low power/low dollar, like 10 watt china freight solar maintainer you connect to the batteries in addition to disconnecting them. Between the limited output of the panel and the sunlit time, it will be more than enough power to keep up with self discharge and have no risk of overcharging.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

Dean757 · 05-15-2025, 08:16 AM

Hi. I have used a renogy suitcase kit with built in controller to maintain 6 house batteries . They are 6 volt wired to make 12 volts so it is a 12 volt solar panel/ controller. Yes 12 volt solar. Mine is the 200 watt but the 100 watt may be all u need. Positive alligator clamp to your left batt and neg clamp to other batt. You can leave power off.

workingman · 05-15-2025, 08:42 AM

Thanks for the reply’s guys, very helpful 👍🏻, I’ve heard of the renogy kits. That may be what I need as I could also use it on other various 12v batteries down the road.

SafariBen · 05-15-2025, 09:25 AM

Yes, a 12V charger is what you want. A 10w panel would be fine. But I would disconnect all the ground cables, and the batteries will be fine short term. I have a gooloo jump pack, that I'd hook up and turn on to boost whenever I checked on the camper, that would be enough to keep them from discharging over time, or jumper cables to your running vehicle, but the solar would be better no doubt.

Persistent · 05-16-2025, 06:57 AM

Connect a Solar Panel system
100 watt panel with built in solar controller.
40 watt may do it.
Don't bother to try to design and build your own for temporary use.

Disconnect Battery Bank and Connect Solar
20 watt panel with built in solar controller.
A 10 watt may do it. At least it will help.

Just connect directly to the 12 volt battery bank for temporary use.

Prices for Chinese solar are going up fast. Get what you need quick.

https://www.etrailer.com/s.aspx?qry=...rge_Controller

See attachment for other battery storage methods.