1 12V vs. 2 6V house batteries

[tdyltc46]

Hello everyone,

My 2004 Tiffin Allegro Bay 36LB gas coach is set up for 2 6V RV marine deep cycle batteries. My question is this: Is there any reason why I couldn't go with 1 12V RV marine deep cycle battery?

[Dale & Mark Bruss]

Generally, two 6 volts batteries have a bit more storage capacity than a single 12 volts battery.

[Mr_D]

Hard to find and expensive to buy 12V deep cycle batteries, most are a marine combination starting battery and not the best for either use.
A good 12V deepcycle battery will weigh about 150#'s and be large. I have 4 of them and room for 6.
My off grid usage is minimal and I may go to 8 or 12 GC-2's rather than the 4 8D's I now have.

[winniman]

You would be loosing about 1/2 of your battery storage capacity. Mine has 2 12volt marine batteries for the house. They do alright, but the 2 6volt are probably better than my 2 12volt as they are a true deep cycle. The marine ones are a compromise between a deep cycle and a starter battery. Stick with the two sixes. If you are not aware the two six volts are wired differently then 2 12volts. One is in series, and one is wired in parallel.

[HighDesert]

Stay with the two 6V batteries. In my last unit, purchased new, after the first two outings I went back and had the 12 V battery replaced with 2 6V golf cart batteries. Tremendous difference in staying power, as we dry camp a lot. If you are not going to be hooked up to shore power a lot, stayy with your current system.

[tdyltc46]

Thanks to everyone who responded; you all were very helpful. I will be sticking with the two 6 volt batteries.

[70ChevelleSS]

Sounds like you're sticking with 6v batteries. If you did switch to 12v I would go with 2. The advantage is if one craps out you can remove it from the circuit and run with 1 battery. A cell shorted in 1 of my 12v batteries, converter trying to charge all the time and boiling water out of both batteries. I disconnected the bad one and haven't replaced it yet. We don't camp without shore power and 1 battery runs the lights and things we need until we're hooked up. Now if you rely on your batteries and use them heavily then 2 6v batteries is a better option.

[Gary RVRoamer]

No reason at all, but unless the 12v is at least a Group 31 size, you will lose total battery amp-hour capacity. That's not a concern if you always use campsites with shore power, but might be if you camp off-grid once in awhile, e.g. overnight at Walmarts.

Marine deep cycles are also shorter lived than GC2 (golf cart) 6v's, but if you buy a quality 12v deep cycle, e.g. a Trojan 31XHS, you will get the same long life and 230 AH of power that a pair of GC2 6v's will give.

[simplecamper]

I have 2 12 volt deep cycle. I also put inline switch so I could remove power. I am new to trailer/rv. Having been a certified HVAC in one of my careers, I could do most of my own work should it be necessary. I just want the capacity and redundancy. I have a Honda generators, I am not going to be without power.

[chuckbear]

We removed the two "marine" deep cycle batteries which carried 160 amp hours and replaced them with two 6 volt batteries combined to make twelve volts. The two 6 volt batteries give us 220 amp hours. The more AH you have the longer you can run on battery power. Remember you never want to discharge your batteries below 50%, so we have 110 amp hours compared to 80. The 6 volt or golf cart style batteries are true deep cycle. Chuck

[fly_1]

Originally Posted by tdyltc46

Hello everyone,

My 2004 Tiffin Allegro Bay 36LB gas coach is set up for 2 6V RV marine deep cycle batteries. My question is this: Is there any reason why I couldn't go with 1 12V RV marine deep cycle battery?

I think this was alluded to in a previous post but...manhandling a couple 6V batteries is much easier than a single 12V battery with similar has.

[tdyltc46]

Thanks for all of the replies; a lot of great info. I have purchased 2 GC2 6 Volt golf cart batteries; identical to the 2 I replaced. Thanks again for all of the help. tdyltc46