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cottrelltrav · 10-20-2009, 11:15 AM

I am adding 2 additional Costco 6V. Golf Cart batteries to the front passenger compartment of my 2002 Dolphin LX. The OEM batteries under the step are 2 weeks old (Costco). The vented battery boxes were installed last week. Questions:

Has anybody routed the cables on a similiar situation and can you show me a picture?
Is there a problem with overheating the Prosine 2.0. and does this invertor have a 3 way charging system that is recommended?
Will the Generac 55G charge the batteries ok?
The MH has 50 Amp MagneTek Convertor OEM.
Last question: There is a 20 Amp box and a plug hanging beside it in the compartment with the invertor. I was told that this is not used because the invertor was upgraded to the Prosine 2.0. Is this true

wa8yxm · 10-20-2009, 05:11 PM

I can not show you how to route the cables but I can describe it.. Since you are using two Six Volt batteries.. You hook them in series just as your existing six volt batteries are.. Then you hook the free POSITIVE terminal to the most positive terminal on the existing batteries, and likewise the most negative terminals get hooked,, You end up, with the following Ascii Drawing

|-{Bat}+-{ery}+|
|-{Bat}+-{ery}+|====To House
|Ground

Where | and === are cables

Now as to the Prosine.... It won't mind at all, in fact that is precisely what Xantrex recommends hooking to it.. 2 pair of Golf Car batteries

You will need to reset your battery size to,, I think,, the maximum size (or 450 amp hours, whichever is lower) in the configuration/installer mode. but other than that, it's going to be as happy as the clam which is NOT in the sauce.

And yes, it is a very good 3-stage charger... If you have the optional temp sensor installed and working I give it a "1st place" rating..

(of course it's not the only one in that slot, but it's one of them)

It would not be possible for me to recommend anything better, simply because there is nothing better.. As good yes, better no.

Gary RVRoamer · 10-20-2009, 06:14 PM

I also had a 2002 Dolphin LX and added batteries in the front compartment. My upgraded converter (an Iota DLS 90) had two set s of lugs, so I merely wired both battery banks to the converter. The wiring to the battery under the step simply went out the back corner of the front bay and into the are aunder the step, which isn't sealed anyway. If you look at your current battery cabling, you will see it goes there anyway. I also put a 2000W standalone inverter in the front bay and wired direct to the front battery bank, which allowed it to draw from both via the lugs on the converter (parallel connection).

Regardless of how you wire to the converter, as long as all the batteries are in parallel, the converter charges all of them. just takes longer if they are severely depleted.

Ray,IN · 10-20-2009, 09:06 PM

Will this help? Trojan Battery Company
The page bottom shows series/parallel connections for 4, 6V batteries.

cottrelltrav · 10-21-2009, 09:11 AM

Thanks, to all, for the help. I now need to buy cables. Can I use smaller diameter cables because of the short distance I need to travel? The battery boxes have a small opening between the cover and the box for the cables. And where is the best place to buy cables?

Ron

Paul R. Haller · 10-21-2009, 10:14 AM

I am a firm believer in larger is better when talking battery cables. When I added my extra pair of 6 volt golf cart batteries to my existing 4, I used 4/0 welding cables. Welding cables can be had at any welding supply. Their finely stranded wire make them perfect for battery cables and those finly stranded wires allow the cable to be very flexible. Because welding wires are so widely used in industry they are easy to get and for the $ spent a good value. The welding supply I use will sell the cable in any length you wish and if you buy the cable lugs from them they gladly strip the cables and crimp on the lugs for you while you wait. They sell# 4/0, #2/0, #1, #2, and #4 wire in any length. What I do usually is to buy all the wire I need at once then while at home cut it to the lengths I need and return to the shop buy the lugs and have them crimped on.

When wiring up an inverter it's very important to use the largest wire you can from the batteries to the inverter and keep those wires as short as possible. You want to keep battery votage drop to a minimum. You can always run long wire on the 120 side easier then on the 12 volt side of the inverter. I have a 3000 watt inverter less then a foot away from my battery string and all cables for my batteries, grounds, and battery interconnections, are 4/0 but that's just me. I like knowing without a doubt that there is no chance of battery voltage loss because of wiring. I also buy and use 300 amp fuses on long runs of wire so if a battery cable is shorted there is no fire. My 4/0 wires are all covered in 3/4 loom and color coded with colored electrical tape over their entire length. White for grounds, red for positve, and yellow for battery interconnections. Remember too that the wire between batteries in a pair of 6 volt golf cart batteries and their corresponding grounds must use the same size wire as all other positve battery wires.
-Paul R. Haller-

Rocky Larson · 10-21-2009, 11:59 AM

I agree with Paul. 2/0 or larger all around. I also installed a 2nd 300amp fuse on the negative side. Some call it a Catastrophe Fuse. And don't forget to upgrade your ground cable (to frame or chassis) to the same or larger than all your btw batteries and to inverter cables. OEM ground might have been as small as a 2gauge. I bought all my cables from West Marine. Our local WM had crimping tools for self/in store use. They are tinned and more expensive than welding cable. Anyone not sure of the difference between a 2 gauge and a 2/0 cable needs to do some research. I didn't when I first started and it set me back, in time and expense.
Good Luck