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11-02-2007, 11:38 AM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 79
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My coach presently has two 12-volt batteries that will be needing replacement. I read that it is better to use two golf cart 6-volt rather than two 12 volt batteries. It that correct. If so, how to you wire them up? Thanks.
Steve
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11-02-2007, 11:38 AM
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#2
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 79
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My coach presently has two 12-volt batteries that will be needing replacement. I read that it is better to use two golf cart 6-volt rather than two 12 volt batteries. It that correct. If so, how to you wire them up? Thanks.
Steve
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11-02-2007, 12:21 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 205
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It all comes down to AMP-HOURS. The usual reason is that heavy golf cart 6 Volt batteries will store more amp-hours than the regular marine deep cycle 12 Volt batteries. This is not always the case however.
The second reason is that the Heavy, Deep-cycle, Golf Cart batteries are produced in larger quantities than the heavy 12 Volt batteries and are usually cheaper, Amp-Hour per Amp-Hour.
The third reason is that a single 12 Volt battery that has the same Amp-Hour capacity as two 6 Volt Golf cart batteries weighs almost as much as both of the 6 volt batteries but in one case (60 to 100 Lbs) thus making it much harder to cram them into some of the compartments on motor homes.
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11-02-2007, 12:32 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 205
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Your second question:
Most MH dc electrical systems are 12 Volt. With 12 Volt Batteries you wire them in parallel: Positive posts tied together feeding the positive side of the system. The negative posts are tied together and feed the negative, or ground side of the system.
It takes two 6 volt batteries to make one 12 volt battery and are wired in series. The easy way to remember how to wire in series is by feeding the positive post of only one battery to the positive side of the system. You feed the negative post of the OTHER 6 volt battery to the Negative or ground side of the system. You then connect the remaining two posts together. You are connected.
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11-02-2007, 05:28 PM
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#5
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 28,504
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It's not that 6V is better than 12v, but golf cart batteries are the most rugged and highest capacity batteries around in a size that will fit your battery space.
That said, you can buy Group 27 size 12V Trojan deep cycles and stick with the same wiring you have. They are available as flooded cell or AGM (maintenance free). Trojans are excellent deep cycle batteries - the Trojan T105 is the gold standard for 6V golf carts batteries but their 12v are excellent too.
ANother great brand is Lifeline, but they are available only as AGMs. AGMs are expensive - figure around $200 each, whether Lifeline or Trojan. But you never have to add water either.
__________________
Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is now West Palm Beach, FL
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11-03-2007, 01:15 AM
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#6
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Moderator Emeritus
Country Coach Owners Club Appalachian Campers Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Chattanooga, Tn.
Posts: 12,060
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__________________
Mike, RVIA & RVSA Certified Master RV Technician
Amy, Dr. Assistant - Roxie & Mei Ling, four legs each
2000 Gulf Stream Scenic Cruiser 450 hp & 1330# torque
06 Saturn Vue, 06 Chevy Z71 4x4 & 2014 Corvette Z51 M7
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11-03-2007, 07:25 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 632
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watch out for amp hours - you want watt-hours (like you use to buy home electricity). watt hours is amp hours times volts. This isn't an issue in comparisons unless you start comparing batteries of different voltages.
watch out for the myths, such as the 6v or "deep cycle"
see Configuration for some background on factors and issues.
in general, most RV batteries die because they are abused - not charged properly and not stored properly. Get as much battery as will fit in your compartment designed for RV service from a reputable retailer and then put your attention and spare change into equipment that will charge them promptly and fully and do equalization and desulfation when you don't use them for a few weeks or more.
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11-07-2007, 01:55 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Santa Clarita, CA.
Posts: 2,645
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Just replaced 3ea. 12V Gp-29 batts @ 630Ah (total), with 4ea. 6v @ 948Ah total. Weight wise, the 4th battery was about the same as a 4th 12v battery. But the net current of the 6v's equals an additional 1.5 12V battery
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Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350
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11-07-2007, 06:22 PM
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#9
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 28,504
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I'm curious, Jeff. Where did you find Group 29 12v batteries that could produce 210 Ah each (for a total of 630 for three)? I have yet to find a 29 rated for more than 130 AH using the standard 20 hour discharge test.
Or for that matter, where did you find 4 x 6v that totaled more than 440 Ah for a set of 4? 220 AH per pair (440 for 4) is what the very best 6V golf cart batteries can produce. Many of us would love to know where to purchase such powerful batteries.
Or have you perhaps quoted the CCA (cranking) rating instead of the deep cycle amp-hour spec?
__________________
Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is now West Palm Beach, FL
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11-08-2007, 04:04 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: MI
Posts: 2,611
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220AH is for the smallest commonly used GC battery, T105. Other common larger sizes are T125 (240 AH) and T145 (260 AH).
With a little research you can find more powerful GC batteries than the T105s.
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11-08-2007, 07:44 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Nor'easters Club
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Endicott, NY, USA
Posts: 161
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I have been planning on converting over to 6v batteries this winter. However, it just occured to me (I guess I'm slow) that if one 12v battery goes south, you still have power. Not so with 6v batteries since you need 2 to get the required 12v. Yes?
__________________
Rich & Kay
'89 Son, '97 Daughter
'17 Flagstaff 8528IKWS, '14 Silverado
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11-08-2007, 08:08 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: On-The-Road
Posts: 134
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Yes, if one of a pair of 6-volt batteries dies, the pair is essentially dead.
But then, when you look at a battery it has
3 - cells, if it is a 6-volt battery
6 - cells, if it is a 12-volt battery
So either way you are working with 6 cells, all of which must be working for any part of the battery (or battery pair) to work.
Loss of just one cell in a battery bank hampers the work of the entire bank (the part in series specifically).
__________________
David
My signature used to include a link to my personal web-site - - - however:
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11-08-2007, 09:15 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Santa Clarita, CA.
Posts: 2,645
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RV Roamer:
I'm curious, Jeff. Where did you find Group 29 12v batteries that could produce 210 Ah each (for a total of 630 for three)? I have yet to find a 29 rated for more than 130 AH using the standard 20 hour discharge test.
Or for that matter, where did you find 4 x 6v that totaled more than 440 Ah for a set of 4? 220 AH per pair (440 for 4) is what the very best 6V golf cart batteries can produce. Many of us would love to know where to purchase such powerful batteries.
Or have you perhaps quoted the CCA (cranking) rating instead of the deep cycle amp-hour spec? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Sorry, my bad. That's the RC rating for the Interstate SRM-29. All I really care about is this number since they're the house batteries and all I want is low to occasional medium current run times. Reserve Cap works for me. These are standard issue U2200's. No big deal, but they just fit, and have way better capacity than the 29's in a slightly larger footprint (but shorter).
__________________
_______________________________
Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350
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11-09-2007, 05:01 PM
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#14
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 28,504
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RC, which is measured as minutes at a 25 amp discharge rate, is one good way to measure deep cycle capacity. Amp-hours is the other and both work as long as you are comparing apples to apples.
In my opinion the U2200's are superior to the SRM 29's in terms of deep cycle life and ruggedness - I think you made a wise choice.
__________________
Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is now West Palm Beach, FL
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