Battery question....

[Raptor Dave]

Back at the battery question again. Try not to go sideways on me.
Which would be better?
2 - 235ah 6volt
or
2- 105ah 12volt

Thanks

[chuckster57]

IMO, a pair of 6V GC batteries is way better than a pair of 12V batteries.

[Raptor Dave]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

IMO, a pair of 6V GC batteries is way better than a pair of 12V batteries.

I'm trying to explain this to my better half.
Can you elaborate as to why?
Thanks for your help

[GaryUT]

Originally Posted by Raptor Dave

Back at the battery question again. Try not to go sideways on me.
Which would be better?
2 - 235ah 6volt
or
2- 105ah 12volt

Thanks

With the 12v batteries in parallel you add the amp hours together, you would get 210 amp hours. With the 6v batteries in series you don't add the amp hours, so you end up with 235 amp hours. You get higher amp hours with the 6v batteries, plus 6v golf cart batteries are true deep cycle batteries and will last a lot longer.

Gary

[Don77]

Originally Posted by Raptor Dave

Back at the battery question again. Try not to go sideways on me.
Which would be better?
2 - 235ah 6volt
or
2- 105ah 12volt

Thanks

Easy way to explain it is with 6 volt 235 amp batteries you double the voltage not the amps,12 volts 235 amps.
With 12 volt 105 amp batteries you double the amps not the voltage, 12 volt 210 amps.

Don

[Stircrazy]

Originally Posted by Raptor Dave

Back at the battery question again. Try not to go sideways on me.
Which would be better?
2 - 235ah 6volt
or
2- 105ah 12volt

Thanks

you will have approximately the same usable AH but the 6V will last longer and have a better recovery after big loads because of the heavier plates they are constructed with.

Steve

[Raptor Dave]

Appreciate the responses.

[ChuckS]

I yanked out my two original OEM installed 12 vdc RV batteries back in 2015. I installed two of these:

GC2 6 volt sold at Costco with Interstate label for $89 a piece.. Still running the same batteries in 2024.

** I do not take the batteries out of the Rv when stored at the house.. RV is plugged into 20 amp outside outlet and converter maintains the batteries..
** I do not have to worry about the batteries freezing here in Idaho either

If I had to replace the cost has gone up some to now $102 a piece at Costco.

The T105 GC2 is an excellent battery as is the battery sold by Interstate ( not the branded one from Costco )

The plates in the GC2 batteries are much much thicker..

Many like all the new Lithium batteries... I cant justify the cost for batteries, new converter and DC to DC charger..

[flybouy]

I'll just add that the golf cart batteries will take a deeper discharge than the 12v battery will. Due to the increased size and thickness of the plates. Increased life cycles (chege/discharge) are attributed to the heavier construction as well.

[sierraman68]

In 2020 I installed four Duracell 230 AMP 6-volt batteries and have been very happy with them. I keep the rig plugged into a 20 amp 110v service during storage and all I do is check and top off the battery water level every 4 to 6 weeks.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by Raptor Dave

Appreciate the responses.

If you take these answers to your wife, try and keep a straight face and act like you understand what you are saying and there is great benefit to whatever you tell her. Or just do like I do and say, honey, these are more better! I sometimes think the missus doesn't believe I am an expert on this type thing.

[Raptor Dave]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

If you take these answers to your wife, try and keep a straight face and act like you understand what you are saying and there is great benefit to whatever you tell her. Or just do like I do and say, honey, these are more better! I sometimes think the missus doesn't believe I am an expert on this type thing.

She already knows....I'm jack of some, master of none!

[Raptor Dave]

Ok...I'm going to jump.
Picking up a couple 6v 230ahr to install.
Is there anything I should know about the swap out?
Special instruction of order of things to do?
I wish I could fit 4 in my battery box but after measuring it'll only take 2 so that's where I'll start. If need be and I wish to install 2 more I'll deal with that on the next go around.
Thanks in advance.

[chuckster57]

With a pair of 6 volt batteries you only need 1 jumper. Negative from battery A to positive of battery B. Then the trailer leads to the other posts.

[Raptor Dave]

OK ... I picked up the 2 6v.
Question.....When I looked in my battery box on the rig, I have 2 12v in there now, I noticed that both batteries have cables attached to both sides pos and neg. So do I take all of the pos cables and jumper them to one side and all of neg cables to the other side on my 6v series?
I know I need to jumper the two 6's together...pos to neg.

Just seems like there are more cables than I expected in there.

Also, if I decide to go with 4 6v down the road. Are 2 6v volt cabled to make a 12v twice? doubling my amp hrs?

Thanks for any advice.

[GlasNav]

You are going from an existing parallel connection to a serial connection. I'm sure someone on this Forum can supply you with a simple diagram, and not an over the top electrical schematic!

New: one jumper cable connecting negative to positive between the batteries, then attach your positive to the remaining positive post, and your negative to the remaining negative post, done.

[GlasNav]

Originally Posted by Raptor Dave

Also, if I decide to go with 4 6v down the road. Are 2 6v volt cabled to make a 12v twice? doubling my amp hrs?

So you want to install two separate banks of 6V batteries in series and then connect the two banks in parallel? WHY?

[Canonman]

I think you got it right. The 2, 6 volt batteries will act as 1, larger 12 volt.
One, new cable from 6 volt #1 - to 6 volt #2 +
Whatever cables from the TT to the previous + post go on the first 6 volt + post.
Whatever cables from the TT to the previous - post go to the second 6 volt - post
That should cover it

[JRTJH]

Here's diagrams for two 6 volt batteries and four 6 volt batteries with output of 12 VDC. My "opinion" on the 4 battery diagram is that the negative cable should be connected on the lower battery (under where the diagram shows) to assure equal current flow through the lower bank as well as through the upper bank. Electrically, both will work, but by connecting the neg cable to the lower battery in the bank, you can better assure that the current flow is better drawn through each "two battery set".

Here's the diagrams:

[Raptor Dave]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Here's diagrams for two 6 volt batteries and four 6 volt batteries with output of 12 VDC. My "opinion" on the 4 battery diagram is that the negative cable should be connected on the lower battery (under where the diagram shows) to assure equal current flow through the lower bank as well as through the upper bank. Electrically, both will work, but by connecting the neg cable to the lower battery in the bank, you can better assure that the current flow is better drawn through each "two battery set".

Here's the diagrams:

Thanks to everyone who invested time into responding to my trival questions.
So I rolled up my sleeves and dove in. After removing the 2 12v it became pretty clear where all the cables should be connected (I believe)
It was a little confusing at first because the batteries aren't side by side but on top of each other. I have a right handed brain and when I look at a picture that is the way I think it should be in my head. That's why I struggle with electrical wiring schematics. They just don't make sense in brain sometimes.
Anyway, It's all hooked up like the first picture in John's drawing and it sez I have 13.4v right now and no empty ended cables so I don't think I'm not too far off base.

To John.....so the drawing of the 4 battery bank you show is what you think should be correct? Or your suggestion is something different than that drawing?

So I went back and looked at your 4 battery drawing again and I believe what you are saying is the ground connection to the trailer should come off the bottom neg post not the top battery? And by doing it this way I would also double my AH's of battery bank?
Thanks again