Golf Cart Battries

[RickW]

Today I ordered a Progressive Industries 50A Electrical Management System and a Transfer switch. Instead of a generator I will be putting a 3000wt Inverter on the switch.

I have not decided on the batteries yet but I am thinking about 2 6v golf cart batteries. My question, If I change from the factory installed Interstate Deep Cycle that is currently installed to the golf cart batteries do I also need to change the inverter/charger that is currently installed in the Monty or is the current inverter/charger sufficient?

FYI my Monty is a 2009 3400RL.

Thanks!
Rick

[ols1932]

Rick,
Since we do a lot of dry camping using an inverter, may I suggest that if you are going to use 6-volt golf cart batteries that you use four of them; put two each in series and then parallel the two groups that are in series. It depends on how much dry camping you do. Two 6-volt batteries may not be enough. Consider this: we use two Lifeline D8 batteries containing 255 ampere-hours each for our use. These keep us going very well -- as long as there is ample sunlight.

Another caution you might be aware of is that most inverter manufacturers tell you not to mount the inverter in the same bay with the wet-cell batteries.

I'm not sure I quite understand when you say "inverter/charger that is currently installed in the Monty". As far as I know, the Montana comes with a "converter" not an "inverter." The converter converts AC voltage to DC for your 12-volt use. An inverter changes DC voltage to AC for your electrical appliance use.

Orv

[RickW]

quote:I'm not sure I quite understand when you say "inverter/charger that is currently installed in the Monty". As far as I know, the Montana comes with a "converter" not an "inverter." The converter converts AC voltage to DC for your 12-volt use. An inverter changes DC voltage to AC for your electrical appliance use.

Wrong terminology on my part. Converter would be correct. I have seen in a few places where people say there was a setting or they had to change the converter when they changed the battery type. I was wondering if I too would need to also change the converter if changing batteries?

As for dry camping, that is rare for us. The extent of our dry camping is typically we are between point A & B and can not find a place for the evening so we find a quiet place to park for the evening and then back on the road first thing in the morning. The single battery is sufficient for that except I own/operate a .com business. While I can be gone for extended periods of time I still have to check in and if there is a problem be able to fix it from my remote location (that is why I have 2 aircards and I am in the process of also installing a DataStorm. It is overkill but if I am down I am not making money so it is worth it. Having redundancy is a insurance policy). So I want to beef up my power storage in the event there is a problem back in the office and I have to pull over for a few hours and get online to fix the problem. I am thinking a pair of golf cart batteries should be enough to run a couple of laptops, the DataStorm, a box fan and maybe the TV for 4 to 6 hours before I would need to recharge them. I feel that battery solution is better and easier for my needs than a generator solution.

My needs are not typical but vital. It can cost me more to have to pay somebody else to fix the problems when I am away than to have all the tools I need to fix it myself.