Adding a battery - Page 3 - Montana Owners Club

Montana_2821 · 01-09-2005, 02:06 AM

Two 6 volt batteries hooked in series is still 12 volts and I would not think it that combination would last as long as two 12 volt batteries hooked in parallel.

I was looking for a link to the 6 volt golf cart batteries but if it was posted here I missed it. Could someone provide me a link to them?

padredw · 01-09-2005, 03:58 AM

Billva, there was an excellent web site entitled "The 12 volt side of life", but it seems to have been lost in space. I was able to get a quote from a casched version of that page

Quote:

quote:A lot of RVers have switched from the "standard" group 24 or 27 12 volt batteries to the larger 6 volt golf cart batteries. If you have room for at least 2 of them, they are a good choice. They are true deep cycle batteries and will last a lot longer than most common 12 volt batteries in your RV. They are physically larger, so you must measure carefully before buying them, but I recommend you use them if you can. I have a set of Trojan Golf cart batteries that are going on 5 years old and they still have almost all of their original capacity. They are priced about the same as (or a bit lower than) the common 12 volt deep cycle battery. Golf cart batteries have a higher capacity than group 24 and 27 batteries... a pair of group 24 12 volt batteries only provide 140-170 amp/hours of capacity, where a pair of golf cart batteries provide 180-220 amp/hours. There are other deep cycle batteries available, such as the L-16 and AGM types, that are extensively used in large solar and alternate energy systems, but their physical size and added expense make them a less attractive choice for the average RVer.

If you have room and want to change over to the 6 volt golf cart batteries, you must make an important wiring change. Most rigs that have 2 or more 12 volt batteries have them wired in parallel. when going to the 6 volters, you must wire pairs of them in series to produce the needed 12 volts. This is actually simpler than it sounds..

Here are a couple of links I did find active:
http://www.road-school.com/acbattery.htm
http://www.trojanbattery.com/

Montana_2821 · 01-09-2005, 08:30 AM

padre, that makes sense if they are truly bigger and stronger. Then for sure two of them should last longer than one 12 volt battery. However I still doubt they last longer than two 12 volt batteries.

I looked around for some information and the only site where I found 6 volt batteries they were truly only 1/2 of a 12 volt battery so would not be any improvemnt.

If anyone has a link to one or more of the 6 volt golf cart batteries I would be interested.

HamRad · 01-09-2005, 09:09 AM

billva,
True deep cycle 6 volt type batteries are indeed different from a 12 volt. This includes even the "deep cycle" 12 volt batteries. The 6 volt deep cycle batteries contain lead cells with about twice as much lead.

Below is a link that will get you started. Also contact one of your local golf courses that use electric carts and ask them about where they get their batteries. They may even be able to help you get a better price.

Allied Battery Products

HamRad

skyguy · 01-09-2005, 09:41 AM

I can tell you from experience that two 6 volt Trojan 105's are an excellent solution. They advertise 225 amp hours of power. We have dry camped for a week, and have had good power all week. No, we don't run the big TV, or the microwave, but we do use our 17 inch LCD computer monitor, which has a TV tuner built in, quite a bit.

However, they don't stand up to 10 below, fully discharged. But since I have to replace them this spring, I will be buying the same batteries again.

We used to have a gel cell, 27M series battery in our sailboat, and the Trojans have lots more reserve power!

Al

Montana_2821 · 01-09-2005, 10:39 AM

It's very interesting. I did find a site that sells Exide 6v golf cart batteries that have a 225 amp hour rating. When I read about their 12 volt batteries though they don't give ratings in amp hours.

But the 225 amp hours for a battery does sound quite a bit higher than the 12 volt and it doesn't seem to be that much more expensive.

Very interesting and something else I'm copying for reference as we get our rig all ready to go.

OntMont · 01-09-2005, 10:58 AM

Here is a link that I came across that gives a good deal of information on batteries of different types, and particularly why two 6v golf cart batteries are better than 1 12 v. The article also pushes a product called Thermoil, but you can judge the merits of that product for yourself. It is quite long, but does seem to contain some good information.
http://www.thermoilbatteries.com/secrets.htm

padredw · 01-09-2005, 11:32 AM

Just a final detail about my experience here in East Texas. When I decided to go with the "golf cart" batteries I first called on a Golf Service center in the Longview, Texas area. He was very helpful, and kind enough to say that if I was going to do the installation myself I would be better off to buy the batteries at a battery supply house. I checked with a couple of places in Longview and actually found the one who supplied the Golf service center. I got the batteries for about $55.00 each which was about $10.00 less than the Golf Center would have asked (but their price is based on putting them in a golf cart). Photos and descriptions of my installation are several pages back on this thread. I have not actually tried out the new batteries on a trip. We have been home bound for more weeks than is normal for us.

Montana_2785 · 01-09-2005, 01:59 PM

I have used 2 6V batteries for the past 8 years on my old TT. Sam's Club carries them in my area for about $45 each. Very good bang-for-the-buck. The previous owner had a small 85amp hour battery in our "new" Montana. It is SO much smaller than the 220amp hours I'm used to having that I know I won't be happy with it.

My old TT only had space for 2 batteries. The Montana has room for as many as I care to place it it but:

1) I don't know what weight limits that front compartment may have. The batteries I use are 61lbs each.

2) I don't know what kind of "battery load" I have available from a gross weight perspective yet. Depends on how much junk we load in

3) I'm entertaining the possibility of an inverter. This Montana doesn't have the generator prep, so I'll be using my portable Honda EU3000. However, since it isn't as handy as a built-in genny, it would be nice to be able to run the micro, TV, vac, etc. on occasion without having to go outside and crank up the Honda. I don't really know what size inverter I want to really try to support. Electrical load, battery capacity and time are all interdependent and I haven't really studied the issue well enough yet.

However it all shakes out, I will be staying with the 6V's. The price/performance ratio is the best with them.

One small factoid I got from the electric vehicle bunch is that it takes about 1000lbs of lead acid batteries to provide the equivalent engergy if 1 gallon of gasoline.

Eric

Montana_2821 · 01-09-2005, 04:37 PM

I am glad I found this site and these discussions. There is no way that I would have believed that two 6 volt batteries would hold their charge longer than two 12 volt batteries. But that is obviously the case.

And wiring them in series is certainly no problem.

When we get our rig totally up and running and we need a new battery I am pretty certain that the six volt golf batteries will be the way we go.

Does anyone have 4 of them, paralleling two sets of 6 volt ones in parallel? Or is there not enough room for that?

Countryfolks · 01-10-2005, 05:32 AM

Here's a couple of places that may shed more light.

http://phrannie.org/battery.html
http://phrannie.org/phredex.html

Skip

RC and Samantha · 01-10-2005, 12:52 PM

We were thinking of changing to two 6 volt batteries, Golf cart batteries. Has anyone done that?

Also I read here that some have dry camped for over a week and used their small television, computer, etc. How do you do that? Does it require another additional piece of equipment? Is that what an inverter does?

In advance thank you for your answers to my questions and I hope they aren't too dumb?

Also thank you padredw for starting this thread. It sure has a lot of information on it.

Patty

Montana_2821 · 01-10-2005, 03:34 PM

Apparently from this thread a lot of people are going with two 6 volt golf cart batteries. It sounds like the way to go.

And inverter would allow you to run the tv off the batteries.

sreigle · 01-10-2005, 04:18 PM

In a usenet newsgroup I used to follow, many people switched to the two six-volt golfcart batteries and swore by them. When I have to replace our battery I may do the same thing.

RVWheels · 01-10-2005, 04:35 PM

RC and Samantha,
Yes an inverter takes 12 volts and changes them to 110. The converter that comes in your rig does just the opposite. It takes 110 and changes some of it to 12v so you can operate certain things off of your batteries.
RVWheels

RC and Samantha · 01-12-2005, 10:07 AM

RVWheels,

Thank you for clarifying that for me. I don't know that I'll ever be able to keep it straight. Sounds like we'll need to make another investment to get an inverter when we finally are able to obtain a generator.

Patty

Montana_2428 · 01-25-2005, 06:13 AM

Can't resist adding my upgrade to our 2955RL. I removed the original single 12V battery and installed (4) Trojan T125 6V golf cart batteries in series / parallel combination. This yields 470 amp hours of power, AWESOME! I installed two on each side of the front compartment and vented with 1 1/4 inch PVC pipe to original vent outlet in the front over compartment door. Connected all using "0" battery cable.

I have an inverter (12Vdc to 110Vac, modified sine) that I use for coffee pot and TV / Stereo. The inverter pulls 110 amps during the coffee brew cycle for about 10 minutes. I have brewed 10 pots back-to-back and still had power to spare.

If you dry camp, this is the only way to go. BTW, total weight of these babies is 250 lbs. However, the weight is split between trailer wheels and king pin. Extra weight on king pin in only 115 lbs.

Happy days!

Don and Michele

Montana_2821 · 01-30-2005, 05:51 AM

Patty, you have it backwards, when you get a Generator you do have 110 volts ac so won't need the inverter. The inverter converts the 12 vold dc voltage to 110 volts ac.

Montana_2194 · 03-15-2005, 03:01 AM

Hi R&R,

I know this is late, but I've read the thread because that's what I want to do too. No where did I see that two 6 V were better than two 12 V in parallel. It stated that two 6 Vs were better than one 12V, even though intuitively one would think they were equal. Certainly 2 series pairs of 6 V in parallel with each other would blow away 2 12 V. Happy boondocking.

Jhadley

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by R&R-Rigged&Ready

I am glad I found this site and these discussions. There is no way that I would have believed that two 6 volt batteries would hold their charge longer than two 12 volt batteries. But that is obviously the case.

And wiring them in series is certainly no problem.

When we get our rig totally up and running and we need a new battery I am pretty certain that the six volt golf batteries will be the way we go.

Does anyone have 4 of them, paralleling two sets of 6 volt ones in parallel? Or is there not enough room for that?

padredw · 03-15-2005, 08:53 AM

For a discussion of the difference between 12 volt and 6 volt 'golf cart' batteries, you might want to read a different thread:

http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...rms=deep,cycle

Hope this works! I mean the URL, not the subject which, I am convinced, will never be settled to everyone's satisfaction. For my part, I'm glad to have the 'golf cart' batteries installed. I was never satisfied with the one 12 volt battery. I started out to get a second 12 volt, but after responses on this site and from other internet sources, I decided to go the 2 six volt route.

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