6V Batteries - Won't start generator

It's possible that you have them hooked up with reverse polarity. Lights, water pump etc. won't care but electronic items don't like it that way. MOST systems have a reverse polarity fuse that blows when hooked up incorrectly but not all. Make sure you have the white to negative. I completely agree with valhalla360 that there should be no power problems with a little starting task like a generator. Together they are the same voltage as a 12 volt battery but they MUST be correctly wired with white to negative and the positive and negative leads connected together on the two batteries which turns it into a 12 volt system.

Unless it's a really big generator a pair of 6V deep cycle batteries shouldn't have a problem generating enough current to turn over the generator (and by really big, I'm talking industrial size).

You never said, did it try to turn over, just click or was there nothing?

Ok I will test and give feedback this evening. Thanks for all the advice

2oldman wrote:

BigDogF250 wrote:
Almost all the 12V systems on the trailer will appear to work on 6V but your generators starter and some of the other electronics (fridge) are more sensitive.

I don't understand this.

Traditional filament based lights in a trailer continue to function all the way down to (and below) 6V. So if that's your only test of "hooked up right" you may think you got it right, breaking out a voltmeter will tell you for sure.

2oldman wrote:

rayjc33 wrote:
I took the 6 v batteries out and put 12V back in and it starts generator just fine.

I suppose it is possible that the deep-cycle batteries cannot supply the starting amperage needed.. but I'd want to know the voltage across them first.

Either they are NOT hooked up in series or they need to be charged.

rayjc33 wrote:
I took the 6 v batteries out and put 12V back in and it starts generator just fine.

I suppose it is possible that the deep-cycle batteries cannot supply the starting amperage needed.. but I'd want to know the voltage across them first.

I did hook it up as pictures show, I took the 6 v batteries out and put 12V back in and it starts generator just fine.

rayjc33 wrote:
I installed two 6V batteries to my trailer and they work for powering lights and all of that, however they will not start my generator. Any ideas?

Generator starter motor "tries", click, groan?

If you have pull-start then try that to verify piston moves freely.

Other than that look for a poor connection that connect voltage but not "high" currents.

For instance it often happens that a poor battery connection in a car will support every load BUT the starter motor.

rayjc33 wrote:
. Do I need to change how the generator hooks up to run 2-6V batteries.?

No. 2 - 6v are just one 12 in two pieces.

BigDogF250 wrote:
Almost all the 12V systems on the trailer will appear to work on 6V but your generators starter and some of the other electronics (fridge) are more sensitive.

I don't understand this.

We are all probably assuming you have hooked up the two 6VDC batteries in SERIES to make it a large 12VDC battery.

It should be hooked up like this


Roy Ken