6v vs. 12v house batteries

The 5% figure came from a training seminar I attended when I and others were considering buying a distributorship. That figure seemed about right from when I sold batteries in a retail environment.

Hi Folks,

I'm a twelve volt proponent (because I can't afford the modifications needed to use 2 volt jars). The chances of a cell failing are statistically greater using 12 volt jars, because there are often twice as many cells. Since there ARE twice as many, each cell has to work 50% less. That tends towards better voltage drop under high loads (275 amps, in my case).

In real life, failure due to shorting out a cell is a rather rare occurrence. It is certainly not an argument I'd use to support 12 volt being "superior" to 6 volt.

Choose what ever voltage works for you. Maintain what ever that is to the best of your knowledge and ability (including balanced wiring)--and the life span may surprise you. Ignore routine maintenance as well as leaving the bank partly charged--and the jars will almost certainly fail prematurely.

topflite51 wrote:
It is simply the old wives tale that 6V's are better and since you do it everybody should.

I'm running 12v AGM right now, but that choice has nothing to do with any 6v failure fears. I'll change my profile. What did you say... a 5% failure rate? Where did you find that?

This is an interesting thread from a few years ago where there's a lot of 'what ifs' but perhaps one case of somebody knowing somebody who had one fail. And I'm not talking about old age.Anybody had one 6v fail?2010

2oldman wrote:

topflite51 wrote:
Reason is simple enough. ... what happens when ... one of the 6V's (2 months old) shorts out, leaving you with only one 6V to power your refrigerator controls...(snipped quote).

This is specious reasoning.

The same argument could be applied to any 12v battery. What if someone dry camps with one 12v battery? Do we advise him/her to carry a spare? 2-6v batteries in series are nothing more than a 12v battery in two pieces, and it's no more likely to catastrophically fail than a 12v battery.

Having one battery fail is possible, yes, but probable? Hardly. And it's no reason to not use 6v.

If someone had space for only one battery then he has to use a 12V, he would have no place for the other half of the battery using your scenario. Did not say not to use 6V's only said if you have space for only 2 batteries not to do it. It is not a false argument to so recommend given the roughly 5% failure rate of all wet cell batteries while under warranty including the vaunted 6V golf cart batteries that so many around here recommend. It is simply the old wives tale that 6V's are better and since you do it everybody should. As to boondocking, so many make that claim that never boondock a day in their lives, as they believe in pluggin' in. If you have the space for 4 by all means run your 6's, if not run 12's.

topflite51 wrote:
Reason is simple enough. ... what happens when ... one of the 6V's (2 months old) shorts out, leaving you with only one 6V to power your refrigerator controls...(snipped quote).

This is specious reasoning.

The same argument could be applied to any 12v battery. What if someone dry camps with one 12v battery? Do we advise him/her to carry a spare? 2-6v batteries in series are nothing more than a 12v battery in two pieces, and it's no more likely to catastrophically fail than a 12v battery.

Having one battery fail is possible, yes, but probable? Hardly. And it's no reason to not use 6v.

Hi Blaster,

Since he has four six volts there is room and weight capacity for 8d's. Apples to oranges is comparing dissimilar amp-hour ratings.

What matters is the total number of amp-hours the OP needs.

If he never boondocks, a single marine 12 volt will "fill the bill".

Blaster Man wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

That is, unless the two 12 volts are 8D. Then the pendulum swings to the 12 volts. It would probably cost more.

Blaster Man wrote:
Lots of info provided so far...some confusing. Bottom line, four 6volts are better and more powerful that two 12volts.

Discussions that involve 8Ds or 4Ds is an apples to oranges comparison.

Age old problem. 6V vs 12V. If you have space for 4 batteries for the coach then go with 6V's, if you don't then probably should go with 12V's. Reason is simple enough. ASK yourself what happens when you have two 6Vs for power inside your 12V powered coach and one of the 6V's (2 months old) shorts out, leaving you with only one 6V to power your refrigerator controls, water pump and other necessary items. As I said if you have the room for 4 6V's go with them, if not then don't.

Blaster Man wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

That is, unless the two 12 volts are 8D. Then the pendulum swings to the 12 volts. It would probably cost more.

Blaster Man wrote:
Lots of info provided so far...some confusing. Bottom line, four 6volts are better and more powerful that two 12volts.

Discussions that involve 8Ds or 4Ds is an apples to oranges comparison.

The thread is about 6 or 12 volt, not the size of the battery. There are 6 volt deep cycles in larger sizes also that have more than 300 AH ratings each. For example; Lifeline GPL-6C, 300 AH
It all comes down to the amount of room in the battery bay. How many AH one wants. What is the budget. Weight.

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

That is, unless the two 12 volts are 8D. Then the pendulum swings to the 12 volts. It would probably cost more.

Blaster Man wrote:
Lots of info provided so far...some confusing. Bottom line, four 6volts are better and more powerful that two 12volts.

Discussions that involve 8Ds or 4Ds is an apples to oranges comparison.

Hi,

That is, unless the two 12 volts are 8D. Then the pendulum swings to the 12 volts. It would probably cost more.

Blaster Man wrote:
Lots of info provided so far...some confusing. Bottom line, four 6volts are better and more powerful that two 12volts.