Location for 2 more batteries

If you just add two batteries try equalizing/desulfate them with a stand alone charger with the capability. Don't block air flow or pick up heat to batteries around generator. The shelf idea is a good one if there was room.
Lithium if you have a lot of money. One of them was supposed to take the place of four T105's, I think I remember. 1100 bucks though, if I remember right. Two of them and a suitable controller would be the cat's meow....maybe.

djbroughton wrote:
I am planning to install solar on my coach and would like to add 2 more 6 volt batteries to make a total of 6. There is definitely no more room in the battery bay.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Your coach may be built differently, but our rear closet has a well on the passenger side in the floor (24"x30")above our battery area. Maybe you could build a battery box there and put your batteries inside?

Safe travels,
MM.

Executive wrote:
There's room in my coach in front of the genset. Just make sure you do a four corner weigh before deciding. You don't want to be overweight in one area and two batteries could add significant weight if a particular area is already taxed....Dennis

thats really not logical as then u need 60 feet of #4 cable to join up the other 4 at the other end of the MH so I don't see that as a valid battery placement.
maybe 4 twelves would be a good compromise?

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

While multiple batteries are nice, the lowest possible cell count is more favorable.

Least ways, paralleling some 12v deep cycle batteries, will save on a lot of space.

Hi joe,

Be sure to beef up the support structure for the bay. Nothing will make your day like a bay being torn off while driving because its weight capacity was over limit.

joeprinter wrote:
the next is the battery upgrade. I have found an adjacent bay that will work very well for additional batteries.

I finished my solar an Inverter install last summer, the next is the battery upgrade. I have found an adjacent bay that will work very well for additional batteries.

On a previous motorhome I selected a storage compartment near the original batteries and used a portion of that to install a marine battery box that I vented through the back wall with 1" flex hose then ran the battery cables to the existing batteries.

Hi,

While multiple batteries are nice, the lowest possible cell count is more favorable.

Think Up! Do you have headroom in your battery compartment? As noted, you will want all of your house batteries to be of the same relative age, as they will sink to the weakest battery. So if adding two new ones to the existing four, factor how old those 4 are. Also, distance is a robber of power. So think FAT cables... (Many places to get the proper sizing of the cables, in relation to the length of the run. If close, bump up to the next size cable.)

Think up? That was intended to the headroom question. 4X's T145 is a nice size bump in AH's over stock 6V batteries. Another option, is to look at AGM's in the L16 size. They can be mounted upside down if needed, 2X's L16's would give you about 400AH's. (We had two 8D's, and the foot print was the same size as four L16's standing up. We had enough headroom to do this.)

While Golf Cart 6V are the least expensive way to go, if you can get by with a lower battery count the extra costs of 2 more and the cabling to get them spliced in, the savings might almost cover the costs of more expensive batteries. (I knew what I was trying to say, sorry if it did not come across:)!)

Best of luck, be safe, have fun,
Smitty

A battery bank will default to the weakest battery. They, if they are tied together need to be the same age and battery type wet-cell/AGM...Getting batteries to 100% SOC is important and adding additional batteries make that more difficult with the limited area to put solar panels on,
If you are going solar (I have) the better place to spend money is conservation i.e. LED lights more efficient heater (I have an Espar diesel heater)not using things that use resistant heat.