Two 6 volt vs two 12 volt run time
I was just informed that two 6 volt batteries would run the residential refrigerator many times longer than two 12 volt batteries. I wonder if this is just hype?
Forum Discussion
Perhaps an explosive concentration could occur over a long time in a small sealed compartment with several batteries off gassing and that could be dangerous. That would take a lot of off gassing even in a small compartment and exploding batteries or gasses in RV is very seldom a cause of an explosion as I have researched it.
Can it happen? Sure but very rare but still wise to pay attention to the possibility even if it is so rare. Hard to trust some of the junk that some manufacturers are making today, so always check yours out before adding a battery bank since it's you who is making the alterations not the manufacturer. Of course, there likely could be some people that would allow this type of sealing a battery space to occur and have a spark or flame source exist inside but it IS also widely known that any battery compartment must have some adequate ventilation. I can't say I have ever see an OEM RV or even a boat built with totally sealed battery compartments as all either have bottom floor grates/screens, or door louvers, or tube vents, or the bottom casing around the door molding sealing edge cut away for venting, etc.
Boats usually use blowers or have incoming pointed forward air scoops on one side and rear facing air scoop vents on the other side for that venturi action again whether the blower is running or not and works even when docked. Extremely rare to have a battery blow in a boat and where we live is a boating haven and heaven with 10's of thousands or boats and dozens of large marinas about all the boats have one or a lot more batteries in their bilge. Same with the compartments the propane tanks are housed in when in a doored compartment. Explosions from fuel leaks yes, but never heard of one from battery gassing in my over 75 years. My own 10-1/2 year older brother owned one of the large marina's here before selling and is now long retired like me. He lives in Florida now.
FWIW, my front storage battery/etc compartment that has the 5 batteries in it is approx. 22" X 38" X 96" (8 feet) and is very well OEM vented beside the Tupperware battery container with the vent thru the floor I'd added. Nope, I do not worry about a battery explosion from gassing.
Can it happen? Sure but very rare but still wise to pay attention to the possibility even if it is so rare. Hard to trust some of the junk that some manufacturers are making today, so always check yours out before adding a battery bank since it's you who is making the alterations not the manufacturer. Of course, there likely could be some people that would allow this type of sealing a battery space to occur and have a spark or flame source exist inside but it IS also widely known that any battery compartment must have some adequate ventilation. I can't say I have ever see an OEM RV or even a boat built with totally sealed battery compartments as all either have bottom floor grates/screens, or door louvers, or tube vents, or the bottom casing around the door molding sealing edge cut away for venting, etc.
Boats usually use blowers or have incoming pointed forward air scoops on one side and rear facing air scoop vents on the other side for that venturi action again whether the blower is running or not and works even when docked. Extremely rare to have a battery blow in a boat and where we live is a boating haven and heaven with 10's of thousands or boats and dozens of large marinas about all the boats have one or a lot more batteries in their bilge. Same with the compartments the propane tanks are housed in when in a doored compartment. Explosions from fuel leaks yes, but never heard of one from battery gassing in my over 75 years. My own 10-1/2 year older brother owned one of the large marina's here before selling and is now long retired like me. He lives in Florida now.
FWIW, my front storage battery/etc compartment that has the 5 batteries in it is approx. 22" X 38" X 96" (8 feet) and is very well OEM vented beside the Tupperware battery container with the vent thru the floor I'd added. Nope, I do not worry about a battery explosion from gassing.
