A little information regarding my trailer: Its a 2005 29' eclipse attitude toy hauler. Right now I have 2 6 volt batteries hooked up to my trailer in parallel and the trailer is wired for 2 batteries. They are dead because I left them hooked up for a bit too long I suppose. So I'm in the market to purchase new batteries.My question is not what is the better option but rather more practical for me. We rarely - actually will never - camp off the grid. The few places we take the trailer all have hook-ups. So really the only time I need the batteries is during travel, maybe to run the fridge, using the electric jack, etc...Is it possible to run only 1 12 volt, or 2 12 volts rather than the 2 6 volts? This is relatively new to me and I'm not looking for a cheaper alternative, only a practicable solution for my needs. Thanks in advance!

If you have 2-6v now then they are in series not parallel. Given you camp with hookups then I would just replace with a single 12V marine/deep cycle AGM battery and call it good. You wont have to monitor water levels like you do with the 6V.I would figure out your charging situation however as you will likely just toast the new battery. TO leave hooked up to shore power you need a charge controller that can step down the voltage/current when the battery is fully charged.

I recommend one 12 volt. Deep cycle trolling from WalMart is fine.Costco or Sam's Club should also have a 12v deep cycle.BTW all batteries prefer to be connected and charging while in storage. Do watch the water level. Allowing any battery to discharge in storage will severely reduce its life. Consider 50 to 100 watts of solar if stored without power.

N-Trouble wrote:If you have 2-6v now then they are in series not parallel. Given you camp with hookups then I would just replace with a single 12V marine/deep cycle AGM battery and call it good. You wont have to monitor water levels like you do with the 6V.I would figure out your charging situation however as you will likely just toast the new battery. TO leave hooked up to shore power you need a charge controller that can step down the voltage/current when the battery is fully charged.Yes you are right, its in a series as they are hooked up via a jumper from one batteries neg. to the others pos., good catch. smkettner wrote:I recommend one 12 volt. Deep cycle trolling from WalMart is fine.Costco or Sam's Club should also have a 12v deep cycle.BTW all batteries prefer to be connected and charging while in storage. Do watch the water level. Allowing any battery to discharge in storage will severely reduce its life. Consider 50 to 100 watts of solar if stored without power.Both of you, thank you for the suggestions. Looks like I'll search for a good 12V battery then!

Costco is a great place to get the batteries. But before giving up on those, try looking them over and filling them with water, and see if you can charge them. Chances are that you will never get more than about 60% of it's new performance, and you might want to skip that step if you have already decided to buy better batteries.Golf cart batteries can stand a lot of abuse, but leaving them at less than 10 volts is a problem that no battery can recover from at times. 12 volt batteries are not nearly as likely to withstand any abuse. A 100 watt solar panel will keep them full while in storage, if you remember to turn off the propane detector and CO meter. Those two alone will use about all the power a 75 watt panel will produce in a day. SunElec.com sells a 140 watt panel for only about $229. You can mount it yourself, and wire it with some from Home Depot (Grey direct burial wire #10 rated at about 15 amps limit and can be exposed to the sun). I made mounts from 2" angle aluminum that is 6" long and 3 holes for #10 screws into the roof, and 5/16" hole for a 1/4-20 bolt into the solar panel frame. It holds the panel about 1" above the roof, so cool air can circulate under the panel, it will put out more amps when cooler. Good luck,Fred.

Judging from your post the cheapest car starting battery even a junkyard battery stands the same chance as the most expensive RV battery. That way when it flatlines it won't hit you too hard.

2 - 6 volt batteries or 2 - 12 volt batteries or...

N-Trouble
Explorer
Apr 28, 2015
If you have 2-6v now then they are in series not parallel. Given you camp with hookups then I would just replace with a single 12V marine/deep cycle AGM battery and call it good. You wont have to monitor water levels like you do with the 6V.

I would figure out your charging situation however as you will likely just toast the new battery. TO leave hooked up to shore power you need a charge controller that can step down the voltage/current when the battery is fully charged.
time2roll
Nomad
Apr 28, 2015
I recommend one 12 volt. Deep cycle trolling from WalMart is fine.
Costco or Sam's Club should also have a 12v deep cycle.

BTW all batteries prefer to be connected and charging while in storage. Do watch the water level. Allowing any battery to discharge in storage will severely reduce its life. Consider 50 to 100 watts of solar if stored without power.
bigrailer19
Explorer
Apr 28, 2015
N-Trouble wrote:
If you have 2-6v now then they are in series not parallel. Given you camp with hookups then I would just replace with a single 12V marine/deep cycle AGM battery and call it good. You wont have to monitor water levels like you do with the 6V.

I would figure out your charging situation however as you will likely just toast the new battery. TO leave hooked up to shore power you need a charge controller that can step down the voltage/current when the battery is fully charged.

Yes you are right, its in a series as they are hooked up via a jumper from one batteries neg. to the others pos., good catch.

smkettner wrote:
I recommend one 12 volt. Deep cycle trolling from WalMart is fine.
Costco or Sam's Club should also have a 12v deep cycle.

BTW all batteries prefer to be connected and charging while in storage. Do watch the water level. Allowing any battery to discharge in storage will severely reduce its life. Consider 50 to 100 watts of solar if stored without power.

Both of you, thank you for the suggestions. Looks like I'll search for a good 12V battery then!
Golden_HVAC
Explorer
Apr 28, 2015
Costco is a great place to get the batteries.

But before giving up on those, try looking them over and filling them with water, and see if you can charge them. Chances are that you will never get more than about 60% of it's new performance, and you might want to skip that step if you have already decided to buy better batteries.

Golf cart batteries can stand a lot of abuse, but leaving them at less than 10 volts is a problem that no battery can recover from at times. 12 volt batteries are not nearly as likely to withstand any abuse.

A 100 watt solar panel will keep them full while in storage, if you remember to turn off the propane detector and CO meter. Those two alone will use about all the power a 75 watt panel will produce in a day.

SunElec.com sells a 140 watt panel for only about $229. You can mount it yourself, and wire it with some from Home Depot (Grey direct burial wire #10 rated at about 15 amps limit and can be exposed to the sun).

I made mounts from 2" angle aluminum that is 6" long and 3 holes for #10 screws into the roof, and 5/16" hole for a 1/4-20 bolt into the solar panel frame. It holds the panel about 1" above the roof, so cool air can circulate under the panel, it will put out more amps when cooler.

Good luck,

Fred.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Apr 28, 2015
Judging from your post the cheapest car starting battery even a junkyard battery stands the same chance as the most expensive RV battery. That way when it flatlines it won't hit you too hard.
Vulcan_Rider
Explorer
Apr 28, 2015
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
the cheapest car starting battery even a junkyard battery stands the same chance as the most expensive RV battery.

I don't agree with that at all.
Batteries are damaged from NON-use more than from use.
And old used battery is always a BAD bet for anything.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Apr 28, 2015
Sounds like the toy hauler will see severe non-use at least as far as the battery is concerned. Unless of course it's way cooler to destroy a hundred forty-dollar battery rather than a twenty dollar battery.
N-Trouble
Explorer
Apr 28, 2015
They sell $20 batteries??? Are those AA or AAA..LOL
pianotuna
Nomad III
Apr 28, 2015
Heck, he could even use a dry cell.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Apr 29, 2015
smkettner wrote:
I recommend one 12 volt. Deep cycle trolling from WalMart is fine.

I hope I remember to come back and check for the answer to this but....

I have looked, and looked,and looked and I have NEVER found that battery at Wal*Mart, EVEN IN THE STORES WHERE IT IS CLEARLY PAINTED ON THE WALL THAT THEY HAVE THEM.

Oh, by the way, Under the conditions I do agree with you..

My question: Stock number so I can narrow my search please.