Forum Discussion

mrad's avatar
mrad
Explorer II
Nov 25, 2020

Hooking up trickle charger to golf cart batteries

how should I hook up a trickle charger to two golf cart batteries hooked up for 12 volts in my RV during storage? Positive to Negative on opposite batteries?
  • Same here I purposely disconnect my solar on my golf cart batteries. Wouldn't leave them on a trickle charge unless the situation demanded it.

    Is it stored at home? Sounds like it if you have access to 120v.
  • Joke, Myth !
    once you connect 2 6ers in series, it becomes 1 bigger 12v, and it will never know that a 6v battery is even in the make up. But never set them on a concrete floor !!!
  • Gjac's avatar
    Gjac
    Explorer III
    BFL13 wrote:
    There is a school of thought that 6s are better off not being floated for long periods, but instead should be left to self-decline to about 80% SOC and then be fully recharged (that is really to real full not almost full) and repeat.

    That would only be if you took all the load wires off so there is no draw, not just open the so-called "disconnect switch" that leaves some things still connected.

    I cannot verify if that would be better than floating the 6s with say the LP alarm and radio still connected. You read this kind of thing, but not see any actual comparative results for a winter of storage. Beats me!
    This is exactly what I do, recharge at 80% and never leave a charger on continuously. In Nov I fully charge the batteries then disconnect the negative cable on chassis battery and hit the store button on the house batteries they are good until March then I recharge fully. A good battery that is fully charged will last over the winter months without a float charge.
  • There is a school of thought that 6s are better off not being floated for long periods, but instead should be left to self-decline to about 80% SOC and then be fully recharged (that is really to real full not almost full) and repeat.

    That would only be if you took all the load wires off so there is no draw, not just open the so-called "disconnect switch" that leaves some things still connected.

    I cannot verify if that would be better than floating the 6s with say the LP alarm and radio still connected. You read this kind of thing, but not see any actual comparative results for a winter of storage. Beats me!
  • mrad wrote:
    how should I hook up a trickle charger to two golf cart batteries hooked up for 12 volts in my RV during storage? Positive to Negative on opposite batteries?


    Yes
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Ok when you have two six volt golf cart batteries in series what you have is one 12 volt battery.. Effectively that is.

    So this is how you hook up a battery Tender/minder (NOT a Trickle Charger)

    Black lead -{bat}+jumper-{ery}+ red lead

    and it is really that simple

    Now when you have other questions like
    Can I replace one
    Can they be "Different"
    Etc.. Remember they are not two six volt batteries but ONE 12 VOLT (Size 4D or 8D) and that answers your question.. Treat them as a single battery.
  • In the middle joining the 2 batteries is a NO TOUCHIE + to -- cable. Do not touch.

    Use the other posts on both batteries.

    Red, black and green color coding spray paint help resolve the issue.

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