re 12v vs 6v Batteries

Jawsinparadise wrote:
Extremely strange to read all the opinions re this subject. Most written by author "OLDMAN"
I purchased my new Wildwood last month. The contact person that did the paperwork was a "OLDMAN".
In my contract I was to have 2 batteries. What was installed were 2 6v in series. I wanted 2 12v in parallel. Twice the ccp as 2 6v. If one 12v fails you have another. If one six fails you have nothing.
How one assumes 2 6v are equal or better than 2 12v has little knowledge how batteries are rated in series or parallel.

You have a basic flaw in your understanding of batteries.. I will attempt to correct.

The flaw" "Twice the capacity..."

Your two six volt, in series, have a capacity of roughly 220-230 amp hours.

A group 24, (Two of them will fit in the same tray) pair would have a capacity of roughly 150 Amp hours. Less than 3/4 of what you have now.

A group 29 pair (Would not fit in same tray) would be around 200 amp hours.

A group 31 pair (again would not fit) Would be about 260, SLIGHTLY more. but a long way from twice

A Pair of 8-D (Big monsters) would have twice the capacity.

Thus, since the odds are you would have gotten either Group 24 or group 27 batteries if you got 12 volt, (possibly 29) you have MORE amp hours (more capacity) than if you had 2 12's.


NOW: There is more.

In the "Group 24,27,29,31" Size range the most common RV battery is a Marine/Deep Cycle (you can get true deep cycle but hard to find)

These are vastly inferior to the six volt Deep Cycle Golf car batteries you have, Though they may (If you have the right ones) have nearly the same amp hours per pair, You can safely use only 20-25 percent of it.> Where as your Six volt can be taken down to half full safely and even if you go lower stand a real good chance of recovery. Way mroe than the marine/deep cycle type do.

IN short, You are much better off with what you have.

There is a reason they use six volt golf car batteries in RV's Best bang for the buck.

Best battery for the job too.