Converting 12 volt coach batteries to 6 volt

[philandmargo]

I have a 2000 Tiffin Zephyr. It has 4 deep cycle 12 volt batteries that power the coach. The batteries need to be replaced. I have heard that using 6 volt batteries is a more efficient and economic system. Can my system be converted? If so, how would I proceed? Thanks, Phil

[pianotuna]

Hi,

To be fair, you went from four 85 amp-hour batteries (when brand new) for a capacity of 340 amp-hours, which may not have been wired in a balanced manner, to four jars that store 464 amp-hours. Of course the new system works better--it is 27% larger in capacity. When you add the Puekert effect in, it is more nearly 33% larger.

If you had gone with four group 29 12 volt jars (115 amp-hours each) the capacity would have been about the same as the four 6 volt jars, and the results would have been again, a dramatic improvement. (wired in a balanced manner).

If we add a 2000 watt inverter to both the scenarios above, the 12 volt configuration would out perform the 6 volt one.

Since my new inverter is 3000 watts, I'm pretty much locked into 12 volt jars--and if/when I replace them I'll possibly go AGM for even better inverter use.

Four of the 12 volt jars are eight years old and still meet my needs.

Canadian Rainbirds wrote:
Last year I replaced 4 12V group 24 marine/rv "deep cycle" batteries with 4 6V GCs. The difference has been outstanding. I would never go back.

Same foot print, need more headroom.

[wny_pat1]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

If treated with care these will last 20 years. Surrette 2 volt. You may find that the rv has to be redesigned to use them. Please be prepared for "sticker shock".

wny_pat wrote:
Inquiring minds want to know about batteries that will last longer that the coach!!! Mine is twenty years old and on its third set.

I'm sure they will, but wondered about the Chrome 12 volt that Tiredkid posted about. I must have got the wrong brand, cause I sure don't expect my AGMs to last longer than my coach.

[consumeratlarge]

I have 2 solar set ups in our trailer in the mountains of New Mexico. The original 12v 'marine' battery didn't last a year, when I switched to 2 golf cart 6v batteries from Sam's, they are still going 5 years later despite a bad incident where the solar controller shorted out and the batteries went down to nothing during the winter. They revived and are still working. In the workshop, I replaced 6 2v industrial batteries that were at the end of their life with 4 sam's club 6v's and have been very pleased with the results.

I believe the difference are that golf cart batteries simply have to hold up to being deeply discharged, and the marine batteries have lighter plates. But, I get the logic that the amp hours of SOME 4x12v batteries and 4x6v's will be about the same. On my motorhome, I could only replace the 2 12v's with certain (Chinese) AGM's put on their side, because of the tight clearance in the battery box, and don't want to extend all of the connections to another battery location......yet. My stock RV batteries are spec'd (75 ah each, 150ah both, at 12v) below the wet cell 6v duo (200+ at 12v) in my case, anyway, so I'd switch in a second if I could.

[Canadian_Rainbi]

Last year I replaced 4 12V group 24 marine/rv "deep cycle" batteries with 4 6V GCs. The difference has been outstanding. I would never go back.

Same foot print, need more headroom.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

If treated with care these will last 20 years. Surrette 2 volt. You may find that the rv has to be redesigned to use them. Please be prepared for "sticker shock".

wny_pat wrote:
Inquiring minds want to know about batteries that will last longer that the coach!!! Mine is twenty years old and on its third set.

[Tinstar]

Yes, it's pretty easy to change over. I prefer the 6 volts over the 12 volts batteries. I switched my Allegro Bus to 6 volt. Just wire them differently than the 12's.

[mena661]

AGM's don't last any longer, generally, than regular batteries. If your 12V were working well just get those.

[wny_pat1]

tiredkid wrote:

topflite51 wrote:

tiredkid wrote:

philandmargo wrote:
I have a 2000 Tiffin Zephyr. It has 4 deep cycle 12 volt batteries that power the coach. The batteries need to be replaced. I have heard that using 6 volt batteries is a more efficient and economic system. Can my system be converted? If so, how would I proceed? Thanks, Phil

Purchase four of these; Chrome Battery 12 Volt 110AH Deep Cycle
same size as a 27 series but they are AGM,these will last longer than the MH and u never fill them etc
cost about $900.you will Need 8 6 volts to do same job and even the cheap acid filled ones will cost you at least $800 plus all the work to convert

Give it a rest tiredkid, the THE OLD WIVES CLUB MEMBERS around here support 6 Volt batteries. No if's, and's or but's about it. 😛

not interested in that club.Guy asked if he should stick to 4 good 12,s and same wiring and the correct answer is yes. if it aint broke don't try and fix it. especially with the quality of 12Volts available today of which were not available when you formed the old wives club.

Inquiring minds want to know about batteries that will last longer that the coach!!! Mine is twenty years old and on its third set.

[topflite51]

tiredkid wrote:

philandmargo wrote:
I have a 2000 Tiffin Zephyr. It has 4 deep cycle 12 volt batteries that power the coach. The batteries need to be replaced. I have heard that using 6 volt batteries is a more efficient and economic system. Can my system be converted? If so, how would I proceed? Thanks, Phil

Purchase four of these; Chrome Battery 12 Volt 110AH Deep Cycle
same size as a 27 series but they are AGM,these will last longer than the MH and u never fill them etc
cost about $900.you will Need 8 6 volts to do same job and even the cheap acid filled ones will cost you at least $800 plus all the work to convert

Give it a rest tiredkid, the THE OLD WIVES CLUB MEMBERS around here support 6 Volt batteries. No if's, and's or but's about it. 😛

[tiredkid]

philandmargo wrote:
I have a 2000 Tiffin Zephyr. It has 4 deep cycle 12 volt batteries that power the coach. The batteries need to be replaced. I have heard that using 6 volt batteries is a more efficient and economic system. Can my system be converted? If so, how would I proceed? Thanks, Phil

Purchase four of these; Chrome Battery 12 Volt 110AH Deep Cycle
same size as a 27 series but they are AGM,these will last longer than the MH and u never fill them etc
cost about $900.you will Need 8 6 volts to do same job and even the cheap acid filled ones will cost you at least $800 plus all the work to convert

[wa8yxm]

Generally speaking the advantages of six volt pairs (Each pair is one BIG 12 volt battery) are as follows:

LOW COST.. The six volt Golf Car size battery is very popular and thus Golf courses buy them by the pallet load... This means the cost of production is lower per unit due to not so much retooling being done on the lines.. You save times mark ups which are getting larger all the time.

DEEP CYCLE: MOST 12 volt "Deep Cycle" are really Marine/Deep cycle (Though you can get true deep cycle) and frankly.. I would avoid the dual purpose ones as they do not like a 50 percent state of charge.. My True DEEP CYCLE batteries have gone to fifty many times, and much lower several times in their 8.5 year life.. They are now in need of replacement, but they have lasted a long time.

Finally: IN an rv once installedk there are no six volt batteries, only 12.. Here is why

What you have (Single battery only shown(
-{Battery}+
What you will have with six volt pairs
-{Bat}t{ery}+ The "T" in the middle is a jumper wire.

In both cases.

-{12v}+


One more thing: You said you have 4 12 volt batteries now.. G-24, 27, 28, 31, 4D, 8D, Many other sizes, you did not say

4 GC-2's hold more power than the group 24,27 or 28 Slightly less than the31's and each pair is somewhere between a 4D and an 8D.

What I'm saying is "12 volt battery" is not enough information

12 volt Size Group ____ (with blank filled in) is needed.

[OnaQuest]

tiredkid wrote:

OnaQuest wrote:

tiredkid wrote:

OnaQuest wrote:

BSDP Don wrote:
"philandmargo...."wildtoad" and "tiredkid" have the best answer. Even though four 6 volt batteries are typically what are now used by most, the 12 volts are fine if they served you well. Since you have to buy batteries anyhow, the cost of batteries will be a wash, but with the price of copper cable, you could spend quite a bit of money on new cables.

I understand that we are all just voicing our opinion, but that opinion should have some basis of fact.

Seems to me that one could re-use the interconnecting cables from the four parallel 12V batteries to interconnect the four series/parallel 6V batteries AND HAVE TWO CABLES LEFT OVER... Where's the big investment in new copper cables?

Because he needs 8 six volt batterys to make the same power as 4 12 volts(approx.)

Sorry, Not true.

ok explain your opinion. mine is I see 4 12V batterys at 215amp X4 = 860 and 8 6 volts at 225 per pair = 900 so pretty close?
I do know for sure your theory of Four 6 volts will = four 12 volts is wrong

You are comparing apples to oranges. Not too many folks have 215 amp hour (at the 20 hour rate) 12 volt batteries installed.

You have to define which 12V battery you are comparing to which 6V pair. Obviously two $350+ Crown or Trojan 12V batteries would outperform two regular GC-2 6V batteries, but The standard 12V deep cycle hybrid marine battery that you are going to find in most RVs will be about 105-115 AH. Compare them with the popular and affordable T-105 @220 AH 6V and repeat your math exercise.

[tiredkid]

OnaQuest wrote:

tiredkid wrote:

OnaQuest wrote:

BSDP Don wrote:
"philandmargo...."wildtoad" and "tiredkid" have the best answer. Even though four 6 volt batteries are typically what are now used by most, the 12 volts are fine if they served you well. Since you have to buy batteries anyhow, the cost of batteries will be a wash, but with the price of copper cable, you could spend quite a bit of money on new cables.

I understand that we are all just voicing our opinion, but that opinion should have some basis of fact.

Seems to me that one could re-use the interconnecting cables from the four parallel 12V batteries to interconnect the four series/parallel 6V batteries AND HAVE TWO CABLES LEFT OVER... Where's the big investment in new copper cables?

Because he needs 8 six volt batterys to make the same power as 4 12 volts(approx.)

Sorry, Not true.

ok explain your opinion. mine is I see 4 12V batterys at 215amp X4 = 860 and 8 6 volts at 225 per pair = 900 so pretty close?
I do know for sure your theory of Four 6 volts will = four 12 volts is wrong

[OnaQuest]

tiredkid wrote:

OnaQuest wrote:

BSDP Don wrote:
"philandmargo...."wildtoad" and "tiredkid" have the best answer. Even though four 6 volt batteries are typically what are now used by most, the 12 volts are fine if they served you well. Since you have to buy batteries anyhow, the cost of batteries will be a wash, but with the price of copper cable, you could spend quite a bit of money on new cables.

I understand that we are all just voicing our opinion, but that opinion should have some basis of fact.

Seems to me that one could re-use the interconnecting cables from the four parallel 12V batteries to interconnect the four series/parallel 6V batteries AND HAVE TWO CABLES LEFT OVER... Where's the big investment in new copper cables?

Because he needs 8 six volt batterys to make the same power as 4 12 volts(approx.)

Sorry, Not true.