2 6v parallel with 1 12v

[kfrenette]

Hey Guys,

I am new to RVing and I we have just bought a jayco x213. My family and I are doing our first dry camping and I have purchased 2 6v batteries. My question is this, will I run into any problems hooking the 2x6v (already in series) parallel with the 12v. They are different batteries. Should I just keep the 12 as a back up and run the 6v? Any recommendations would be great!

[mlts22]

There is always getting a four position (A/B/A+B/off) battery switch, so you can keep the battery banks isolated, or if you want, use them together. That way, they can be charged separately from each other.

[kfrenette]

Thanks everyone. I ran the set up on our first dry camping trip and it was great.

[marbil_146]

X3..I have exactly that all wired in together with two Blue Sea switches two separate solar systems one roof top one portable with separate Morningstar controllers.
I can have both charging together or separate.....I just completed a 17 day test in two B.C Provincial parks under varied weather conditions and was pleased to find that the battery's worked well together and even the two controllers seemed to talk to each other.
With 150 watts portable and 213 rooftop flat I was in regulation by mid morning and float in early PM and that's with approx. 100 amp hrs daily use.?...50 for one week,portable Engle freezer.
The two battery banks are new so that might help but any time I isolated one from the other I always came up with an equal voltage reading......I ended up just charging and using both together as one big 330 ah bank.
Hope I'm not hijacking this thread with my ramble.

[mena661]

smkettner wrote:
No damage will occur. You will just have more power.

X2

[time2roll]

No damage will occur. You will just have more power.

[kfrenette]

Well I have a box built on the front, and hooking in parallel is pretty easy with it. I just didn't want to cause any damage to the 6v or the RV by running it in parallel.

[OnaQuest]

Carrying around a spare battery, in a box, NOT hooked to a charging source is like carrying a spare tire with no air it it. What good is it going to be when you decide you need it?

If I was going to keep it at all, I would hook it up in parallel with the two 6s (with jumper cables) after I got set up in camp and then remove it when ready to leave.

[RoyB]

I'd carry the 12VDC battery in a battery box as a spare in the back of the truck.. Will be a great PLAN B....

Roy ken

[kfrenette]

Thanks everyone. I think I am going to go with the 12v as being a spare.

[time2roll]

While in use or on a float charge they are fine. Otherwise I would separate.

[mena661]

X2 MrWiz...it will be fine for camping. When at home charge the 12 and the 6's separately.

[elkhornsun]

The problem is that the charging unit is not going to take all the batteries to 100% charge level. That may not be important and a 90% charge level may be OK. On the other hand if the controller overcharges one or more of the batteries there will be water loss. and if the former I would carefully monitor the water level in the batteries and even carry along a small container with distilled water. I would also want to be sure that all were the same type, either all flooded lead acid type or all AGM.

[PapPappy]

Keep the 12V as a spare....the 6V batteries will do you well, and you won't have the issues that might come up, with the system trying to draw from different size units.
Will it work? Yeah, but it's always best to try and balance things out....same as getting the same tires. Can you run with that little space saver...yes, but it's not the best way to go!

[wa8yxm]

Just think like this:

When properly installed in an RV (Motor home or trailer) There are NO SIX VOLT BATTERIES,, Only 12 volts that come in 2 pieces for ease of handling.

So you want to hook up like this

{Bat}t{ery}
-(Battery}+

And yes, that will work I saw posts about efficiency and other yammer warnings, For the most part, those folks do not know what they are talking about. They will work fine.

There is, however, one slight danger.

should the 12 volt short out (Shorted cell) there is enough power in the six volt pair to make it go "pop" and spray acid all over the place.