Battery Bank Location

[1L243]

I currently have a four battery 12 volt battery bank at 340ah. The batteries are located on the factory installed generator platform on the tongue of the 36' bumper pull toy hauler. I want to upgrade to six
6 volt flooded golf cart batteries. To do this I have to move the battery bank to the front cargo area or the area under the queen bed at the front of the Rig (preferred).

Do I need to have a sealed vented battery box or do I just need to vent the compartments where the batteries will be located?

[StirCrazy]

1L243 wrote:

joebedford wrote:

1L243 wrote:
6 Golf Cart 6 volts $600

I suspect I have to replace all 6 of my golf cart batteries because it sat in a cargo trailer for the last 2.5 years untended.

Where do you get them for $100 each?

Costco

wow there close to 169 each up here, plus 12% tax.

[1L243]

joebedford wrote:

1L243 wrote:
6 Golf Cart 6 volts $600

I suspect I have to replace all 6 of my golf cart batteries because it sat in a cargo trailer for the last 2.5 years untended.

Where do you get them for $100 each?

Costco

[joebedford]

1L243 wrote:
6 Golf Cart 6 volts $600

I suspect I have to replace all 6 of my golf cart batteries because it sat in a cargo trailer for the last 2.5 years untended.

Where do you get them for $100 each?

[StirCrazy]

1L243 wrote:
I currently have a four battery 12 volt battery bank at 340ah. The batteries are located on the factory installed generator platform on the tongue of the 36' bumper pull toy hauler. I want to upgrade to six
6 volt flooded golf cart batteries. To do this I have to move the battery bank to the front cargo area or the area under the queen bed at the front of the Rig (preferred).

Do I need to have a sealed vented battery box or do I just need to vent the compartments where the batteries will be located?

to meet the standards it has to be seald from the interior space and vented. under a bed I would follow this, but some don't.

when I converted to GC batteries in my trailer I just welded a new frame to hold them onto the tounge out of 2x2 angle which I bolted the plastic battery boxes to. This would hold 4 six volt batteries and spaced it just a little farther ahead so the hight would clear the front of the trailer.

as previously stated, LiFePO4 batteries would be a exelent option for you, if you can build them yourself you can do it relitivly cheep, I think I am projecting 400 bucks for my new 320Ah build. thats one battery probably the same size but lighter than one of your 12V batteries but has 320 usable AH.

[1L243]

Thanks for the input. My pass through storage area is about 24 sq ft. Under the bed only about 12 sq ft.

I will be in the planning for a sealed vented battery box or boxes under the bed. Which is storage area I don't really use for anything else.

[1L243]

Lwiddis wrote:
Lithium batteries under the bed would be my choice. No venting. Less weight. Low voltage drop. No corrosion. More usable AHs. For instance a 300 AH Lithium battery has 270 usable amps conservatively.

Would be my choice too! but $$$$$$$$$$$$$

3 Lithium batteries $3000
6 Golf Cart 6 volts $600

[Grit_dog]

Adds another 150lbs + to the tongue, if you care about that. Even if you put them in the bedroom.
Remember it's not necessary to add them in the same location as the current ones. You could put them anywhere, theoretically, if you have the room, only at the expense of potentially some extra wiring.

[1L243]

bucky wrote:
Wouldn't 4 6V batteries give you more AHs than your current 12Vs and be enough to avoid the extra tongue weight and relocation?

Yes, 6's would be about 100 more ah. But six 6 volts would give me about 300ah more than I have how for little extra cost.

My Tongue Weight is 1540 pounds which includes two 30 pound propane tanks and the WDH, which is in the ball park for a 10,000 pound Toy Hauler.

[Lwiddis]

Lithium batteries under the bed would be my choice. No venting. Less weight. Low voltage drop. No corrosion. More usable AHs. For instance a 300 AH Lithium battery has 270 usable amps conservatively.

[PastorCharlie]

In our class A I built 2 double decker battery trays with one sitting on each inside of the grille. The lower batteries slide out for service and the top batteries are serviced from the top. The original batteries I installed were each 12V 125ah but the replacement ones are 115ah. They have lasted for several years and stay cool. With Kyocera Solar Panels and a Magnum Energy 2,000 Watt Inverter we operate most all appliances in the coach.

[Vintage465]

I have four 6v GC batteries good for 470ah gross, meaning 235ah net using the 50% usage rule. I use all my trailers 12v powered devices(including the furnace) and I'm never wanting for power. Mine are on the tongue using a DeeZee ATV tool box that I vented. If I was led to install them in the coach I'd be real careful to build an enclosure that was completely sealed from the rest of the interior environment but well ventilated to the outside,,,,I think an interior mounting set up is doable, but would need to be well thought out.

[ReneeG]

Fifth wheels have a vented front compartment to add the optional generator. Having your front cargo area serve as your battery compartment as long as it's well-vented would be safe, but also take into consideration the extra weight. We had our front cargo area reinforced with angle iron when we added an extra generator. We already carry four batteries, so adding the other generator required extra reinforcement.

[Y-Guy]

1L243 I do agree with CA Traveler, I'd use vented boxes in that compartment, with your sleeping area right above the front compartment I'd be extra cautious, your health and safety are important. The weight issue is also something to take note of too.

[CA_Traveler]

4x GC2x would be 440 Ah, not enough? GCs are heavy so check your hitch weight. Might need to shift front to back cargo.

I would not let a flooded battery vent in a cargo area. Instead use a sealed and vented box with a hose to the outside. Perhaps 3 boxes with 2 batteries each. Don't overlook battery watering and maintence access in the storage area.

Each pair of GC2s are a 12V battery. Parallel 12V batteries should be wired in a balanced manner. Trivial for 2 12V batteries and move involved for 3.